Jo Ann Holt
We recently traveled to Rockport-Fulton Beach for a few days of R&R on beautiful Aransas Bay. It was lovely to escape from months of quarantine to visit one of our favorite places on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Making the road trip even more perfect, we were privileged to take a luxurious 2020 Lexus LX 570 SUV on the journey.
The round trip from our Dallas home to Pelican Bay Resort, our home away from home in Rockport, totaled about 720 miles (or longer, depending on the route we chose). With stops for fuel, meals, and bathroom breaks, our road trip took a little more than eight hours each way.
Having a spacious SUV like the Lexus LX 570 made the long trip so much easier and more comfortable than it might have been in another vehicle. Its 5.7-liter V7 engine with 8-speed automatic transmission produced 383 horsepower and 403 lb.-ft. of torque. All that power meant easy passing or merging with traffic on busy highways. We were surprised to find the highways busier than expected, apparently we weren’t the only ones eager to get back on the road again.
Lexus Safety System
Photo: Lexus Newsroom
Our LX used a multi-terrain system that gave the driver even more control over any type of terrain. Modes included Rock, Rock & Dirt, Mogul, Loose Rock, and Mud & Sand. The XCrawl Control system featured turn assist, hill-start assist control, and variable gear ratio steering.
The standard wheels for LX models are 20” but Lexus added 21 inch 10-spoke wheels ($745) to complete the sporty stance and design of our test vehicle. Our 2020 Lexus LX had a Nebula gray pearl coat with semi-aniline, leather-trimmed seats, plus an exclusive sport grille and front fascia.
Lexus Safety System+ with Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert, Intelligent High-Beam headlamps and All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control added to our peace of mind for the long trip. Other safety features included blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.
A color head-up display on the windshield of the LX makes it easier than ever for the driver to keep eyes on the road. Another appreciated standard feature was the panoramic view camera, which projects images to the 12.3-inch navigation screen.
The MSRP for the test vehicle was $91,380. Fuel economy was not the best, averaging 14 mpg for combined city and highway travel. But gas prices were still relatively low at our two stops at Buc-ees, helping to keep costs down for the road trip.
LX 570 Luxury Packages
Photo: Lexus Newsroom
Lexus had added optional packages to our LX 570, including the head-up display ($900), a luxury package that brought even more comfort and style to the cabin ($1,190), and a superb Mark Levine audio system ($2,350). The added dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system ($2,005) was an added luxury that we didn’t use, but it would be great for a family road trip.
The sport package ($2,510) added front and rear spoilers, chrome accents, and black headliner along with the previously mentioned sport grille and front fascia. Roof rack crossbars ($450) and heated Expresso steering wheel ($150) were other stylish touches added by the manufacturer. The total price tag for the test LX was $102,035 plus destination charges of $1,295.
