2017 Lexus GX 460 Luxury 4.6-liter V8 (301 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm; 329 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm) Six-speed automatic, full-time four-wheel drive 15 city / 18 highway / 16 combined (EPA Rating, MPG) 16.0 city, 12.9 highway, 14.6 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km) Base Price: $62,980 (U.S) / $73,900 (Canada) As Tested: $69,920 (U.S.) / $81,850 (Canada) Prices include $975 destination charge in the United States and $3,075 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared.

4.6-liter V8 (301 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm; 329 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm)

Six-speed automatic, full-time four-wheel drive

15 city / 18 highway / 16 combined (EPA Rating, MPG)

16.0 city, 12.9 highway, 14.6 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km)

Base Price: $62,980 (U.S) / $73,900 (Canada)

As Tested: $69,920 (U.S.) / $81,850 (Canada)

Prices include $975 destination charge in the United States and $3,075 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared.

Yeah, I know, I know – we’re three months into 2018 and I am reviewing a 2017 model. That’s because some 2017s are still kicking around the press fleets, and also because I was working on other things and just now got around to writing up this GX.

Honestly, though, I don’t feel bad about the delay. That’s because the GX is one of those vehicles that just doesn’t change much over time.

Browsing the media materials, you see only incremental, minor changes for 2017 over 2016 – or 2018 over 2017. In a world in which change of all kinds occurs at such a clip that it’s almost impossible to keep up, the GX, along with a couple of other Toyota and Lexus models, remains a source of comfort in its consistency. It’s a little like Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune – those shows have had the same hosts and format for what feels like forever. Meanwhile, the GX has had the same bones for what feels like, well, forever.

Usually, it’s a negative for a vehicle to stay so unchanged for so long. There are exceptions, though – vehicles that enthusiasts and buyers hope carry on unchanged. The Jeep Wrangler was one, though at some point it had to be dragged into modernity – a feat Jeep accomplished while maintaining the model’s core character.

The GX is one of those vehicles, of course. At some point, Lexus will have to update it, but until then, it soldiers on, a reminder of what was, while still keeping up with the times.

A 4.6-liter V8 remains under hood, making 301 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque. The GX still has full-time four-wheel drive and still has a six-speed automatic transmission.

It also stills drives pretty much the same way it did when I worked in the service department at a Lexus dealer in the mid-Aughts. It’s heavy, so that V8 power only does so much good. The steering offers something resembling feel, but not much of it, and the GX somehow manages to ride both luxury soft and four-wheel-drive stiff, depending on the situation. It has a fair bit of roll about it, for one thing.

Yet, that’s all fine. It’s what’s expected of a burly luxury ‘ute with off-road capability (not that I went any further off-road than a parking lot).

The GX is supposed to get up to seven people from point A to point B in comfort, and it does that. Roll and wallow becomes less of a problem on long highway stints, as the GX rides in comfort over the miles. Lexus worked hard over the past decade to shed the stigma that it’s too soft and coddling, but it hasn’t completely abandoned that ethos – the GX is old-school Lexus, from the pre F-Sport days.

The interior is a delightful throwback, with a blocky center stack and big buttons and switches throughout. There’s even two big radio knobs. Comfort and quiet are what matter here. Space does, too – there’s plenty of room, at least up front.

Plenty of features, too, as one would expect from a large luxo SUV that rings the register well over $60K to start.

That price includes a rear air suspension that automatically load-levels, satellite radio, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, navigation, moonroof, tri-zone climate control, and wood steering wheel.

Almost $6K in options included an appearance package and the driver-support package (premium audio, pre-collision system with driver-attention monitor, radar cruise control, lane departure alert, and CRAWL control, among other items).

For nearly $70K, you get a big, bulky, comfortable seven-seat SUV that has some off-road chops and a decidedly throwback feel that’s more charming than annoying.

The GX isn’t the only Toyota or Lexus SUV to feel old-school – wait til I get to the 4Runner – so clearly, the template works.

Sometimes, it’s best NOT to change.

[Images © 2018 Tim Healey/The Truth About Cars]

Now that there is a three-row RX, the GX should drop its third row. It’s so small that it’s basically unusable, because people who fit well in it are small enough to require car seats that don’t fit well in it. But it takes up quite a bit of cargo area space when folded.

A boost in interior material quality would also be nice. It doesn’t come off well next to the only somewhat more expensive LX.

