The Lexus LM sets its sights on the Mercedes V-Class at the top end of the luxury MPV market. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Lexus redefines what an ultimate luxury MPV can be with this LM. A limo might cosset you but the huge stretch-out cabin here spoils its occupants in an even more opulent way. There's really nothing quite like it.

Background

Elsewhere in the world, Lexus has long been known as a purveyor of huge luxury people carrying MPVs, but never here - until now. The LM (for 'Luxury Mover') launched in the UK as one of the brand's most expensive models ever. And it's intended for chauffeur-driven top executives who don't want a big saloon or SUV. You might not think it a six-figure proposition to look at - until you take a look inside and sample a cabin which quite simply takes luxury to another level. And a standard beyond the model this Lexus is most obviously aimed at, the Mercedes V-Class. There's no full-EV LM variant to rival that German competitor in its EQV form, but the fossil-fuelled self-charging Hybrid engine in this Japanese contender is a step more sophisticated than any combustion powerplant available in a V-Class. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

Though the concept of a Lexus MPV might be unusual, the underpinnings that this one rides upon are more than familiar - the GA-K platform we've already seen in slightly shorter form in the brand's NX and RX SUVs. The single engine option's familiar from other Lexus models too, a '350h'-badged 2.5-litre four cylinder self charging petrol-powered full-Hybrid unit. It's mated as usual to a CVT automatic gearbox and is paired with an electric motor allowing the car to run purely on battery power for short urban periods. This engine puts out a more-than-adequate 247bhp, but in damp conditions you'll only be able to properly transmit its 239Nm of torque to the tarmac if you pay the extra to swap the standard front-driven format out for the brand's E-Four four wheel drive system. That provides an extra electric motor to power the rear axle. This can send up to 80% of the powertrain's torque to that back axle - or up to 100% to the front. Maximum speed is 118mph and 62mph from rest takes 8.7s. There's been a huge emphasis on cabin noise reduction - active noise-cancelling tech, improved sealing and air-tightness, noise-reducing wheels and tyres and a special headliner said to enhance insulation by 40%. There's also a unique 'Rear Seat Comfort' driving mode supposed to "adjust suspension performance and drive torque distribution, suppressing vibration helping both the vehicle and its passengers maintain a comfortable posture". There are also a range of systems aimed at counteracting the LM's prodigious size and weight. - 'Automatic Smart Stop Braking Control', 'Pitch Control' and an 'Adaptive Variable Suspension' set-up intended to balance dynamics and comfort.

Design and Build

The LM is big: you knew it would be. Specifically, 5,125mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,940mm high. Unlike with a rival Mercedes V-Class, there's only the one body shape on offer. What's pretty certain is that you won't be choosing this Lexus on the basis of the way it looks, though a few interesting design touches do feature; swept-down detailing over the rear D-pillar, a kicked-up waistline above the driver's door and a simply enormous front grille that should scatter highway dawdlers in its wake. The big wheels are 19-inches in size. But none of this matters because what you'll be choosing this 'Luxury Mover' for is the experience of being shuttled along in a rather exquisitely-trimmed boardroom. Well, if you choose the four-seat version with its two individual armchairs at the rear anyway. With this variant, the rear part of the cabin is shut away by a dimmable glass partition that can be electrically raised or lowered and houses a 48-inch HD screen. Lexus hasn't been afraid to specify van-like sliding side doors because they make access so much easier in tight spaces. Of course some potential customers will still want an LM that functions like a conventional large MPV, so Lexus also provides a seven-seat cabin format option, which makes the most of the car's lengthy 3-metre wheelbase. Either way, you're assured of an extremely high level of the brand's fabled 'Omotenashi' hospitality.

Market and Model

There are various variant choices to decide between here. The conventional seven-seat LM 350h is priced at around £90,000 in front driven form - or about £93,000 with four-wheel drive. Stretch to the top four-seater 'Takumi' version at around £113,000 and you have to have the e-Four system. The standard model comes with 19-inch wheels, twin sunroofs, powered seats in the first two rows, dual zone climate controls and powered sunshades. An infotainment package adds the 'Lexus Link Pro' system, uprated speakers and a 14-inch monitor for rear-seated folk. Highest-quality L-aniline leather is used for the upholstery, in Black or Ammonite Sand with contrasting piping and suede inserts on the rear seats. And woodgrain trim is featured in a traditional Japanese herringbone pattern, created with 3D printing. 'Takumi' spec with its twin rear armchairs shifts the luxury up to another level, giving you an enormous 48-inch widescreen monitor built into an electrically-retracting dimmable glass partition panel. Beneath this, there's a fridge and individual glove boxes. The rear seats get folding tables, along with a wireless charging tray and charge points. A bespoke 23-speaker Mark Levinson 3D Surround Sound system also comes included at this level. And there's a 'Lexus Climate Concierge' that uses thermal sensors to control the heating and ventilation. As you'd expect, all LM models are equipped with the latest 'Lexus Safety System+' active safety and driver assistance features, together with a Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front Cross Traffic Alert and LED headlights with the AHS adaptive high-beam system. Smart Exit Assist helps prevent doors being opened inadvertently into the path of traffic and cyclists approaching from the rear.

Cost of Ownership

The fuel and CO2 returns for this LM are, as expected, pretty similar to those of the brand's RX 350h luxury SUV, whose GA-K platform and 2.5-litre Hybrid drivetrain it shares. That means a combined cycle reading of 39.2mpg and a CO2 return of 152-163g/km. Which is pretty good for a huge luxury People Mover of this size and weight. Whichever kind of LM you decide upon, at higher speeds, you'll need to bear in mind that the quoted fuel figures are even more heavily dependent than normal on the driver assuming a significant degree of restraint. Certainly, for noteworthy levels of frugality in day-to-day use with this Lexus, you'll need to keep the powertrain operating setting in 'EV' mode as often as possible. On to after-sales cover. It's worth pointing out that Lexus gives you a much better warranty than the limited three year one you'll get with most premium rivals. From the showroom, the car comes with a three year warranty, but providing you continue to regularly maintain it at a one of the brand's franchised dealerships, 12 months of extra warranty cover will be included with every scheduled service, up to 100,000 miles or ten years, whichever comes first. Fixed price servicing plans are available if you want to spread the cost of maintenance, allowing you to spread the cost over two years or more. However you go about paying for maintenance, on an LM it shouldn't cost you too much. The Hybrid set-up has a good record for minimising tyre wear and its battery will last the life of the car. Plus the regenerative braking set-up helps extend the life of the brake pads: over 60,000 miles of driving, the front pads should only need replacing once, while the rear pads and all discs will probably last the full distance.

Summary

The LM doesn't make as sophisticated a chauffeur-driven statement as a luxury limo would, but once inside this Lexus, we think few potential owners are going to care. You don't choose a private jet based on what the fuselage looks like; it's all about the cabin experience, which in an LM delivers not only a sumptuous ambiance and cutting-edge technology but also huge levels of stretch-out space - which is of course the ultimate luxury. An all-new MPV is a rare thing indeed these days; and one not overtly based on a van is even rarer. But Lexus clearly feels it's seen a niche here that others have missed. It'll be interesting to see if they're right.