Lexus LM vs Kgm Rexton

What's the difference?

The Lexus LM is going to be a niche model. This was not designed to appeal to people that may have bought a Toyota Tarago back in the day, or even a Kia Carnival now.

It has a specific purpose for ferrying people around in absolute comfort and at that, it succeeds in a big way.

It’s just a bonus that it’s great to drive.

Welcome to the automotive equivalent of a business class airline suite.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The KGM Rexton Advance is a large 4WD wagon packing an adequate amount of appeal.

It’s nice to drive on the open road, it’s comfortable and it signals continued incremental progress for KGM in terms of quality and functionality.

It’s fine for light off-roading but its 4WD efficacy is lacking. While it's not in the same class as something like the Ford Everest in terms of refinement, comfort, and general quality, ultimately, a lot of its rivals represent greater value for money and all-round driveability as family vehicles.

And even though it does offer owners a chance to take their urban-focussed SUV into the bush, its price is climbing, and other rival vehicles offer a more refined overall driving experience.

Look, people movers are not considered the sexiest of automotive body styles, but that’s changing.

The Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria are examples of good MPV design.

And the Lexus LM steps it up again. 

It is based on Toyota’s TNGA-K architecture that underpins a bunch of Toyota and Lexus models, including the Lexus RX, and it measures a whopping 5.1 metres long and has a three-metre wheelbase.

It shares its underpinnings with the latest generation Japanese-market Toyota Alphard, which is a cult hit in Australia among the grey import set.

The front-end design is bold, with the latest take on Lexus’ big ‘spindle grille’, pinched slimline headlights and a stubby nose. 

I am a big fan of this design. It is far more than a box on wheels and it has quite a bit of presence. 

The interior design up front is modern Lexus, with a few familiar Toyota touches, and while it’s not exactly minimal, it’s still visually appealing.

The Rexton remains essentially unchanged from the previous generation and so it stays pleasant enough but generically inoffensive as are most other SUVs on the market.

Even for a city-focussed SUV, the body-on-frame Rexton looks low and while its 203mm of ground clearance is okay for daily driving it’s less than ideal for off-roading.

The only change to this Rexton over the previous generation? Pull-up sun blinds on the rear doors. Not a design change per se, but worth mentioning.

Does it set itself apart enough from other similar SUVs? Not really, but does that even matter to you?

While most of the fun happens in the second row of the Lexus LM, there is a lot to like in the front compartment.

The dash is dominated by a large touchscreen that houses Lexus’ latest multimedia setup. The logical menu and uncomplicated sub-menus ensure this is an easy system to navigate. Speaking of, the in-built sat-nav is one of the better systems I have experienced. 

Comfort isn’t just the domain of the second row - the driver’s seat is very supportive and comfortable, with power adjustment.

There’s plenty of glass including a smaller front quarter window that helps eliminate front blind spots, so forward visibility is exceptional. Rearward visibility is aided by the digital rear-view mirror that is designed to ensure privacy for second and third-row occupants. You don’t want the chauffeur spying on you while you’re sleeping, do you?

The other big tick for me is the driving position. Other people movers, namely the Hyundai Staria and Mercedes-Benz EQV, have very low window lines and it leaves you with a feeling of sitting on the car, rather than in it. I am sure it helps with extra light and it probably makes it easier for kids to see out of, but from a driving perspective, I find it a little disconcerting.

But the LM has flipped that. The front compartment is designed in such a way that it feels like a cockpit that you’re ensconced in. This helps the driver feel more connected with the car, and in the LM it feels like you’re sitting in the driver’s seat of a sporty sedan, not a five-metre bus. Very well done, Lexus.

And now to the main event - the second row.

Where to begin. Let’s start with space. Because there is so much of it. Unsurprisingly given the seating layout, there is an unending amount of head, leg, knee, bum, shoulder and whatever-else room. I can’t imagine anyone complaining about space back there.

Also, getting in and out is a breeze thanks to the sliding power doors on both sides. These can be opened from the front seat, and via several buttons in the rear.

Those captain’s seats are plush. Not quite Benz S-Class plush, but still.

They are adjustable six ways - power adjustable, of course - and they’re heated and ventilated. They recline almost flat, too, if you need a nap on the way to the country estate. And while you do that you can look up through the split sunroof, or close the shade a number of ways.