“Luxury soft and four-wheel-drive stiff” is a good description of the LX ride too. Components are designed to take off-road abuse and there is a tremendous amount of unsprung weight. You feel all that weight bobbing around whenever the pavement is choppy, but when it’s not bobbing around the ride is creamy.

“A boost in interior material quality would also be nice. It doesn’t come off well next to the only somewhat more expensive LX.”

I disagree. The quality is top-notch, about as good as anything you’ll find south of an Aston Martin. All of the materials are well-executed, and panel gaps are thin and uniform.

Where the GX falls short is in tech and interface design. It essentially has Lexus’ 2010-era technology stack, which was the last time it was given a major redesign. That puts it a couple of waves behind, as Lexus made significant improvements in 2013 and again in 2016 to its onboard tech.

YMMV. I find the metal-look plastic on the console and door pulls — two high-touch places — to feel very cheap. Most LXes have the luxury package that includes the good leather, while I’m not sure I’ve ever actually seen a GX with it in the real world.

I like the bulk of this but stacked up to even the base SUV from lexus that center stack is super ’90s and very cheap feeling. Total turnoff, its like its in a domestic car.

Quality is top notch in these. Even 10 year old units with big miles run and drive great, and the interiors show very little wear.

Agreed on dropping or at least making optional the third row. On the 470 you could at least remove them entirely (they were the fold-to-the-sides kind) and take advantage of all of the rear cargo space. With the current GX the raised floor looses a non-trivial amount of space.

Tangentially related: I was just watching a Russian channel’s review of a bare bones Fortuner last night. 2 million rubles (a stiff $32k USD) for a 4wd/5spd/2.7L 2AR truck with black steel wheels with no hubcaps, nothing really in the way of any modern infotainment. Durable burlap-type cloth seats, and a locking rear diff standard. It did have a third row of the old school sideways folding variety. Very good skid plating as standard.

In terms of size and features it reminded me more of my 3rd gen 4Runner than the modern Prado family, I was quite smitten (it’s all in Russian unfortunately):

https://youtu.be/FSwg3Vsk5g4

The reviewer’s takeaway was that it was a lot of money for such low feature level, but you were getting a rock solid classic Toyota 4wd, and the 2AR engine was just fine with the stick shift in the city, no word on highway power (not great, I assume).

That really does look like an ideal truck for the less hospitable parts of Russia. The 1AR (I assume this is a 1AR 2.7, not a 2AR 2.5) is really the new 22RE, there’s a proper four-wheel-drive system, decent clearance and approach/departure angles, and no worries about getting anything dirty.

Woops it’s neither, 2TR!

I guess the closest we have to that in the US is the departed Xterra, although for me it always missed about 6 inches of trunk length and a 5-link coil sprung rear axle (I’m like a broken record on that point).

dal and 30 fetch you guys might get a kick out of this, winter offroading in a really big variety of vehicles (modified older 4x4s, newer ones, luxo-trucks, etc):

youtu.be/yESjQ3OzU-8?t=71 No translations really necessary :)

It looks like it would have been faster to cross-country ski!

I find it difficult to call this a “luxury” vehicle. Aside from the semi-premium “L” logo, there’s nothing about this that qualifies this as an upscale truck. The interior of the GX is outclassed by $40k domestic SUVs.The exterior has been amateurishly updated in an attempt to keep it current. As a $70k vehicle, this is laughable. It’s pretty clear that Toyota has put minimal effort behind Lexus SUVs in recent years.

“The interior of the GX is outclassed by $40k domestic SUVs.”

Here’s where you get to provide specific examples to back up your claim.

Wow, that is an ugly vehicle. And I generally like Lexus..

Also #4 on the top 10 worst vehicles tested. The new one is so old looking, like a time machine.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/10-worst-cars-tested-consumer-reports.html/?a=viewall

So if I overcook my corner entry in my BOF SUV and crank the steering wheel, I might experience some loss of control and the ESC won’t always save my bacon? No. Kidding. Should I also be mad when emergency autonomous braking doesn’t prevent 100% of collisions with the stopped traffic I’ve failed to notice at a 65 mph closing speed?

This was a MY2010 only issue until they recalibrated the ESC. But that doesn’t matter because you weren’t actually trying to provide information.

“ weren’t trying to provide information “ . ? Click on the link for the information. Consumer Reports wrote the article. Just doesn’t seem like a safe vehicle for emergency situations. Oh, it says Lexus. Forget all reality. Must be good. LOL

“Consumer Reports wrote the article”

No, they didn’t. An author on a junk content website had some fun generating the equivalent of a Taco Bell chalupa.

