As drives, Lexus calls a 2.5-liter hybrid and a 2.4-liter turbo hybrid – A classy four-seater version comes with a glass divider and refrigerator
One of the most striking appearances at Auto Shanghai 2023 – one can say that without a doubt – is the Lexus LM. The Japanese are serving us the second generation of their wildly styled minivans in China. The interesting thing is that the LM, which was previously only available in China, will be marketed worldwide in the future. Toyota’s premium brand plans to offer the car in more than 60 countries.
In addition to Japan, this also includes the European market. Hooray, hooray. So if the Hyundai Staria doesn’t strike you as extraterrestrial and flashy enough – here’s your new vehicle.
The 2023 LM was completely redesigned once. The front is felt to be 80 percent grill, which also comes in body color. At the rear, the brand logo had to give way to a large “Lexus” lettering.
Rarely have 19-inch wheels looked so small. This is mainly due to the powerful body, which has grown in Generation 2. The Lexus LM is now 5,125mm long, 1,890mm wide and a whopping 1,995mm tall. Compared to the predecessor, these are increases of 80, 40 and 10 mm. The wheelbase remains the same at 3,000 mm.
We are seeing a species that has meanwhile become more than exotic. Yep, a real minivan. With sliding doors and enormous space in the interior. The LM has three rows of seats for six or seven people. Also on offer: an extra feel-good variant with only four seats, which is intended for chauffeur service.
The only thing arguably bigger than the grille is an enormous 48-inch display placed in front of the two-row model’s individual seats. According to Lexus, it should not only be used for entertainment, but also for online meetings.
In the same area there is a refrigerator, storage compartments and a privacy glass that can be dimmed in two stages. Passengers who want to make themselves comfortable in the rear can create a more relaxed atmosphere with the 64-color ambient light. There is also an extendable table in the armrest, which is also covered in leather.
Another pretty quirky feature is the infrared sensor that Lexus placed on top of the glass divider, in the middle. The clever thing measures the temperature of the passengers’ faces, chests and legs. To do this, he checks how cold or warm it is in the area of the windows, the roof and the chairs and uses this data to automatically adjust the air conditioning for the greatest possible comfort.
Lexus is currently still quite covered about the drives. All we’re told is that the new LM will be available with a 2.4-liter turbo hybrid and a 2.5-liter hybrid. Whether both variants will also be available in Europe is another question.
The model being shown in Shanghai is on 19-inch wheels with 225 tires. The LM will also be offered with 17-inch wheels in various markets. Despite the relatively large edge (225/65), that should look pretty funny. Torsional rigidity has been increased by 50 percent compared to the first generation. There is also an adaptive chassis.