Is there a massage function? Of course there is a massage function. And it’s not bad. You can choose two settings - weak and firm.

Adding to the feeling of a business class airline seat, there is a fold-out table in the armrest, although it’s a smallish one. And there is dual-zone climate control in the rear.

There is a roof-mounted control panel for things like climate, sunshades and sunroof blinds, but much of this can also be controlled by the Apple iPhone-like devices clipped into both rear seats. These are closer to the seats, so it is easier to access than the roof.

Another function in the device is the Climate Concierge that features different modes - Dream, Relax, Focus, Energise. Depending on which one you choose, it alters the seat settings, massage, climate and lights to suit.

I love the massively wide side windows that are tinted (or privacy glass), too.

Other amenities include map pockets, knee and roof-mounted air vents and a 14.0-inch display screen that retracts from the roof and connects to an HDMI cable, allowing you to watch whatever you want.

The third row is not as appealing as the second. It is technically a three-person row, but the width and the fact that it has a sizeable gap in the centre suggests that this is best thought of as a six-seater van.

The seats are not as plush of course, so you might not want to spend too much time in that row unless you are a small child. But you do get USB-C ports, cupholders, air vents, lights, sunglasses holder, power side shades and grab handles.

Getting in and out of the third row can take a while. It’s all power adjustable, so you don’t have to lift anything heavy - but it takes a while for the second row seats to move forward and up.

With all seats in place the cargo space is limited. In fact, it’s just 110 litres.

That’s similar to what you get in a seven-seat SUV. But it did fit all our overnight luggage easily.

Drop the rear row and that expands to a maximum of 1191 litres in the 350h or 752 litres in the 500h.

All grades have a space-saver spare wheel.

This Korean SUV has a nice but unspectacular interior, although it does have a low-key premium look and feel about it and the cabin is comfortable.

It has a familiar ease of functionality and there’s a family-friendly mix of durable plastic and soft-touch surfaces throughout the cabin.

The 2026 KGM Rexton range is a seven-seat 4WD wagon in a two-, three- (second row) and two-seat (third row) 50/50 configuration.

The leather-look seats are comfortable enough and the front seats are heated, ventilated and power-adjustable; the second-row outer seats are also heated.

The multimedia system with its 12.3-inch screen is okay to use, but I had no luck getting Apple CarPlay paired to my not-so-smart phone. And, believe it or not, that hasn’t happened to me for a long time. Note: other people were able to pair their phones to this Rexton with no problems during my week of testing.

Otherwise, functionality, storage and charge points around the cabin are satisfactory, including two USB-C ports up front (centre console) and a 12V power outlet.

The second-row seats – a 60/40 configuration, which folds, reclines and tumbles – are supportive without being overly so.

In the second row, as mentioned earlier, the only changes evident to this Rexton over the previous generation are the pull-up sun blinds on the rear doors.

There’s actually a decent amount of space for passengers in the third row here, but an adult still wouldn’t love to spend too much time back there.

The rear cargo area space of the 2026 KGM Rexton range is listed as 236 litres (with all three rows of seats in use), 641 litres (with third row stowed away), and 1806 litres (with second and third row stowed away).

There’s a 12V power outlet in the cargo area.

This new Rexton offers reasonable practicality but rivals such as the Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90 offer just as much, sometimes more, all-round family suitability but for $5000-$10,000 less, depending on the variant.

The KGM Rexton is available in four variants: ELX, Advance, Ultimate – and the Ultimate with the optional Rexton Sport Pack.

The Advance as standard has recommended drive-away pricing of $58,200 (correct at the time of writing and includes $700 Marble Grey metallic paint). But our test vehicle also has a $1842 tow bar fitted, and a $665 electronic brake controller fitted, pushing its as-tested price to $60,707.

Standard features in the Advance include C-type design LED daytime running lights, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a 12.3-inch digital LCD instrument cluster, leather-accented heated and ventilated, power-adjustable front seats, ambient interior mood lighting, walk-away automatic door locking, a power tailgate, 18-inch 'diamond cut' alloy wheels and a suite of driver-assist tech including a tyre pressure monitoring system, but it misses out on the higher grades’ 360-degree surround view monitor.

