LC 200 versus Lexus LX 570

[wiseguy1]

I started the recent thread about the LC 200 versus the Infiniti QX 56 and have been thinking about the suggestions some made about looking at the LX 570. Besides the more luxurious interior of the LX, could some of you tell me about the other differences in the two? Guess I could search the net for my answers but I am betting some folks here could provide the answers much quicker. Thanks in advance.

FYI, have not done anything on the Infiniti, thanks for all the responses to that post.

 

[Carl L]

LX has ACH (Active height Control) which can lower or raise for entry/hwy/normal/off road. LX comes with 20s which are not off-road friendly. LX has softer leather and more external chrome. LX costs around 8k more but sells in far higher numbers. LX has 3 more horsepower and oddly needs 91-grade fuel vs the LC's 87.

Other than that, they are basically the same. I chose the LC for three reasons:

1. Far rarer yet blends in with traffic more being a Toyota. I don't like "flash."
2. LC heritage and 18s means no new wheels needed to off road (though more aggressive tires are recommended for mud)
3. No AHC- have had problems in the past with this on my European vehicles.

Both make for a good buy and are tough with good resale.

 

[96bruzer]

x2 on Carl and also the LX has front and side cameras ansd a few other small things here and there...

 

[uzj100]

Last I saw it was 88k vs 75k. 13k gets you nicer materials in the interior, real wood, some what power 3rd row. Bigger wheels. AHC. Lexus badges. Shark fin antenna.

Luxury Package $2,090 [41]
Semi-aniline perforated leather-trimmed interior
African bubinga wood interior trim
African bubinga wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob and middle row cupholder cover.
Climate-comfort front seats
Heated middle-row seats
Center-console-mounted cool box
SmartAccess [4] [3] card key
20 x 8.5-in 10-spoke alloy wheels with Liquid Graphite finish [29]
Heated steering wheel
Shark-fin antenna
Power tailgate closer

Lexus LX - Features & Pricing - Pricing & Options

I would take the LC everyday over the LX because of the less bling. The LC is the ultimate undercover car around.

 

[Carl L]

Also, US model LC has KDSS (in place of LX's AHC).

LX has Mark Levinson stereo which is better than the LC's 14 speaker JBL.

UZJ- they both get the shark fin. By the way, I see you, Bruzer and I are all in agreement on both our choice and reasons for it.

 

[uzj100]

Shark Fin made me laugh.

Forgot about KDSS! Ugh.

 

[mark71]

I really like the KDSS...simple system that increases articulation without sacrificing road manners. Reliability will be important, but it is a very simple concept (and we already know that AHC is failure prone and expensive).

 

[wiseguy1]

Thanks for the responses. When I was looking for my LC way back when I did stick my head in a 570 and did think it was a bit blingy. I agree the LC does stay below the radar while still being a pretty luxurius vehicle. And the AHC sounds like a possible big repair bill down the road. In my opinion the 570 is nice but not nice enough to justify the big price jump.

 

[MoneyMan]

do the 11LC200's have shark fin? doesn't the LX also have the headlights that mover with the turn? I would like that feature on LC.

 

[twstrchasr]

LX has non-removable running boards.. I suppose you could remove them.. It wouldn't look pretty tho !!

 

[planetalaska]

do the 11LC200's have shark fin?

Yes, they do. I can attest to that.


► Alaska 2011 LC200 / Silver / 285-65-18 BFG All Terrain TA/KO ►

 

[hoser]

LX has non-removable running boards.. I suppose you could remove them.. It wouldn't look pretty tho !!

I don't have a 200 but it looks to me as if that lower LC rocker molding can be put on the LX. They are $300/ea and come painted in LC colors.

Pic #1 showing the running board removed. Pic #2 showing the molding.

 

[BigDouggieDoug]

I really like the LX's intrument cluster design/lighting -- just beautiful. The optioned Mark Levinson stereo does sound much stronger than the LC's JBL. The powered upper tailgate is a nice convenience. I am turned off by the blinggy chrome trims.

 

[patrickfinley]

Here are some towing/payload differences. Probably only an issue if you tow heavy stuff or take huge family road trips with tons of gear.

