Lexus LM review

Is the Lexus LM a good car?

The Lexus LM is a unique proposition in the new car market and unlike anything else that’s currently sold in Europe. It’s more of a mobile living room than a passenger car, since it can pamper occupants like nothing else this side of a Learjet.

It’s a new type of flagship model that offers unparalleled luxury and a long list of features for back-seat passengers. It’s pricey, with even the base model hitting £90,000, but it’s superbly equipped in seven seat guise, while the top-spec four-seater Takumi model is Lexus’s new-age idea of modern luxury. 

How much does the Lexus LM cost?

It’s arguable that there’s nothing quite like the Lexus LM on sale anywhere on the planet, let alone within the brand’s UK line-up. The petrol-hybrid MPV is loaded with luxury equipment, and has a firm focus on making trips as comfortable as possible for passengers, especially those in the back.

Prices start from £90,000, and now that the LC sports car is no longer available, the LM is the second most expensive car in the Lexus line-up, after the LS limousine. The seven-seat model is plush, but the top-spec Takumi variant with two individual chairs in the back takes things to another level, including the price, which is in excess of £110,000.

While the LM is a newcomer to the UK, this is actually the second generation of plush MPV from the company. It shares much with the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire people carriers, with power coming from a hybrid-only line-up – the previous generation was also available with unassisted (but thirsty) petrol engines. The UK gets the 247bhp LM 350h, but there’s also an LM 500h with 366bhp available in selected markets.

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While the Lexus LS flagship limousine uses the firm’s top-spec running gear, the LM shares its platform with more modest cars in the Lexus and Toyota ranges. The people carrier’s TNGA-K underpinnings first appeared with the Camry saloon, and are also used by the Toyota RAV4 and Japanese-market Alphard and Vellfire MPVs, while the Lexus ES, Lexus NX and Lexus RX are also based on the same tech.

The main power source under the bonnet of the LM 350h is a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 187bhp and 239Nm of torque. This is joined by a 178bhp/270Nm electric motor, while total system output is rated at 247bhp. 

This configuration is front-wheel-drive, but four-wheel drive is offered with Lexus’ E-Four system that adds a 53bhp electric motor to the rear axle. It also adds £3,000 to the price of the entry-level LM; all other versions are four-wheel drive as standard.

As with other Toyota and Lexus hybrids, the LM has an eCVT transmission that manages power distribution between the engine, electric motor, wheels and drive battery, which is a modest 2.6kWh unit.

Although some luxury models feature air suspension, the LM comes with a conventional set-up, using MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones at the rear.

The LM name stands for Luxury Mover, and that’s a perfect description of what this Lexus is like, whether you’re driving or being driven. While there’s no air suspension, the LM has five drive modes that tailor the car’s responses. As well as offering Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom settings, there’s a Rear Comfort mode that’s designed to deliver a smoother ride for back-seat passengers. 

It does this by adjusting the dampers, torque curve and braking force to reduce pitch, roll and squat when driving. This mode actually suits the LM perfectly even from behind the wheel, and encourages you to drive smoothly to ensure those in the back are left unruffled.

From behind the wheel the LM drives with a remarkable level of smoothness. Ride quality is exceptional, isolating bumps with finesse yet remaining controlled even over complex undulations. This is entirely due to the sophisticated car-based suspension, and while the centre of gravity is high, part of this exceptional ride quality comes down to the Lexus’s ability to control that mass. Aside from the lofty driving position and seemingly never-ending windscreen, there’s no indication that this is anything other than an ultra-luxurious Lexus.

It’s not a fast car, though, managing 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds in all-wheel drive models. In fact the effort required of the powertrain to get the LM’s bulk moving is perhaps the only black mark against its luxurious ambience, with the drone of its CVT-driven petrol engine being the only source of undesirable noise inside the cabin. 

At urban speeds, the hybrid drivetrain is hushed if you take things easy. There’s virtual silence when coasting or on light throttle openings as the electric motor does the work, while there’s a distant hum from the petrol engine when it’s active.

The ride is smooth, although big thumps tend to send shudders through the body, but that’s a familiar trait of any van-shaped MPV such as this. The light steering offers little in the way of feedback, but it’s easy to use, and while the LM is long, the standard 360-degree camera system helps you position the car. Considering there are a large number of warning beeps from elsewhere in the Lexus, the fact that there are no parking sensors is a surprise.