Look, though! Consumer Reports says the GX is the 5th best vehicle ever tested:

http://www.businessinsider.com/most-reliable-cars-consumer-reports-2016-10

@30 That article was just a copy and pasted job strait from Consumer Reports. 4th worst ever tested.

Guess you forgot to research before 2016. :-(

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/04/don-t-buy-safety-risk-2010-lexus-gx-460/index.htm

Web is filled with safety issues on this model.

“That article was just a copy and pasted job strait from Consumer Reports”

Uh, no. Cut and paste means…cut and paste.

Here’s an example of cut and paste, taken directly from the article you cite: “After the issue was fixed, the magazine retested the Lexus, and found it to be safe”.

Guess you forgot to research after 2010 :-(

The web is filled with trolls, 4motion. Are you sure you want to join them? Because I’m no longer going to be feeding you.

No more food for you!

Name calling when facts hit you in the face. Ok I’m done. You obviously live in a bubble. Look back at these posts. Who is trolling who ?

0. Offer a cool, old-school BOF V8 mid-size SUV with unimpeachable build quality and lots of standard off road tech for a little over $50K in base trim.

1. Ruin the approach and break over angles with a tacky ‘Predator’ body kit.

uuuummmmmm, so! it’s ugly as all get out. Tahoe or Escalade anyone?

The 8th face lift of this vehicle has not helped. Fits perfectly with that older generation.

Yep, it’s ’10-’13 MY or bust for me.

What sucks even more, is that the grill is now integrated with the bumper, which makes the easy ‘fix’ of just adding a steel off-road bumper a lot more difficult. Does anyone even make a bumper for this now?

“…the GX is old-school Lexus, from the pre F-Sport days.”

That said, you are driving a GX equipped with the Sport Design Package. For a shade over $6,500, it gets you that satin silver trim on the lower front and rear fascias, gunmetal silver alloys, captain’s chairs for the second row (effectively making it a 6-seater), the exposed exhaust tip, and the smoked red taillight lenses (normal GXs have clear lenses).

EDIT: $6,505 on the GX 460 Premium, or $1,950 on the GX 460 Luxury, the latter of which is the model tested here.

As far as the Wrangler, you’re right. My best friend and his husband bought a brand-new ’18 Wrangler JL Sahara in Nacho Orange last Saturday, and I am thoroughly impressed with it. I’m looking at getting a RWD-based SUV this summer and would like to get a Wrangler myself, but I would like to utilize the 6000-Plus-Pound GVWR write-off, and the Wrangler probably falls short. Perhaps a Grand Cherokee Overland, or something.

“a GX equipped with the Sport Design Package.”

Why does this option exist?

What an awful package which is too expensive and not in keeping with the mission of this vehicle.

I like it. I think it adds to the GX’s overall appearance considerably. But I think they should have made them all look that way.

Six grand for an appearance package though!?!

That’s figure is on the GX 460 Premium, though, to be fair. On the GX 460 Luxury, which is actually what Tim is driving, it’s only $1,950.

Ah, well in that case it’s clearly not intended for the pleb base customer. I’d avoid it for the dark wheels alone.

Really 2012-2013 it was looking fine, before the facial surgery.

It really isn’t. You can’t get it on the GX 460 Base at all, only the Premium and Luxury. And by the time you upgrade to a Premium with the Sport Appearance Package, you may as well step up to a Luxury with the Sport Appearance Package.

I want a regular one, in dark red or brown metallic, with cream leather and wood.

I briefly considered the prospect of a used GX460 instead of new 4Runner SR5. If you’re OK with ~60K miles on the odometer they come to price parity and you certainly get a more luxurious vehicle.

But the whole point for us was to have a family friendly off-roader and the GX slips here. Even pre-PREDATOR FACE refresh there is too much low hanging plastic cladding to impinge on clearance and angles. They would be damaged and that looks trashy on a luxury ute. The third row I neither want nor need eats into cargo space. The 4.6 V8 would be nice, but the Lexus is some 600 pounds heavier than the 4Runner (which already weighs what an 2WD XLT Crew Cab F150 does) which would absorb a lot of the gained horsepower, and fuel economy is even worse.

Excellent vehicle and a long-term keeper in the old aristocratic Range Rover way, but I couldn’t make it quite fit our intended use.

The first-gen (2003-2009) GX was a lot more off-road friendly in terms of bumper shape, as was the pre-refresh second-gen (2010-2013). I wonder how many customers Lexus is genuinely alienating by putting form over function. And are they first or second owners?

