The 2024 Lexus LM has arrived on Australian shores, hoping to redefine the MPV/people-mover class by offering pampering luxury and complete relaxation for rear passengers.
Lexus claims it delivers unmatched comfort, craftsmanship, and hybrid performance for its class. And yeah, that kind of makes sense considering it doesn’t really have any direct competition, aside from the LDV MIFA, as well as the conventional players like the Kia Carnival, Hyundai Staria and Toyota Granvia.
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: Specifications
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid
Output (combined): 184kW
Gearbox: CVT auto
Drive type: Front-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 19×7.0, 225/55
ANCAP: Not tested
Tare weight: 2270kg
Power-to-weight: 12.33:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 5.5L/100km
Our consumption: 7.0L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 60L/95 RONPower efficiency: 33.45kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 34.39 seconds*
0-100km/h: 9.05 seconds*
60-110km/h: 6.15 seconds*
1/4 mile: 16.70 seconds at 139.5km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.679g*
100-0km/h braking: 41.27m in 3.34s*
Max deceleration: -1.217g*
Decibel at idle/standby: 22*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 77*
Starting price: $160,888
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: How much does it cost?
Three variants are on sale in Australia, spanning from the LM 350h Sports Luxury front-wheel drive, LM 350h Sports Luxury all-wheel drive, to the top LM 500h Ultra Luxury AWD.
Prices start from $160,888. Yep, that’s ‘start from’. It’s only up from there, to $165,888 for the AWD 350h, and soaring to $220,888 for the 500h. That’s a lot of money for a van. But you shouldn’t really think of it like that. This is more of a limousine, only it’s easier to get in and out of and it offers more boot space.
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: Interior & packaging
Stepping up into the cabin and you’re immediately greeted by a lavish display of semi-aniline leather and Takumi craftsmanship. The dashboard is thick and chunky, with a curvaceous theme that encompasses the front passengers. It is a bit busy along the main fascia, but at least it doesn’t look bare or lacking in interesting details.
Up above is a 14-inch multimedia system. While modern and nicely integrated into the dash binnacle, it can be somewhat unintuitive and clunky. Like in other Lexus systems, some of the menus present far too much white blank space. It needs better 3D graphics and depth to reflect the price tag, in every area no matter how simple.
This all changes when you connect your phone via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, however. And that’s probably what Lexus is betting on. And with that you get a more colourful display of your typical apps. But even so, a quality native system is important as well in our opinion. Especially on high-end vehicles to help separate them from the rest.
The second row’s captain’s chairs, complete with ottomans and massage functions, are a standout feature, offering a level of comfort that is hard to match for any sedan or even SUV. There is copious amounts of headroom, and with sliding middle and third rows, legroom is not an issue at all.
Middle-row passengers get their own little tablets for controlling various aspects, from media and audio, climate control, power sliding doors, lighting and even the sunroofs (yes, there are multiple), and there are flip-out tray tables for added long-distance convenience. Being captain’s chairs they have full electric adjustment, too.
All three rows come with various appointments, including cup holders, and climate vents via a full-length overhead panel. The only problem with the third row is the seat mechanism. You need to fiddle around a bit to manually flip them up. They aren’t heavy but the basic strap to hold them in place just doesn’t smell like $160,000.
Having the seats down, you’re left with a minimum of 110L of boot space, expanding to 752L with them up. You can move the middle row forward as well but, in the end, this is more of a luxury van than a commercial workhorse in terms of its load-carrying abilities.
Like with any Lexus, the build quality in here is exceptional. Sure, there are some plastics but they are hard-wearing and sturdy plastics and the overall cabin acoustics is excellent. There are no rattles or squeaks, even driving on rough surfaces. It is very quiet so you are isolated from the chaos of the outside world.
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: Powertrain & handling
In the LM 350h you get a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid producing a combined output of 184kW. This is the pick if economy is your top priority, as the official average consumption rate is just 5.5L/100km (AWD is 5.6L). That’s not bad at all considering the tare weight is 2270kg.
If speed and power is a higher priority, you’ll need the 500h 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder hybrid, with AWD. Consumption jumps up to a still-reasonable 6.6L/100km, and the weight is pushed to 2440kg. But with 273kW on tap it should go very well.
We did some performance testing with this FWD version and saw 0-100km/h come up in a respectable 9.05 seconds, and the quarter mile in 16.70 seconds at 139.5km/h. It’s not exactly quick but it’s not overly slow, either.
Out on the road the powertrain is quiet and smooth, helped by the CVT which eliminates the pulsing sensation of traditional gears. Switching into Sport mode helps liven up the throttle response and actually reconfigures the suspension via the standard Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system.
However, the CVT does detract from the driving experience from a driving enthusiast’s point of view, as it endlessly whines and moans without securing a particular gear. Overtaking is pretty easy as it doesn’t really kick down a gear, but instead the revs just climb up and the speed builds. It is both good and bad, in terms of providing the power and speed but without much excitement.
Handling is another mixed bag for the LM 350h. The front-wheel drive configuration feels less composed than its all-wheel-drive counterparts, especially when navigating tighter corners or during sudden manoeuvres. The mass obviously plays a negative role here as well. But, this vehicle never set out to be a corner-carving hot hatch. It is a luxury cruiser.
Again, selecting the Sport mode helps here because it ties down the suspension. And in fact there is a separate ‘rear comfort’ mode for the suspension which really relaxes things. Very comfortable on long highway journeys but not the option in the mountains or on Aussie country roads.
In terms of real-world economy, our test, which included a drive up to the Blue Mountains for a weekend away, as well as performance testing, rounded out at 7.0L/100km. Again, that’s not bad at all considering its weight and luxurious people-hauling focus.
Overall, this is an exciting vehicle because it gives high-end buyers a new option away from the typical SUVs and low-slung sedans. It is very interesting with an interior that makes you want to sit inside and just prod and play with every possible control.
Good on Lexus for being daring and trying something new here. If only the price tag was more attainable for the general public, because we think it would otherwise have strong appeal among families.
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- It’s a super-luxury MPV: It might not seem like a big deal but there are not many competitors in this space.
- Fuel economy: Considering the 2270kg tare weight, an official average of 5.5L/100km is outstanding – we averaged 7.0L/100km in the real world.
- Second row: No SUV or sedan offers this much luxury and space combined. It’s almost like being in first-class on an international flight.
- Build quality: As usual with Lexus vehicles, this area is superb. No rattles or cheap-feeling trim to be seen here.
2024 Lexus LM 350h Sports Luxury: Key considerations before you buy
- Massive 48-inch rear screen missing: It’s only available on the $220k 500h flagship variant.
- Not the sportiest to drive: Comfort-focused suspension and CVT means this is best kept for highway touring and trundling about in the city.
- Expensive: It is a high-end model but with a starting price of $160k, it is going to be out of reach for many families that might otherwise desire something like this. Drop it to $100k for the 350h entry model and Lexus would probably sell quite a few.
How does it rate against its rivals?
- Price
- Quality look & feel
- Interior tech
- Powertrain performance
- Ride & handling
- X factor (does it stand out in its class?)
Final word
This is a very interesting and intriguing vehicle. And we like that. You can spend hours in here just playing around with all of the features and adjustments. It’s also very comfortable and smooth to drive, and properly fuel efficient for its capability and weight. The main letdown is the price. Lexus should offer this base FWD 350h at a lower entry point so more buyers can enjoy its attributes.
