Ever looked at the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire twins and thought: “Hmm, perhaps I can use with a little bit more suave“? If you’re one of those people, well – today’s your day, because the Lexus LM350 luxury MPV is now officially making its way into Malaysia, and it’s now open for booking.
The Lexus MPV will be available in our country in the LM350 form and a four-seater configuration, with prices starting at RM1.15 million a pop.
The LM is essentially a rebadged Toyota Alphard of sorts, but given the customary Lexus premium touches. On the outside, the most visible change is obviously the large spindle grille on the front, flanked by 3-beam LED projector headlights featuring the iconic Lexus daytime-running lights design.
The Lexus LM also gets a whole swath of chrome trims to differentiate itself to the “lowly” Toyota Alphard, including a Z-shaped swoosh on the side windows, alongside 18-inch noise-reducing alloy rims finished in “hyper chrome metallic”.
But of course, the highlight of the Lexus LM350 is on the inside, particularly at the rear passenger compartment. With only four seats in total, the abundance of space is able to accommodate a pair of “VIP lounge seats” with generous legroom to spare, even when the seats are fully reclined.
The seats are filled with Adaptipedic cushioning for extra comfort, and even comes with an Ottoman massage function, alongside individual seat cooling and heating functions.
While you lie down, why not catch-up on your favourite movies and shows with the 26-inch full HD display, paired to a 19-speaker Mark Levinson reference sound system that is supposedly “opera-house clarity” grade.
Or perhaps, you might want to flip through your magazines stored on the fold-out magazine rack while you enjoy a perfectly-chilled flute of champagne thanks to the mini fridge. There’s also an electronically-operated glass partition between the front and rear passengers to ensure maximum privacy.
Up front for the driver, the dashboard has been revamped with Lexus’ own 12.3-inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside the system’s own touchpad controller, but that’s pretty much it. For seats, the front driver and passenger gets a set of plush semi-aniline leather seats.
The driver will appreciate the inclusion of Lexus Safety System Plus (LSS+), which includes features such as the Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Adaptive High-Beam System (AHS) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).
Under the hood of the Lexus LM 50 is a 3.5-litre quad cam V6, capable of generating 296 hp and 361 Nm of torque, with power sent to the front wheels via a direct-shift eight-speed automatic transmission. Most of the time though, you wouldn’t even notice, or require that power, as the LM is designed to cruise along sedately for the most opulent travelling experience.
As mentioned above, the luxury MPV is now available for booking at all six authorised Lexus Centres nationwide. The Lexus LM350 is available here in Malaysia in two different exterior colours: Black and White Pearl Crystal Shine, and is priced at RM1,148,000 on the road, without insurance.
Included in the price is a comprehensive 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. The official Malaysian launch of the Lexus LM350 is scheduled for May next year, with first deliveries beginning a month later.
