LEXUS LM 350h AWD
It looks like a van, but the LM – Luxury Mover – actually uses the same hard bits as the NX and RX SUVs. So it promises more acceptable structural rigidity and body control if not searing car-like reflexes. It’s available in four- or seven-seat iterations, with prices starting from £89,995. It has the Merc V-Class in its sights, but it’s also an alternative to the S-Class and perhaps even the mighty Range Rover.
With its ‘spindle’ grille, deep windscreen, and full width L-shaped rear light bar, the LM is far from pretty but certainly has presence. Suspended on double wishbones at the rear with adaptive dampers fitted with frequency sensitive valves, its NVH levels are Rolls Phantom hushed. There are five drive modes, the most important being the Rear Comfort one: this reduces squat and dive under acceleration and braking. The powertrain is the familiar 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol unit also used in the NX and RX. It’s paired with two electric motors for a total system output of 247bhp and 176lb ft. Performance is leisurely and though the CVT is as unlovely as ever, it’s really only a nuisance under hard acceleration.
The interior is the primary focus. The LM builds out on the established Lexus principle of Omotenashi, which focuses on traditional Japanese ideas of hospitality, comfort and convenience. Lexus also claims inspiration from first class air travel, and the LM’s chairs keep the occupant’s line of sight stable to combat nausea, while special materials in its construction reduce low frequency vibrations. They’re also heated, ventilated, and have seven different massage settings.
