The Lexus GX 460 is admittedly outdated. How outdated is it? It’s so outdated, I used to be nonetheless in highschool when it launched. This era of the GX launched for the 2010 mannequin yr, and it is principally acquired beauty updates within the decade since. And few areas reveal that age greater than this luxurious SUV’s inside. It is not all unhealthy, however there is not any query that it’s not precisely on par with the most recent and biggest SUVs from different automakers. And even its personal. Let’s dive in, lets?
Climbing aboard the GX welcomes the motive force and entrance passenger with broad, thickly cushioned chairs wrapped in comfortable leather-based. They’re very a lot the sort of seats you sit on and never in, and with an honest quantity of adjustment, they’re fairly comfy on a commute or on a cross-country journey. Additionally instantly noticeable is the excessive seating place and big quantity of glass providing excellent visibility in all instructions. Between this and the GX’s modest exterior dimensions, it is fairly straightforward to maneuver.
Then we get to the dashboard, and that is the place the GX turns into extra of a letdown. Except for the steering wheel, a barely bigger instrument display with an up to date infotainment working system, nothing has modified in a decade. The prominence of the silver painted plastic is probably the most disappointing factor, because it seems like it might barely be acceptable in a Toyota, not to mention a present Lexus. The identical goes for the blurry, simply washed-out middle display and pale blue digital clock and local weather temperature readout. Wooden trim and upholstered panels definitely assist, however general this does not appear like the command middle of a brand new SUV costing greater than $50,000.
Issues get a little bit higher when truly interacting with issues. The amount and tuning knobs are weighty and easy like on a pleasant hi-fi system. Having bodily controls for the audio in addition to most local weather features are welcome options. The touchscreen system is rather more intuitive than the Distant Contact mouse and touchpad programs Lexus rolled out in later years. It is pretty responsive, and the shortcut buttons on the perimeters are helpful. One other signal of age is the shortage of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However hey, you get a CD participant, keep in mind these?
Patrons do nonetheless get loads of good options on the GX. Customary tools contains heated and ventilated entrance seats, dual-zone automated local weather management, proximity locking and beginning, a sunroof, and new for 2021, acoustic entrance aspect glass that makes the GX astoundingly quiet inside. The Lexus additionally boasts some distinctive elective off-road options similar to height-adjustable air suspension, off-road low-speed cruise management and terrain-specific driving modes. An array of security options is included, that includes automated emergency braking, lane-keep warning, blind-spot monitoring and automated high-beams.
A part of the explanation consumers select a decently sized SUV is to hold extra folks, and second-row inhabitants ought to be pretty comfy. The GX comes normal with a bench seat, however captain’s chairs are elective. There’s sufficient leg-, knee- and headroom for adults to suit, although folks with significantly lengthy legs could brush entrance seatbacks. The center-row seats are agency in comparison with the fronts, although they do have a snug recline. The least nice half is that your ft are up a little bit excessive as a result of body-on-frame development, so your legs could also be angled oddly and never comfortably for lengthy journeys.
The GX does technically have a 3rd row of seats. Nonetheless, adults and youngsters will discover that they provide little or no legroom and are near the ground. Massive crossover opponents just like the Volvo XC90 and Lincoln Aviator are way more livable for a larger age and dimension vary. Not solely that, these seats take up just about all of the GX’s cargo house when of their power-operated upright place. Lexus says there’s 11.6 cubic ft of house behind the third row, however little or no of it’s truly usable. House owners could need to preserve the third row semi-permanently folded down in an effort to benefit from the 46.7 cubic ft they’ll get in return. In case they want much more house, there’s 64.7 cubic ft out there with the second-row seats folded. The GX additionally has a strong 6,500-pound towing capability for actually heavy stuff.
The Lexus GX is a completely dated SUV, significantly inside. The excellent news is that being dated is not solely a foul factor (observe the shortage of Distant Contact) and that the consolation options are nonetheless totally stocked. You too can take solace in the truth that nothing is new or unproven, so it may be relied upon for a very long time. It is completely not for everybody. Actually, we will advocate fairly a number of extra trendy machines with nicer interiors, in addition to nicer driving experiences. However there are little question folks on the market who shall be charmed by this old-school luxurious SUV.
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