It’s a good question, I think.

It is a good question and if I had to hazard a guess I’d say the alienation is occurring primarily for second owners (first owners seem more likely to be put off by the grille styling than its effect on the approach angle). I know several people who bought GX470s and LX470s second-hand and use them as outdoor family rigs. So Lexus hasn’t lost any new car sales by annoying this demographic.

IIRC, even the pre-refresh GX460 still had slightly inferior approach/departure to a 4Runner, and those built-in running boards are vulnerable.

Yeah the built in running boards and unyielding painted plastic mudguards on the GX470s ruin the fun.

I like the Lexus but I wish they would offer a “Off Road” version like the 4Runner. Or the 4Runner would offer a 6 speed transmission.Seems to me,a potential buyer the GX only exists as a forced upgrade to aV8 and 6 spd trans which Toyota refuses to offer in the 4Runner….

I’d be curious to know what the approach/departure angle difference on the GX is Before Predator and After Predator. On the LX, the 2016 predator face didn’t actually cost much approach angle, even though it looks like it would. But its shape means it’s more likely to get hung up, causing major damage rather than a scratch, if you do exceed the angle.

And like you wrote, the shape is much less forgiving.

I think the Disco offers up to 34 degrees.

dal, as an LX owner, this video may be interesting:

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-lexus-lx-570-goes-off-road-on-new-ignition/

Very capable, but the garnishes suffer in a way that is painful to watch.

Yep. Most of those scrapes wouldn’t have happened to my 2011.

It’s also painful watching those 21s go over rocks. Even the 20s on my truck feel like there ought to be more sidewall. I’d really prefer it if my LX had the 18s that were available on Russian and Middle Eastern trucks, but they are unobtanium in the US. I think often about going to Land Cruiser or Tundra 18s but none of the styles look quite right on the LX.

Ah yes, the updated but not really automotive version of Mom Jeans.

Predominantly white, upper class, suburban stay at home moms who wear spandex workout pants all day every day will be pleased to know their handbag, wait, SUV of choice is just like last years.

What a relief. These hideous pigs are like litter in my town in the drop off and pick up lines at the charter schools and neighborhood schools.

If you are not a wealthy white women, who has not had a job in a decade and plans to continue that patten for the remainder of your life time you have no business owning this thing.

Wow, dislike wealthy White women much?

I would like to see a hybrid version (no, not that kind of hybrid) V8, 6-8 spd and the lift gate with the retractable glass o the 4Runner. I wish Lexus would drop the swing door for a lift gate like the 4Runner of split one like the LX

Not at all, I live in a neighborhood full of them. Most are nice if not clueless, but all work hard at looking great which is nice to see when summer time rolls around. Just the only people I see driving these things. My neighbor bought one for his wife. Hates it. Everything about it. He drives an F150.

In my neck of the woods these rigs are an accessory.

Well I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. When I see an RX I think of that demographic. I see many more RXs than GXs here.

I like the GX/LX trucks but like most 4Runners I see being used as grocery getters, there seems (to me at least) to be much better SUV choices then a BOF getting terrible gas mileage.

Kinda of why I find them humorous among the stay at home mom set. For 65k +- I kind feel that their are way better options to sit in the school drop off line with.

But to each their own.

Do they all drive them with a cell phone glued to their ear? I swear all these luxo-mommy trucks require a cellular signal for the engine to run.

krhodes1, of course not. They use bluetooth, safety first here.

The trophy wives in your area must be more tech-savvy than those in mine. Always a phone held to the side of the head here (with here being both Maine and Florida, they are just younger in Maine).

Ummmm… I have a significant Asian population in my neighborhood, and this seems to be a very popular wife-mobile in that demographic. We also have a significant Eastern European population here. They’re easy to spot- it’s the driveway with the (Escalade/Denali) parked in it. Usually with a (Audi/BMW/Mercedes) parked next to it.

I should add the natives are easy to spot as well. Just look for the Subaru Outback parked next to the full-size lifted 4X4 PU.

I like it, they are reliable, luxurious enough, rugged and long-lasting. It’s a shame that the (otherwise great) V8 gets horrific fuel economy though. I can’t see that the reduced approach/departure angles are a big issue, who rock crawls in their $65k Lexus?

Where I live, every other soccer mom has one of these, almost the official vehicle (along with Suburbans, Tahoe’s, Yukons etc) of the school car pool olympics.

“Where I live, every other soccer mom has one of these”

What an odd world we live in.