The only change to this Rexton over the previous version? Pull-up sun blinds on the rear doors.

This new Rexton has plenty going for it, in terms of standard features, but rivals such as the GWM Tank 300, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90 offer just as much onboard but for $5000-$10,000 less, depending on the variant.

Exterior paint choices include Grand White, Marble Grey (metallic paint), Pearl White (metallic paint), and Space Black (metallic paint). Metallic paint is available for $700 on all grades, but is included in the price of the Sport Pack.

There are two hybrid powertrains available. Coming next year, the LM500h combines a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a hybrid setup, making for power and torque of 202kW and 460Nm respectively. It is all-wheel drive and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The LM350h comes with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a parallel hybrid system, offering up a total system output of 140kW and 239Nm. The 350h comes in front or all-wheel-drive guise and uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The entire KGM Rexton line-up has a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 148kW of power and 441Nm of torque.

It has an eight-speed automatic transmission, part-time 4x4 with high and low range, and an auto-locking rear differential.

This is a sluggish combination and not a particularly efficient powertrain, but it does the job, albeit in a lacklustre fashion.

Drive modes include Normal, Sport and Winter modes.

As you’d hope with an all-hybrid line-up, the LM excels when it comes to combined cycle fuel efficiency. The 350h FWD sips just 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres, while the AWD version is 5.6L/100km. The 500h is a little thirstier at 6.6L. 

Our drive was so brief we did not get to record an on-test fuel figure.

The theoretical range of the LM, considering the 60-litre fuel tank and 5.5L/100km (350h) and 6.6L/100km (500h) fuel consumption figures is about 1000km.

Official fuel consumption for the Rexton is listed as 8.7L/100km.

On this test, I recorded 10.6L/100km, but I have done a chunk of high and low-range, four-wheel driving.

The Rexton has a 70-litre fuel tank. So going by that on-test fuel figure from a full tank, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 660km.

But remember, I'm travelling with just me and some vehicle recovery gear. You'll be traveling with your kids, your mates, your pets, your camping gear, your sporting gear, all that sort of stuff. And that extra weight will have an impact on the vehicle's fuel consumption, so just keep that in mind.

As mentioned earlier, I spent much more time in the second row as a passenger than I did behind the wheel of the LM350h. But it was enough time to capture some initial high-level drive impressions.

But let’s start in the rear. The ride in the second row is comfortable - as you’d hope. Our trek from Melbourne’s inner north down to the Mornington Peninsula included a lot of freeway, which was smooth. The only thing that disturbed the peace was a chunky bridge join that caused a bit of a thump. But we were hardly disturbed. 

Back in the driver’s seat, there’s a lot to like about how the LM350h drives. First of all, it feels smaller on the road than its ample dimensions would otherwise suggest. It even feels relatively light on the road. 

After the LM, I drove a Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV that has a similar kerb weight (the Lexus is about 2.4 tonnes), and the LM felt lighter.  

The hybrid powertrain is responsive enough, offering decent acceleration from a standing start. The more potent 500h will of course be quicker.

The transition from electric to petrol propulsion is pretty smooth in Lexus (and Toyota) models these days, and the additional noise-deadening materials in the LM ensure it’s subtle.

The 2.5-litre petrol engine is really only noticeable when accelerating hard, and the CVT a slight drone, but it’s in no way unpleasant. 

Otherwise it’s a superbly refined and quiet cabin on all but the absolute worst road surfaces. Whisper quiet power windows adds to that feeling of luxurious refinement.

Given the brief time behind the wheel, we didn’t get to test the handling capability of the LM, so that might have to wait for a review in the New Year. 

The steering is heavily weighted and doesn’t feel overly responsive, but it’s perfectly suited to this sort of vehicle.

That supple ride we experienced in the rear was also evident behind the wheel.

This was especially impressive on a couple of pock-marked peninsular back roads. The ride is also much more compliant than the Mercedes-Benz EQV I tested early in 2023.

The Rexton is 4850mm long (with a 2865mm wheelbase), 1960mm wide and 1825mm high with a listed kerb weight of 2136kg.

With a turning circle of 11m, the Rexton is quite nimble around town.