Go faster, and the LM still delivers great refinement, with wind noise mitigated by standard-fit double glazing. There’s more sound from under the bonnet, though, with the engine becoming more vocal as you increase your speed. It’s not that it’s loud, but the cabin is so quiet that it’s more noticeable than in other hybrid models.

On twisty roads, the 2.3-tonne kerbweight limits the LM’s ability, as the soft suspension tries to contain the car’s mass. Hard acceleration and braking see the car pitch back and forth on its springs, and there’s lots of lean in corners, even at modest speeds. Driving like this will also unsettle back-seat passengers, which is unlikely to go down well.

Lexus has fitted paddles behind the steering wheel for manual control of the gearbox, but these seem largely pointless, because the car’s electronics already do a fine job of ensuring the engine is delivering optimum efficiency.

Travelling at motorway speeds is equally refined, with minimal road and wind noise, plus a settled ride that delivers great cruising ability. Unlike older hybrid systems, the most recent set-up used by Lexus still switches between petrol and all-electric modes even at motorway speeds, which helps to improve fuel efficiency.

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There’s a big price to pay to access the luxury offered by the Lexus LM, and although its hybrid powertrain promises efficiency, the car’s sheer size means it has to work hard, which has an impact on fuel consumption.

Lexus quotes fuel economy of 42.1mpg for the front-wheel-drive model, while the 4WD version has a return of 39.2mpg. On test, we managed a figure of 36.4mpg in mixed driving, although a higher proportion of urban use should see that figure improve as the powertrain favours electric running. You can see how often the LM runs in EV mode via the trip computer; during our time with the car it showed that we ran in electric mode for more than half the time we were driving it.

Emissions of 163g/km are impressive for such a large vehicle, but that’s still enough to place the LM in the 35 per cent company car tax bracket. That means Benefit-in-Kind costs in excess of £12,000 a year for higher-rate taxpayers, meaning this hybrid MPV is no match for any all-electric rival.

While the Lexus LM has a price tag in the region of £90,000-£110,000, its insurance groups are lower than they are for many similarly priced cars, especially all-electric ones. All models fall into Group 29. 

Residuals of around 52 per cent are among the best of the Lexus range – only the NX SUV offers better resale values after three years/36,000 miles. They’re also more than the Volkswagen Multivan, although the all-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz is around five per cent ahead.

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The spindle grille leaves the LM with an imposing nose that is something of an acquired taste, while the chrome exterior trim and polished 19-inch wheels also break up an otherwise simple one-box shape. 

The front of the LM has a luxury feel that matches the rest of the Lexus range, but it’s in the rear where the highest quality lies. There are soft leathers, thick carpets and wood panelling – the centre section on the dash is lined up symmetrically in a style that Bentley would be proud of – while the switchgear and digital displays use familiar Lexus lettering.

Premium materials are used throughout, and the LM has an upmarket feel that belies its exterior looks. The leather trim is soft, the switchgear has a solid feel and the screens and interior lighting add to the high-quality appeal of the cabin.

There’s a lot of kit on board the LM, some of which you’re unlikely to even think you need until you see it here. The sliding doors open electrically, as does the tailgate, while buttons integrated into the rear lights mean you can stand to one side of the huge door as it opens or closes.

The touchscreen and digital driver’s display up front look smart and are reasonable to use, but it’s the back-seat options that really set the LM off. In the seven-seat model you get a 14-inch screen that opens electrically from the roof and can be controlled via a remote and display the same infotainment details as the dashboard screen, while the four-seat Takumi model has a massive 48-inch display that stretches across the width of the cabin.

This screen is operated via two smartphone-style controllers that pop out of the central armrest, and you can set it up to show a single display or work as twin screens, one for each passenger. There are USB, HDMI and three-pin plug sockets for connecting devices, or you can use wireless Bluetooth streaming. The system can handle video calls or a range of entertainment options, while a standard-fit Mark Levinson 3D surround-sound system (with 21 speakers in the standard LM, 23 in the Takumi model) delivers excellent audio quality.