Where I live the 4Runner is soccer mom vehicle of choice. Seriously, every other vehicle at the soccer fields are 4Runners. Like a Toyota used car lot. This Lexus is for the Soccer grandparents that come to watch the games, not the practices.

I see quite a few of them, but I think the RX is probably more common around here. No question the GX carries more prestige, though (and I don’t think there’s much difference in perceived prestige between GX and LX).

I’d say the most common affluent-soccer-mom vehicle is the GL450, with full-size Range Rovers also up there among the ones who really have a lot of money.

Agreed the affluent-soccer-mom drives the GL and Range Rover. I never considered the GX affluent in anyway. Always and still think of it as the vehicle for people that don’t have in depth knowledge of vehicles. Just that it looks nice, says Lexus, and is reliable. Also, Lexus dealerships on a whole are very nice.

Enjoy $277-359 per tire GL owners and I’ll ride by in my GX on my $112 per tire Chicom specials! I have it on good authority the GL likes to chew thrugh tires every 6000-9000 miles now matter what owners do. Money spent does not translate into prestige or sense. Quite akin to thinking the CLA/GLA is a serious luxury car.

Both GL’s in my ‘hood experienced air suspension failure. One was replaced with a GX, the other with a Denali. That leaves one last Mercedes GL in the hood. They must like it, since they just traded their old one on a new one.

@28 cars, you could be onto something with the tire wear. Almost every GL I see has heavily warn tires. Not cheap to replace, especially the AMG GLs .

I have a friend who used to own a small tire business. Years back, I’ll say 2010, he had a customer who used to barter with him for his wife’s I think 2009 GL tires (then 19in). I think the tires the customer preferred then were $400 apiece and my friend quoted me the 6-9000 mile figure despite religious tire rotations. We speculated it was a combination of girth/weight and the fact at the time only Mercedes used that type of 19in tire.

Daimler gets you coming and going, remember their parts are dipped in gold, sprinkled with fairy dust, and packaged by elves before arriving at the stealership service department. Most people do not take consumables into account during an automotive purchase. I do :)

These are heavy vehicles so tire wear is most likely a side effect of this excessive heavy weight.

I am a 2007 Mercedes GL320 CDI 4Matic owner who has yet to notice excessive tire wear on my vehicle. The Airmatic suspension also works as it should and is all original at a little under 250,000 km mileage.

Weight isn’t everything. My 6000-pound LX570 with 67k is a bit more than halfway through its second set of OE (street, P-rated) Michelin tires. The first set was replaced at 44k.

I don’t think the standard wheel tire combo has the issue. It always seem to be the optional wheel size with the lower profile tires that have the issue. In any case it would be hell replacing tires every 9000 miles.

The scenario I described involved lower profile tires.

Dal what sort of tires are on your LX?

Right now it’s got the OE Michelin Latitude Tour HP, which are street touring tires with no pretense of either off-road or snow performance. They’re decent street tires.

I think I’m going to go to two sets of tires. In the short term as the Latitudes wear out I’ll buy a set of 18s and mild all-terrain tires that will at least have a bit of mud traction while not being too noisy on-road. Then as the younger kid gets old enough to restart family ski trips I’ll get a set of Blizzaks to put on the OEM 20s.

I’ll be curious to hear about LX’s tire life. While I have you, in your opinion what is the realistic expectation of a child’s car seat in an LS460?

I found a site which I have since lost the link to where a woman reviewed the SWB in 2009 and showed two could be fit comfortably and three if one uses the center. One of the girls I was dating and I are talking about heading in that direction so to speak and I was eying up an LS460 LWB in AWD purchase possibly by 2020 (wholesale of course). I figure I can have my cake and eat it too while laughing at the proles, but as a former owner your opinion would be of much interest to me. Thx.

Congrats on that — I’m sure she’s special!

Two car seats of any genre will fit with tons of room to spare in an LS460. To fit three, you’ll probably want one to be either a booster (age gap between your kids may matter) or a narrow seat such as a Diono Radian.

But, while the car seats fit fine, they don’t leave much room for other stuff in the cabin. You’re pretty much limited to footwells and trunk for storage. I sold the LS because, with both car seats in place, we needed/wanted more space for stuff on road trips.

But we live in the middle of the city and want our other vehicle to be small. If you had another medium-to-big vehicle — I think even something in the CR-V/Forester class would work — an LS would be excellent and car seats no obstacle.

