We spend a day living out our passenger princess fantasies in the Lexus’s “luxury mover”, the seven-seater Lexus LM 350h 7-seater AWD
It seemed like a regular Wednesday morning, but for me, it would be slightly different.
Why? Well, this author was going to be chauffeured around like a passenger princess in a Lexus LM 350h 7-Seater as part of the brand’s media engagement programme for its definitive “luxury mover”.
Even before the appointed pick-up time to drive me from home to lunch at Na Oh, a contemporary Korean restaurant in the west of Singapore, the uber-luxe LM 350h was already waiting downstairs so I wouldn’t have to!
While I’ve ridden in a Toyota Vellfire several times, the difference in luxury and refinement is immediately apparent, especially regarding the Lexus’s plushly padded contact points.
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The Lexus LM 350h is a properly posh, ultra-luxurious vehicle. On the other hand, the Vellfire, while premium in its own right, is more focused on providing a comfortable and spacious people-moving experience.
The LM is in a league of its own and serves up the ultimate luxurious and comfortable passenger experience.
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The LM 350h takes the concept of rear-seat luxury to new levels with all sorts of features and gadgets, such as its “Rear Climate Concierge”, light relaxing massage seats, high-definition rear multimedia display and a Mark Levinson 21-speaker sound system, all of which are designed to make passengers feel like they are being transported in a business-class lounge.
Before I could reach out to operate the sliding door, it whispered open, thanks to the attentive chauffeur.
An automatic step gently extended as the door glided open so I could enter (and exit) the LM with some elegance, which should prove a welcome feature for vertically challenged occupants.
As I ensconced myself in the plush leather seat, I was struck by a sense of luxury like no other. The cabin’s high ceiling and spacious layout felt more like a business-class lounge than the backseat of a run-of-mill MPV.
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As the doors closed, I cruised in my own world, not noticing what was happening outside the car.
The “Rear Climate Concierge” took over, ensuring the temperature was just right and even adjusted the sunshades automatically.
With its hybrid petrol-electric 2.5-litre producing 250hp and 239Nm, the LM cruised effortlessly towards my lunch destination, thanks to its smooth E-CVT gearbox.
The “luxury mover” truly serves up a waft-worthy ride, as its suspension absorbs every bump and dip in the road, which made me feel like I was on a magic carpet ride, but much cooler.
And thanks to that, I could scroll through my phone endlessly without feeling any motion sickness.
During the commute, I fiddled around with the LM’s features. First, I turned on the massage function in the seat and propped up my legrest. The car had more than enough space for my legs to stretch out.
Don’t expect a firm and deep massage from the captain’s seats like you would with an Osim massage chair, though, because the LM’s massage function is more of a soft knead that relaxes rather than riles one up.
All this is easily controlled from the infotainment device docked to each captain’s chair. It can also be removed to control it away from the dock.
Apart from turning on the massage feature, the infotainment also controls the 14-inch ceiling-mounted screen, which I paired with my phone to vibe to Sabrina Carpenter videos throughout the ride. The insulation from the outside hustle and bustle, paired with the Mark Levinson 21-speaker sound system, made me feel like she was performing before me.
The sound system delivers a rousing and tub-thumping performance, but it is pretty eerie how quiet the cabin gets when you turn it off, which is perfect for when you need to get any last-minute work done. I may not have brought my laptop along, but I noticed the tray table was just about broad enough to support a laptop.
The third-row seats are just as spacious and comfy, so those kicking it at the back will enjoy the LM 350h’s sublime comfort. However, truth be told, if we had an LM 350h, we would keep the third row permanently folded flat so we could take advantage of the boot space.
As I had gotten comfortable during our journey from the far West to the Leng Kee automobile belt, we arrived at the Lexus showroom for our next appointment.
The post-lunch pitstop was to experience more of what Lexus had to offer, including its even more plush LM 500h four-seater and the LM Preview Suite, which is designed as an exclusive lounge to accommodate privileged customers during LM previews and deliveries.
As the sun began to set and I was done zipping around Singapore for work, it was time to head home in the LM 350h, which proved to be the perfect companion at the end of a long day.
The panoramic roof allowed the warm evening light to filter into the cabin, creating a serene atmosphere that felt more like a spa than a car. The traffic was heavy, but inside the Lexus, it felt like we were floating above it all.
I’d never experienced such levels of comfort in a car, especially one with such a utilitarian body shape. The day I spent as passenger princess in the LM 350h was undoubtedly an eye-opener for me because it was the first time I’d experienced a car that felt like a luxurious mobile office and whisky lounge all rolled into one.
In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am not ready to relinquish my crown yet.
Lexus LM 350h 7-Seater AWD
Engine: 2487cc, inline4
Power at rpm: 250hp at 6000rpm
Torque at rpm: 239Nm at 4300 - 4500rpm
Transmission: E-CVT
0-100km/h: 8.7secs
Top speed: about 190km/h
