The Supreme Leader of North Korea has done something few owners of a Lexus LX 570 do – gotten it dirty off-roading. Technically though, given North Korea’s… we’ll call them infrastructure challenges … it might just be muddy on-roading. Still, it’s a rather filthy LX 570 and that’s a taste of something the model rarely gets.
Photographs of Jung-un driving the LX 570 recently appeared on Twitter via an article on nknews.org.
The LX 570 is the flagship SUV in the Lexus lineup. It has two or three rows of seating (the two-row option was new for the 2018 model year). While it’s not immediately clear which model year Jung-un was driving in the photo opp, it’s clearly one from the last few years as it shows several of the updates the LX has received over the last few years.
It’s also not immediately clear how Jung-un got his LX though it’s likely that it came from China. There are no Lexus dealerships in North Korea.
When contacted, Lexus refused to assist with information for this story. Despite that, given what we know of the pricing and body style of the LX 570, there’s some things we can infer about LX buyers.
It’s safe to say that the same vehicles that are frequently parked at Whole Foods with a level of sheen that can only come from a car wash on them rarely see a dirt path, let alone a trail. In truth, despite the fact that the LX 570 is nearly as capable as the Toyota Tundra, its 6,000 pound curb weight is a lot of body to haul up a trail.
For the 2020 model year, Lexus introduced a Sport version of the flagship SUVPhoto courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
Lexus has given the SUV 8.9 inches of ground clearance (about the same as a Subaru Outback), a 25-degree approach angle, 20-degree departure angle, and 23-degree break over angle. Those numbers are comparable to the Ford Expedition and best the prowess of the Nissan Armada.
With a starting price close to $90,000 in the U.S. when destination charges are added in, LX 570 customers are undoubtedly affluent. According to CarFigures.com, the starting price of the LX in China is equal to about $180,000 USD.
Reliability is likely important. J.D. Power rates the LX as having extremely high reliability and the models are typically the subject of very few recalls.
Buyers are probably also boastful and prefer showing off their ability to afford the model over the practicality of it. The LX achieves miserable fuel economy – its 5.7-liter V8 is more fuel-inefficient than the similarly powered BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS achieving just 15 mpg combined. There’s also other models with far more cargo space – the three-row Land Rover Range Rover has nearly the double the cargo are the LX does.
The 2020 Lexus LX 570 is on sale now.