Thanks man, and thx for the reply. *knocks on wood*

She currently drives a mid 00s Avalon and I still have my Old GM beater fleet. Being from the country, she wants a pickup so I figure that would do for cargo and whatnot. In my mind I wanted something I could transport children in which alotted me ample room for these gigantic car seats but was still better than 90% of what’s on the road, reliable, and of course I could snag a deal on it. I am a cheapskate by nature but if I have to get into a payment (yuck, haven’t had one since 2012) its going to be for something both awesome and ridiculous. I’m also leery of a huge pickup even fitting in my attached 70s era garage, but something like an LS should do.

“I think even something in the CR-V/Forester class would work”

My immediate family is Pro-Subaru but I can’t allow myself to spend my “me” money on this type of thing (assuming she would ride a truck of course). I’d sooner find a six door Panther funeral limo and leave people scratching their heads. :D

Who has time to drive kids to and from school anyway? That’s what the bus is for.

You think the women who drive these things WORK? Trophy wives don’t WORK, or at least not 9-5 jobs.

Every Lexus now sold comes standard with dry heeves.

The LS is probably the only nice well proportioned Lexus. Saw new one on a test drive the other day. Beautiful car. Probably one of the best looking high end sedans built right now. Take it over a 7 series or A8. The rest of them, well the front end is just not my cup of tea. Especially the majority of the SUV’s. They look like squished emoji faces on a rebadged Toyota. Sadness.

I actually like these. I drive an F150, and would consider one were it not for the price. They’re Land Cruiser-esque in terms of road manners, not as wide as a Tahoe, and dead nuts reliable.

I think the biggest demographic for this locally (Savannah, GA area) – besides doctor’s, lawyers, and well-heeled senior citizens – is the “I need an SUV, but I don’t want a Tahoe/Yukon because Becky has one, and I hate that b***h” demographic.

Good article that highlights Toyota’s approach to pickups and SUVs. Be half to a full cycle behind your competition in tech and charge through the nose.

I do think this iteration of the Prado is butt ugly, especially the hideous front end. How well is this off road?

Comparing this to a Prado is chalk and cheese. The Prado wins hands down and is far cheaper to get into. The Prado is also reknown for its off road ability.

I would not buy one of these. I would consider a Discovery or Range Rover first.

Lexus has lost the plot here.

“I would not buy one of these. I would consider a Discovery or Range Rover first.”

If you want to actually buy and hang onto a luxury SUV as buyers of expensive Toyota/Lexus SUV shoppers are prone to doing in the US, the Lexus is easily the better option. If you want to lease, certainly the Merc GL and Range Rover make strong cases for themselves.

You couldn’t pay me to own anything Land Rover builds. At least with the Lexus you know it’ll start every time, and you won’t spend 30% of your first year driving Enterprise Rentals while your LR is at the dealership getting sorted out.

Ernest, LR seems to quite good now. Maybe 20 years ago your view had some validity.

In JD Powers 2018 Dependability survey of three year old vehicles, Chrysler saved Land Rover from being DEAD LAST. Some things really don’t change.

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/jd-power-2018-us-vehicle-dependability-study

Where I live, this is a fleet vehicle for real estate agents. Why real estate agents believe that buyers want to be driven around in leased Canyoneros is beyond me…

The GX must be he one of the most profitable vehicles built in the Lexus lineup to date. Engineering from the 1990’s and a price tag for 2017. Good for Lexus they still have that cult following. Simply brilliant marketing my boy.

Are the GM BOFs then engineering from the 1950s by the same measure (OHV valvetrain)?

Adjusted for inflation, most of the 1990s midsizers in luxury trim (Explorer Eddie Bauer, 4Runner Limited, etc) stickered for right around $50k in 2017 dollars, with a whole lot less features, less power, worse mpg, etc.

I actually enjoy the fact that I can peek under a new 2018 4Runner and recognize basically familiar components in terms of axle, suspension, and frame design. Sometimes you find something that just plain works. Likewise with GM’s BOFs.

I get what your saying about reliable old school tech.

But, “with a whole lot less features, less power, worse mpg, etc.” ?

This GX gets 15 city / 18 highway / 16 combined (EPA Rating, MPG) 16.0 city, 12.9 highway, 14.6 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km) Is this with premium fuel? Even if it’s not. This Lexus is not worth 13-15 mpg. A Yukon can get over 20 on the hwy.

Fair point on the GM fullsizer MPG prowess, it is indeed very impressive. I’d argue that in real world driving the Lexus is probably quite close to parity with the GM BOFs, maybe 1-2mpg shy in strictly steady state highway cruising. You’d have to really be doing some stop and go city driving with a hot shoe to run that GX down to 13mpg as configured IMO.

