Lexus LX570 review: the flagship GCC drivers actually chose, and still can
4.1/5MotorsSouq 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.