Lexus LX570 review: the flagship GCC drivers actually chose, and still can
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The facelifted LX570 is the last naturally aspirated V8 flagship Lexus sold in the Gulf, and for buyers who want that character — plus genuine Land Cruiser 200 off-road hardware and KDSS suspension — a well-kept used example is excellent value against the smaller-engined, turbocharged LX600 that replaced it. Check service history on the air suspension and confirm the eight-speed (not the earlier six-speed) transmission if buying pre-owned.
Pros
- Genuine Land Cruiser 200 four-wheel-drive hardware, KDSS and Crawl Control that owners actually use
- Smooth, characterful naturally aspirated V8 with an eight-speed automatic from 2016
- Strong V8 reliability record at Gulf mileages
- Excellent value against the newer, smaller-engined LX600 for buyers who prioritise the V8 character
Cons
- Substantial fuel consumption from a 5.7-litre naturally aspirated V8
- Pre-2016 cars with the older six-speed automatic should be priced and treated differently
- Air suspension and KDSS hydraulics need specialist attention as the car ages
- Large footprint makes older Manama parking structures a daily challenge
The J200-generation LX570 spent thirteen years as the Gulf's default large luxury SUV, and the 2016 facelift is the version most Bahraini buyers actually want: it replaced the original six-speed automatic with an eight-speed unit, sharpened the exterior, and added Lexus's Pre-Collision System to the safety suite. Underneath, it remained what it always was — a Land Cruiser 200 with a nicer cabin, full-time four-wheel drive, a locking Torsen centre differential, and Crawl Control for genuine low-speed off-road work.
The 5.7-litre V8's 383 hp is not the headline any more against a modern turbocharged rival, but the way it delivers that power — smooth, linear, with the naturally aspirated soundtrack that turbocharged engines cannot replicate — is exactly why used LX570 demand in the Gulf has stayed strong even after the LX600 arrived with a smaller, more efficient engine.
Capability that gets used
Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) — which disconnects the anti-roll bars for better wheel articulation off-road, then reconnects them for flatter cornering on tarmac — and Crawl Control are not badge-engineering features here; Bahraini and wider-GCC owners genuinely use them on sand and mountain trips across the causeway into Saudi Arabia. This is a real off-roader wearing a luxury interior, not the reverse.
Buying used in Bahrain
Confirm you are looking at a post-2016 car with the eight-speed automatic rather than an earlier six-speed example being sold as facelifted styling only. The air suspension and KDSS hydraulic system are the components worth a specialist inspection; the 3UR-FE V8 itself has a strong reliability record at typical Gulf mileages. Fuel consumption in daily Manama traffic is substantial — this remains a large-displacement V8 — but running costs otherwise favour the Lexus over comparable German large SUVs.