I’m talking about MPG and power relative to what they had in the 90s. My 4Runner stickered at 16/19mpg back in 1996, EPA standards have been adjusted twice since then. This is a 3.4L cast iron block DOHC V6 that makes 183hp/217ft-lb (using 1996 dyno metrics, which likewise have been revised several times since then). The GX now has a much smoother 4.6L V8 making 301hp/329ft-lb with as I understand it about the same real world MPG as my 4runner that has 1000lb less curb weight and 120 fewer horses. GM’s Vortec 5.7L made 250hp back then in the Tahoe, and it struggled to get mid-teens MPG.

Toyota hasn’t been updating its V8s much recently, and they’ve struggled to keep up on the MPG front with a host of others. Both the 1UR-FE in this GX and the 3UR-FE in the LX are competitive with current-generation truck engines on power and torque, but not on MPG.

The 3UR’s output is damn near identical to the GM 6.2, but the 6.2 gets as much as 50% better MPG in any application. The URs are ridiculously smooth and creamy but you pay at the pump.

I work with and have a few friends with 4runners. They state averaging 20 mpg, not bad for a base elevation here of 4500 ft. Love the vehicles. But, they all wish the tow rating was over 5000lbs. Think it should be higher for a body on frame suv. What was the tow rating of the older 4Runner with the 4.6 ? Which the GX is basically a re-badged older 4Runner.

I wonder if the big difference is emissions tuning. Toyota’s V8s are intended for worldwide application in multiple products. GM’s 6.2 is intended for US application in a limited range of products. Because of Toyota’s needs, their emissions and ecu tuning may be more broad to begin with, and may not be, or able to be, tuned properly for US emissions. GM in this scenario is more advantageous to start with and has fewer product variables to consider, so they perfect things. Remember the Toyota 3.0 sludge issues many years back was because of US specific emissions tuning. This may be something Toyota does not do well in some cases.

The 4th gen 4Runners had the option of a cast iron 1UZ-FE, it’s a timing belt driven 4.7L with 235hp (later 260hp with VVTi)/320 ft-lb. Rated towing was the same as the V6 at 5000lb, that’s more of a function of the vehicle’s fairly short wheelbase and lower curb weight than limitations on the motor. Tundra or Sequoia with the same motor were rated at up to 7200 and 6500lb respectively. Interestingly, initially the 4.0L V6 was actually rated for more hp (245) than the 4.7L V8 (235). The V8 won big time on low end torque of course. Similar story with Ford’s 4.0L SOHC vs the optional 5.0L in the “jellybean” Explorers. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that Ford actually underrated the “205hp” 4.0L to not step on the 5.0L’s 215hp toes. The 5.0L again trounced the 4.0L on low end torque.

As far as rebadging goes, the GX460 is literally a Land Cruiser Prado 150 body with some different lights and bumpers and gingerbread, and a V8 fitted. Similarly the prior GX470 was a Prado 120 in a skirt. Our 4Runner in turn is a more significant re-bodied (lower roof) variant of the Prado 120 (4th gen 4Runner) and Prado 150 (5th gen 4Runner). They used to sell the 4Runner in Japan as the “Hilux Surf” up through mid-way into the 4th generation, but the “Hilux Surf” had not used a Hilux frame since the 2nd gen (’89-’95) rigs. The “true” Hilux Surf is now the Toyota Fortuner (see my link higher up in the discussion), which is indeed based on the Hilux frame and is a bit smaller and cheaper than the Prado, closer in essence to the older Hilux Surfs/4Runners. I really wish they sold it here!

28 cars I know my ’96 ES with the 1MZ had a very rich and safe state of tune. I could smell it every morning, and the MPG corresponded (about 20 in the winter). But man it was clean as a whistle under the valve covers (from what I could see through the oil fill cap), and didn’t burn any oil at 209k miles. My understanding was the it was mostly that following gen of Camry and ES (’97-’01) that had the sludging issues with that very same 1MZ motor, which was now more powerful and efficient, and ran hotter. My brother has a friend at work with that early gen ES from Texas, I’ve made it clear that if she ever wants to upgrade, I’ll gladly scoop the ES-goodness up.

Gtem, Thanks for the info on the GX and Prado.

My recollection is the same about the 97-02 Toyota 3.0 sludge issues. I recently noticed a clean looking mid 90s ES parked in front of a modest house near where I grew up which intrigues me. Its been quite awhile since I have seen one here, hoopty or no.

