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GX makes its long awaited market debut as the step-up from the Prado, while the hybrid powertrain premieres in the LX for the first time since its inception three decades ago.
Based on the new Land Cruiser Prado, the GX will make its debut in South Africa in March for the first time. Image: Jaco van der Merwe
Having experienced a comparatively quiet 2024, Toyota has confirmed that its upscale Lexus brand will have two new additions in 2025 starting in February.
LX Hybrid
Revealed globally in October last year, the first arrival comes in the shape of the Land Cruiser 300-based LX 700h that bowed as the first hybrid model in the nameplate’s now 30-year history.
A first for South Africa as well, the LX 700h combines the 3.5-litre badged 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine from the LX 600 with an electric motor and battery pack conforming in a self-charging capacity.
ALSO READ: ‘Electrified’ Land Cruiser 300 debuts as new Lexus LX hybrid
Unlike at the global launch where no power figures or torque figures were revealed, the presentation slide shown at Toyota’s annual State of the Motor Industry conference at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit on Thursday (23 January), reveals the LX 700h as having 341kW/650Nm.
Unknown is the type of transmission as the LX 600 uses a conventional 10-speed automatic while the LS 500h features the unique Multi-Stage that combines a torque converter four-speed automatic with a CVT.
Its introduction also forming part of a subtle mid-life refresh to all LX variants, the LX 700h will be offered in F Sport and ultra-luxurious VIP trim grades, with a more off-road focused Overtrail being left for the standard LX 600 and LX 500d.
As part of the roll-out, all models gain the new 12.3-inch infotainment system, model specific decorative inserts, message front seats on the F Sport and Overtrail, and massaging rear seats on the VIP plus a pair of wireless smartphone chargers in the rear.
On the safety side, the LX will get Lexus’ Safety Sense+ 3 system consisting of Radar Cruise Control, Remote Park Assist, Pre-Collision Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Jam Assist and Lance Trace Assist.
For the moment, no pricing details are known, however, expect a formal announcement to be made next month.
Lexus GX
By far the biggest highlight, the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado-based GX will become available in March for the first time in South Africa.
A model that effectively previewed the Prado as it premiered two years ago, the third generation GX will also serve as the indirect replacement for the petrol-engine Prado by initially only offering a six-cylinder unit.
As in the Land Cruiser 300, this means a retuned version of the 3.5-litre badged 3.4-litre turbocharged V6 developing 260kW/649Nm. The only transmission option is the 10-speed automatic.
Likely to be called GX 550 as in the United States, the initial GX line-up will have two trim grades; the seven-seat SE and the five-seat Overtrail, the latter – as with the LX 700h – being skewed towards off-road usage.
In terms of specification, both will get the 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, along with heated and ventilated front seats, a wireless smartphone charger and a 10-speaker sound system.
Unique to the Overtrail though is the Multi-Terrain Select with Rock Crawl in low range, the Multi-Terrain Monitor and the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension.
For its part, the SE receives electronically fold/unfold side-steps, 22-inch alloy wheels, heated, ventilated and electric front seats with massaging function and, in accordance with the US-market Premium trim it is derived from, Head-Up Display and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.
Still to be priced, expectations point to the GX possibly starting around the R2-million mark, as the flagship Land Cruiser Prado VX-R currently retails from R1 470 000.
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