Putting a Lexus LX 570 to the Ultimate Test: Rewind Wednesdays
Testing a Lexus’ crawl control and turn assist on a challenging off-road trail is a fascinating watch.
The video we’re featuring for our “Rewind Wednesdays” segment is a rockin’ relic that shows a 2016 Lexus LX 570 being tested. The 2016 Lexus LX 570 came with some incredible technology that helped make it so popular with a wide array of buyers. While they were–and still are–common cars to see in the lots of schools and grocery stores, there’s another area these cars are also increasingly common: off-road. There’s good reason for that, too. A healthy, torque heavy 5.7-liter V8 cranks out 383 hp and 403 lb-ft of torque. Not only that, but Lexus has their Toyota counterparts to thank for some of their 4WD goodies.
The Toyota Land Cruiser, the less decadent sibling to the LX 570, did have crawl assist, but not turning assist. Which are the two features that the YouTube channel Car Question examines in its off-road video review, above. Crawl assist, which is fairly self-explanatory, is a sensory system that uses sensitive computers to gauge the terrain and distribute power where it needs it most by adjusting acceleration and braking rates to each wheel. The Turning Assist feature that the Lexus has, tightens the turning radius by applying more brake force to the inside rear wheel. Thus, making off-road maneuvering a breeze for such a large, long, heavy vehicle.
In Car Question‘s video, it starts and ends with a LX 570 going up and down a steep, muddy hill. The first run seemed like it was going to be sticky. As it was climbing, the Lexus lost traction. All four wheels were spinning, the engine was whining, but the vehicle stayed put. When the driver turned the wheel, however, the Lexus was able to pull itself up the hill. Once at the top, the man behind the wheel tested out the Turning Assist feature as he turned sharply in mud puddles. Several times throughout the video, you could see the inside rear wheel halt. With the wheel locked up, the turning radius was noticeably sharper.
Once the Turning Assist was proven to be successful, the driver descended the steep hill. Once the driver learned that turning the wheels back and forth slightly granted the behemoth more traction, the next several ascents were incredibly satisfying. As several of the comments pointed out, the tires look to be stock all-season tires. In addition to the lack of momentum the car had going up the hill each time, the capability of the vehicle is unquestionable. It’s no wonder they’re so highly sought after.
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