The Toyota Land Cruiser is arguably the best SUV ever made. It is the pinnacle of what the concept of an SUV should be; massive, rugged, built like a tank, and go-anywhere off-road capabilities. But, the much-loved LC will not be coming to America any longer. The J300 generation would only be sold to a select few audited customers in Japan, Australia, and the Middle East, the LC’s biggest markets. But hope is not lost as the US will continue to receive its more luxurious sibling — the Lexus LX 600.

But is the Lexus LX just a Land Cruiser in fancy clothing? Or does it look to offer a different experience than its Toyota badged sibling? Here we explore and highlight what is different between them.

Lexus LX Is A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

2022 Lexus LX 600 Side

The new Toyota Land Cruiser stays true to its burly personality. The new Lexus LX on the other hand takes that same burliness and throws in quite a few premium touches to the SUV. Being a Lexus, the obvious giveaway is the massive spindle grille at the front, flanked by the sharp and sleek high power LED headlights.

Along the side, both the LX and the Land Cruiser have a similar silhouette. However, the Land Cruiser sways more towards subtlety. The larger wheels on the LX help fill the massive arches, and the shoulder, belt, and character lines are more aggressive. From the back, the Land Cruiser looks more purposeful, while the Lexus prefers the sportier image. The LED tail lamps have the signature Lexus look connected in the middle by a light bar that stretches across the width of the tailgate. The rear bumper is far more aggressive than the Land Cruiser. The biggest set of shoes on offer with the LX are the 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, 18-inch and 20-inch wheels are also available.

Related: Here’s How The 2022 Lexus GX Compares With The Competition

Lexus LX Gets An Opulent Cabin

2022 Lexus LX 600 Interior

Take one look at the cabin of the J300 Land Cruiser and one would understand it's already quite luxurious. One can’t possibly improve on that department and you would be wrong. The Land Cruiser’s cabin seems like it's made to look like a spaceship with dark undertones and millions of buttons backlit with blue lights.

Whereas the LX 600 goes for a more down-to-earth style. But it is by no means any less luxurious. The cabin design looks more simplified and its crown jewel is the 12.3-inch upper screen that is the main infotainment, below it is another 7-inch screen that controls various aspects of the vehicle like the air-con and the driving-support screen for Multi-Terrain Select.

An F-Sport Lexus LX

2022 Lexus LX 600 F-Sport

For the first time, the LX will get an F-Sport trim. That changes quite a few bits like the Spindle grille gets a mesh grille, surrounded by some black touches. It gets 22-inch forged aluminum wheels. The rear bumper is slightly revised to resemble more of a sports car than an SUV. Open the aluminum doors, and the cabin of the F-Sport is finished in fine red leather with a black dash design. The steering and gear lever have leather finishes while the sports seats are designed to offer more lateral support.

But that's not all. The front and rear dampers on the F Sport are tuned differently and feature a Torsen LSD and rear stabilizer. The power steering and adaptive suspension are also tuned more towards sporty handling.

Related: The 2022 Lexus LX 600 Is An Off-Road Ready Luxury SUV

Lexus LX 600: What's Under The Skin

2022 Lexus LX 600 Engine

Toyota pulled the plug on the V8 engines for the Land Cruiser and the LX. In the US, The LX 600 is the only offering that uses a 3.4-liter twin-turbo gasoline motor. The motor churns out 415hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Power is channeled through a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

But being the ultimate SUV that the LX has always been, Lexus has ensured that should an owner wish to take the vehicle off-road, they can happily depend on it. Using Toyota’s GA-F platform, the LX has been able to shed 441 pounds. The V6 turbo engine has been tuned to deliver power low down in the torque band. The oil pan guard has been beefed up to protect the transmission for better off-road capability. The LX also comes equipped with Electronically Controlled Brake system, Electric Power Steering, Active Height Control system, and Adaptive Variable Suspension. Additionally, it comes packed with a limited-slip differential to improve traction performance of the rear tires.

To drive off-road, the LX features Multi-Terrain Select that adjusts vehicle parameters like Dirt, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow, and Rock modes. Engage low range, and you can select up to five speeds with crawl mode. The list is endless.

Lexus LX 600: A New Breed

2022 Lexus LX 600 Rear

Previous generations of the LX looked and felt more like a Land Cruiser with some Lexus badges with a few upgrades on the inside. However, with the fourth-generation J300 generation, the LX is much more than that.

Sure the Land Cruiser is no longer available for the US market. But that’s not a reason to mourn. The Lexus LX is not the next best thing to the Land Cruiser, but an LC that is even better equipped and is more luxurious. The LX is just what America needs and wants from a big burly Japanese SUV. The Lexus LX is a different breed almost entirely.