On road, it’s okay. It's reasonably quiet and comfortable, and though it’s not particularly dynamic – the engine and auto make for a sluggish pairing – the Rexton is sufficiently driveable all round.

Its suspension – double wishbones and coil springs at the front, independent multi-link and coil springs at the rear – is firm, mostly controlled, but ride becomes jittery on irregular sealed surfaces and that characteristic is only amplified on even mildly corrugated dirt tracks.

And it’s in the dirt where the Rexton’s limitations are quickly exposed.

The Rexton is best considered a light-duty four-wheel drive: it is quite low; its stock tyres – Nexen NPriz RH7 (255/60R18 108H) – though marketed as “all season” aren't well suited for four-wheel driving. And the Rexton’s 4WD mechanicals and off-road traction control feel dated in operation, they just don't feel as effective as they should in a very competitive SUV market.

It doesn't have a lot of ground clearance or wheel travel and its shallow off-road angles – approach (20.5 degrees), departure (20.5) and ramp over (20) – are best suited to light-duty off-roading (i.e. well-maintained tracks in national parks in dry weather).

There's a decent spread of revs here, but there's not a lot to work with in terms of how effective the Rexton is as an off-road package so if you are here for a hardcore 4WD review with tyres-ripping-the-dirt action you're in the wrong place, because the Rexton just isn't up to that. And that's perfectly fine because people won't be using it for that purpose.

Having said that, the Rexton does reasonably well with what it has on board: there’s a decent amount of torque across a spread of revs; steering has a direct feel and nice liveliness to it; throttle response is quite sharp; and there is plenty of visibility forward over the bonnet.

Its auto rear diff lock is clunky in operation, disengaging abruptly, sometimes when you’re not even up, over or through the particular off-road challenge you’re tackling. I’ve noted similar issues with the Mahindra Scorpio in the past.

But driven with careful consideration the Rexton may do – at a stretch – the type of terrain you might not think it would be capable of.

And a decent set of all-terrain tyres would also help the Rexton, but it is what it is: a light-duty, four-wheel drive.

If you're thinking of using your family go-mobile as a touring vehicle, it’s worth noting the payload is 824kg, gross vehicle mass is 2960kg and gross combined mass is 6460kg.

Towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked).

The GWM Tank 300, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90 have similarly old-school type powertrains and 4WD set-ups, but the Tank is more comfortably capable off-road and yields a better general driveability than the Rexton and those others.

The Rexton does not have an ANCAP rating because it has not been officially tested.

As standard, it has nine airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, lane change-collision warning, rear cross-traffic warning, trailer sway control, driver attention alert, front vehicle start alert and more.

Though it doesn’t have an ANCAP rating, the Rexton holds its own in terms of driver-assist tech against rivals such as GWM Tank 300, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90.

When you buy a Lexus, you get a bit more than a car. The brand has a customer loyalty program - Lexus Encore - and depending on what model you buy, you are eligible for some pretty cool discounts, bonuses and experiences. 

There are three tiers, depending on your model. UX, NX, RX and ES fall under regular Encore, and electric models the RZ and UX300e sit beneath Electrified Benefits. But the LM, as well as the LS, LC and LX are under Encore Platinum - the top tier. 

That means access to the ‘On Demand’ program that allows access to another Lexus model for a few days or longer. So if you own an LC Convertible but need an RX for a few days to ferry people around, that’s all free. There’s valet parking service loans and more.

It also includes upgrades at Lexus partners. Our launch took us to Jackalope Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula, which is a Lexus partner, and you can get a bunch of extras here as a Lexus owner that other guests won’t get.

In terms of other ownership details, the LM is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.

Lexus is yet to announce the capped-price servicing details for LM, but it is expected to cover five years, and should be in the vicinity of approximately $700 per service.

The MY26 Rexton range is covered by a seven-year/unlimited kilometre new-vehicle warranty, and five years of roadside assistance.

A service is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest with cost per service either $418 or $522.

KGM Australia has more than 50 dealerships across the country with a decent spread across metro and regional areas. Rextons can be serviced at those dealers or at approved workshops.

The Rexton offers a competitive warranty when pitched against the likes of the GWM Tank 300 (seven-year/unlimited kilometre), Mahindra Scorpio (seven-year/150,000 km) and LDV D90 (seven-year/200,000km warranty).