Look at this, right near me.

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/d/like-mint-lexus-ls400/6556069531.html

Thats a buy at 5. Why are you still sitting there Corey?

I gotta be at work! It’s been for sale a couple weeks, but I don’t think they’d take 5.

(I haven’t seen one with an interior that pristine in some time.)

Work will be there when you get back.

Its not an ’05 its an ’00. That matters. Start 4-4,5 settle on 5 or perhaps 5,5 if you really want it. That girl’s legal this year, not youngin’ anymore. The LS400s have pricey custom suspension parts that will need changed soon.

Yeah that’s a concern, the air suspension which is definitely on this one. Came with the nav package on the Platinum.

There are kits for LS400/430 to convert the air ride to coil spring. I believe LS400 though has other weird stuff in the undercarriage, I can’t remember.

I might go look tomorrow, MAYBE.

That’s nice, but the price is rather close to Celsior money for half the miles.

Yeah, I have a feeling they’re stuck on that price in “know what I got” territory, and that’s why it still sits there.

There is limited market for something like that, and a great majority of the population cannot come up with 4+ large in cash (maybe outside of Kali or NYC). This means any offers were probably extreme lowballs under this price, and are balked at justly. Show up with Bennies in your pocket no more than you are willing to spend. Start 4s but let it be known you are reasonable and say come at me. Old trick to say I have X on me now, you can have this or I walk. I might also remind them of the limited market for this. Avg prole doesn’t know “what it is” so to speak. Show up in your Ru too and talk about CUVs and how you’d prefer an RX300 but wanted to check it out bc it was so clean.

Wholesale is under 4 for an MY00, but that vehicle clean pretty much does not exist so I think its fair to bump it to 4-5 in terms of valuation.

3/27/18 $1,100 292,542 1.4 8G/ABeigeLeaseSoutheastAtlanta 4/11/18 $1,000 196,657 1.6 8G/ASilverLeaseSoutheastAtlanta 4/11/18 $2,800 179,493- — -/AGoldRegularSoutheastFort Myers 3/2/18 $2,300 165,625 2.9 8G/A GoldRegularSoutheastFort Lauderdale 3/20/18 $3,500 156,921 3.8 8G/ABlackRegularNortheastNew England 3/14/18 $1,300 *134,148- -8G /ABlackRegularSoutheastLakeland

Thanks, bringing pocket money and driving the green car is a good idea.

Hideous. An increasingly outdated model with increasingly idiotic grille treatments. I don’t know what bothers me more…that Toyota is so cheap and stylistically tone-deaf, or that consumers continue to let them get away with it.

Or you can save $15k and get a Nissan Armada Platinum and drive right over this thing.

As compromised as the GX is compared to the Prado in terms of approach/departure, I’m willing to bet it’d wipe the floor with a US-spec Armada offroad. The US Armada is just way too nerfed on articulation, and likewise has worse approach/departure angles than its overseas Y62 Patrol cousin.

But I agree in that Nissan gives you a lot more truck (size-wise, motorwise) for less money.

I test drove a first-gen of this (used, under 100k miles). It was a 2004 or 2005 if I remember correctly. My wife took the first drive while I rode shotgun. A mile or two later I began to feel car sick from the body roll / comfort setting wallowing. The wife thought I was crazy.

I take over driving… and then she begins to complain about feeling nauseous.

Maybe it’s coming from a MINI which has very little suspension travel, but the softness of the Lexus was too barf-o-riffic.

This comment thread is hilarious – like reading the comments from a listing on Bring A Trailer.

Is it true that Lexus offers a “my other car is a 2010 Avalon with gold trim and a carriage roof” bumper sticker as a factory option?

Love me some gold trim, but the newer fastback’d sedans cannot pull off the carriage roof very well. If only.

A nice black or pearl white with gold badges. Almost always looks good.

No need to buy a top trim GX 460 to get Crawl Control. It can be added for around $300 by replacing the center console switch stack and a zero point calibration. MTS which isn’t even available on US models (Option available in Canada) can be added for around $200 or less by simply swapping module behind the glove box. These mods can be installed on any trim GX 460 ’10-Present and can be reverted back just as easy.

I like you, because you not only think like I do but are sharing working hacks.

Thank you for the kind words! :-)

For those coming across this post with a GX 460 or considering one… Google Search

This should get you started on what you need. Even if you don’t off-road… the MTS mod increases stability in snow on roads. MTS basically allows variable ATRAC.

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