The Takumi model can really isolate passengers from the outside world. The massive 48-inch screen is integrated into a partition that separates the front seats from the rears, and this includes an electric window that can be opened and closed from the front or the rear – it also turns opaque at the touch of a button.

Combine this with the window and roof blinds, and you can travel virtually incognito in the back, but if you suffer from motion sickness then a lack of external focal points might set you off.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

While the rear infotainment is the main talking point of the LM’s cabin, the screen up front is useful. It features sharp graphics, and the climate controls are a permanent fixture across the bottom of the display, with physical temperature dials integrated into them. You can also
use the display to operate the rear climate system.

The widescreen display is sharp, while a shortcut button accesses frequently used features. Apple CarPlay is wireless, but Android Auto uses a wired connection.

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The LM’s one-box design should offer excellent practicality, but this varies depending on which model you choose.

There’s plenty of seat and wheel adjustment – all electrical – and the vast screen and quarterlight windows help with forward visibility, too.

A large centre console splits the front cabin in two, and this has space for a huge armrest bin that is double hinged so it opens towards the driver or passenger. Twin cup-holders and a hidden storage area with wireless phone charging are positioned ahead of this, while the glovebox offers surprisingly modest space in a car so large. The door bins are generous, though, which helps to make up for it.

Wait for the sliding rear door to effortlessly glide open and you’re greeted to a cabin that’s opulent to the extreme, with a sea of soft-touch plastics and high-grade leather. All models have glazed sections in the roof, with a ceiling-mounted console featuring book-matched timber veneer and physical controls for all your ventilation and lighting. 

There’s lots of headroom and legroom in the back, but the seven-seat version is really better suited to carrying six people for a long distance, because the seventh seat is more of a jump-style arrangement in the rearmost row. 

Opening the doors from the back seats is trickier than it needs to be, too, because the handles on the doors are a long reach away – arguably it’s easier for the driver to open them via the buttons on the dashboard.

While the Takumi model only has room for two in the back, they are treated like royalty. The smartphone controllers operate the unbelievably comfortable seats, which are heated, ventilated, have a suite of massage settings, and can be fully reclined in an Ottoman setting. There are tray tables in the armrests and vanity mirrors in the roof, while hidden cubbies next to the seats have USB sockets and wireless charging pads. 

Beneath the huge screen are a pair of storage bins, while a refrigerator between them can be stocked with cold drinks and snacks. Plus there are two golf umbrellas right next to the sliding doors.

The seven-seat LM is the best option for cargo carrying, but only in four or two-seat modes. There’s up to 1,191 litres of space available, but this is all taken up by the seats when they’re in use. The Takumi’s seats are fixed in place, and mean there’s 752 litres of space behind them. A low floor makes loading easy, while there’s enough room beneath it for a space-saver spare wheel, a feature which is something of a rarity in the new-car market these days.

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Lexus’s strong reputation for making reliable, trouble-free cars should stand the LM in good stead, especially since it uses hybrid tech that’s proven in other Lexus and Toyota models.

Euro NCAP is unlikely to test the LM because it will sell in such low volumes, but it comes with the same level of safety kit as other Lexus models that use the same running gear. One feature that will take a bit of getting used to are the E-Latch doors. This electronic system replaces conventional door handles with items that you squeeze to open the door. It includes a sensor system that prevents you from opening the door when traffic is approaching from behind, when you’re parked at the side of the road, for example.

A three-year, 60,000-mile new-car warranty is a little behind premium rivals, but as with the rest of the Lexus line-up, the cover can be extended for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles with annual servicing at an official franchise.

Lexus offers a service plan on the LM that costs more than £1,600 for three years.

Lexus LM alternatives

There isn’t really anything like the Lexus LM for sale in the UK. You could save some cash and choose a grey import Toyota Alphard or Vellfire for a similar experience, but apart from that, there is no direct opposition to the LM. If you’re looking for a big people carrier, then the Volkswagen Multivan offers plushness and a better driving experience, plus the option of PHEV, petrol and diesel power. Also from VW is the head-turning ID. Buzz, which has a long range for an EV, while the seven-seat LWB version is hugely practical. If you’re willing to take a punt on an even more niche model than the LM, then the Maxus Mifa 9 from China is an all-electric option.