It’s a very small segment of the market yet Toyota Great Britain has already seen some success here. The niche being for the second generation Lexus LM, a high-priced people mover, MPV, chauffeured shuttle, call it what you will.
For the UK, there is just the one powertrain, a 2.5-litre hybrid though a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid is available in certain other countries, those being mainly in Asia. The more powerful of those two is called LM 500h, this having premiered globally alongside the LM 350h at the Shanghai motor show in April 2023.
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Based on the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire twins, the previous, original LM never came to Britain. An initial trial batch of the current generation was shipped here at the end of 2023, all examples being said to have sold out in a relative flash. We’re talking low three digits but even so, buyers were clearly way more keen on this model than the LS limo which is no longer imported.
LM 350h, LM 350h AWD, LM 350h AWD Takumi
There are three variants, these being the LM 350h at GB94,595, with all-wheel drive available for an additional GBP3,000, then a big leap of GBP20,000 from there to the LM 350h in Takumi trim (GBP117,595). The model’s relaunch took place in August and there are seven seats for the front- and all-wheel drive 350h with a four-seats format standard for the Takumi.
Power and torque are 184 kW (250 PS) and 239 Nm. This comes from a 140 kW 2,487 cc naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine combined with 134 kW and 40 kW from the front and rear motors. As usual with a Toyota Motor Corporation series hybrid, the transmission is a CVT. And surprisingly, there can be a little of the so-called ‘rubber band’ effect on steep hills if the throttle is mashed though mostly it’s all very quiet.
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By GlobalDataWould the typical owner have cross-shopped a Range Rover, an X7, a Q7 or a couple of other high-end SUVs? Possibly but even though the Takumi I spent a week living with had drive going to both axles the LM is a long way from being similar to any of these big SUVs. In fact it’s far more luxurious thanks to a pair of amazing captain’s chairs which you could easily fall asleep in. Watching TV on a 48-inch screen. Whilst sipping something nice out of the fridge which sits below the giant display.
Other luxury MPVs?
Mercedes has a couple of electric rivals on the way, plus in China there are multiple rivals, one being the Volvo EM90. The future VLE-Class and VLS-Class will more than likely be exported to Britain but will these really be direct competitors when the Lexus remains petrol-electric?
Acceleration isn’t what you’d call neck-snapping but nobody buying an LM wants that anyway. This comes down to weight plus an emphasis on good economy rather than excess power and torque. The high mass is due to all the luxury gear onboard: that 48-inch widescreen monitor is just one thing to take into account.
Dimmable partition
There are 23 speakers for the Mark Levinson surround-sound system and yes it is as fantastic a listening experience as that suggests. It’s quite the experience to press a button and dim the partition between the front and rear cabin, kick back and choose one of the giant monitor’s viewing modes: left, right or full screen; or else cinema.
Sitting in either of those recline-to-almost flat back seats, each occupant also has their own iPhone-like controller for overhead and side lighting, blinds, audio choices and a multiple of seat functions including, naturally, massage.
With all this emphasis on comfort for those rich and lucky enough to be in the back has the driver been forgotten? Although it’s hardly a sports vehicle, the LM is a nicely engaging vehicle. Sure it rolls a bit if you’re tempted to explore the limits yet four-wheel drive means traction is always great, though given the vehicle’s overall mass (2.3 tonnes), we’re talking 8.7 seconds to 62 mph.
Great views, huge boot
Suspension tuning defaults to soft, which is exactly what’s desired though it’s far from floaty and nobody is going to get carsick in an LM, particularly when the windows are so large.
Something else which is on the big side is the boot which offers 752 litres in Takumi form and up to 1,191 for the seven-seat variants. At first that seems strange until you actually see how far back the four-seat LM’s captain’s chairs are positioned, the priority being for maximum recline.
Summary
On paper the big Lexus seems to be a very expensive proposition for those who might erroneously see it as an MPV. It doesn’t really look like one though, the big wheels, massive-dramatic grille and dark glass all giving the appearance of a tall limousine.
After a few days living with the LM it soon becomes easy to understand how perfect it is for those whose lifestyles demand such a vehicle. And with the model remaining a true rarity in Britain plus a generous decade-long warranty, you could even make a case for it being good value.