Towing:
LC 8200lbs
LX 7000lbs
Max Payload:
LC 1500 ish lbs
LX 1300 ish lbs

I wouldn't let the AHC issues talked about on here completely dissuade you. For someone who keeps their vehicle mostly stock and doesn't overload, the AHC can be a very nice feature. Many of the people on here who are having issues with the AHC have 8-10 year old rigs that are heavily used off road.

Also many of the people on this forum have picked up their used early model LX with AHC for 15-20k or even less. The idea of a $800-$1500 malfunction is a huge deal. For someone buying an 80k vehicle, the very slight chance of a $800-$1500 repair 5 years down the road may not be such a big deal.

The idea that the Lexus lowers an inch at high speeds is a pretty sweet safety feature lowering the Center of Gravity. Then if you happen to get into a sticky situation where you need clearance being able to get an extra 2+ inches is pretty nice. I think there is also an extra 2.5 inches of wheel travel as well.

Toyota/Lexus has been engineering the AHC for over 12 years now, I don't think it's total garbage. It's just not for all hardcore off road "Mud" enthusiasts. As SUV's battle with solving their biggest safety issue, the dreaded Rollover. Safety tools like AHC will not be going away.

 

[db01]

I concur with those who prefer the LC on the following grounds:

1) LC is less "blingy", has a cleaner and more discreet look
2) LC wheels, tire size preferable to those of LX (cleaner, more practical)
3) Toyota nameplate blends in better than Lexus nameplate in most areas

I bought my 2011 LC about four months ago, have about 5,000 miles on it and have been very happy with it so far.

I can think of two things that I'd improve if I could:

1) the LC headlights are inferior to Xenon ones available on many cars. This might be due to the height of the headlights and the risk of blinding oncoming drivers. Nevertheless, it would be nice to have some sort of lighting solution which would light up the road as well as some other stock vehicles can. LX seems to have a different lighting system, but these seem to be Halogen as well ("projector beam halogen"), rather than Xenon.

2) I actually like radar cruise control, having had it on another vehicle. LX offers this but LC does not.

Other than that, I can't think of anything else that I find superior in the Lexus to the LC. I think the LC interior is perfectly fine, and that the upgraded stereo is perfectly fine. I have no need for an electric tailgate or electic third row seat flipper-uppers - these are well-designed and balanced in the LC and can be easily operated with one hand as is.

To my surprise, I love the keyless entry system which I have on the LC (and surely also is available on the LX). I got used so quickly to being able to walk up to the vehicle and open it without a key or remote button, that I now try it on other cars as well and am disappointed when I have to get rid of whatever is in my hands in order to dig up the key or the remote.

 

[MoneyMan]

db01, i do agree with your headlight observation. i actually checked to see if the lx headlight system could be had for LC. really expensive swap-out.

 

[pman]

Songsr as i know AHC is vastly improved On the 200 whencompared to the 100. Also how you use AHC and take care of it makes huge difference.

In my opinion, if you afford the LX I would go for it. The more you actually compare the two in person, the more you will realize how much more attention goes into the interior of the LX.

Lastly, no one mentioned this, but the ownership experience that come with the buying the Lexus is amazing. Lexus truly does set the bar in the industry when it comes to customer service.

 

[IslandTimes]

Both are great, but the LX feels a little more refined on the road than the LC. If you're going to mod though, definitely go with the LC.

 

[pagemaster]

Had a chance to once again check out the LX. New for 2011 is a full black leather interior. I think the black interior finally does this car justice. With the dark wood interior, very classy and nice combo.

It is still astonishing that the LX does not have an IRS. Everything from the middle seats forward is just outstanding for a luxury vehicle. Third row seating and rear hatch or horrible power folding rear seats are where the Lexus loses a lot of points.

Leave the solid axle for the LC.

 

[JBHorne]

Had a chance to once again check out the LX. New for 2011 is a full black leather interior. I think the black interior finally does this car justice. With the dark wood interior, very classy and nice combo.

It is still astonishing that the LX does not have an IRS. Everything from the middle seats forward is just outstanding for a luxury vehicle. Third row seating and rear hatch or horrible power folding rear seats are where the Lexus loses a lot of points.

Leave the solid axle for the LC.

You and your IRS again!