carfanmd

I am about to pull the trigger on a new GX. The question is do I spend for the premium or live with a nicely equipped base? The main issue I have with the base is the lack of air suspension. Do you think that really matters? In my GX470 I ride in normal or comfort mode...never sport. Is it worth the extra $$ for the air ride? The base ride seems fine (for the limited time I've tested it), is less expensive (even with added options), has a 2% better residual and seems like the better value. However, is it a mistake not to step up for the premium? Does anyone have a thought? I would be grateful for any advice as I am pulling the trigger next week. Finally, is it me or are the front seats a bit firm? I hope they will break in over time but they are a bit firm compared with the GX470. Thanks.

kelv2888

I just got a black on black base yesterday with comfort plus,self leveling hid, convenience package,hdd gps for 58 and change and I Looooooove it!
Dont regret not getting the premium one bit but would gladly take it if it wasnt so close to a lx price range, well to each his own but Im totally satisfied and it meets all my needs. Good luck!

flipside909

The smart decision would be, get what your pocket is comfortable with.

The base GX is packaged with a good amount of features. But if you're looking for full wood trim, air ride and the better leather, the Premium is the one to go for.

antonio98

It's great that you've had a test drive in the base. That should make your decision easier.

If you get the base with comfort & convenience packages, the overall comfort level should be very close to the premium, but with a lower price.

I also agree that the ride quality of the base is good.

I've had my '06 GX for 4 years, so I've grown accustomed to how the driver's seat feels, but once I made some adjustments to the seating position on the new GX, it was pretty comfortable.

akfd

I don't know how the car feels without the Adaptive Variable Suspension, but the feature does make a difference to the ride quality. My guess is without the AVS the suspension setting is similar to the "Normal" mode in AVS, so if you never use "Sport" mode then chances are the setting should feel what you're experiencing with your GX470, which I assume is fine with you.

Hockey16

Premium for us as I was in the base and would not buy the base.....But each person is different and did not change are monthly payment alot......under $75 a month or so.........but both are nice........

flipside909

AVS is a very nice feature. In SPORT mode, the shocks firm up a bit so taking corners and turns help keep the GX fairly flat and planted.

akfd

When I was test-driving the truck the setting was in the "Comfort" mode, and when I drove over a bumpy road the truck would wobble around. I hope the truck won't act like this without the AVS, which I didn't include in my order.

SaniDel

Thanks for leading the way, carfanmd ... we're right behind you! ;-)

If your current GX 470 has air suspension and/or ride height adjustment (sorry, I'm not up to date on that model) then you are in a good position to evaluate its utility. If you are used to adjusting the ride height and/or ride stiffness routinely, you may miss this in the GX 460 base model. Conversely, if those controls were simply "eye candy" in your current ride ... well, you probably won't miss them.

We have established that the only way to get the Adaptive Variable Suspension on the GX 460 is to opt for the Premium version ... it is the only difference that is exclusive to the Premium. So, your decision is whether you can or can't live without what you may be used to ... weighed against the additional cost of the Premium and the inevitable "mandatory options" your dealer will impose. For example, do you have any value for a rear-seat entertainment system that appears to be 'bundled' with the Premiums that are currently available?

I need to restate my earlier posting about our experience with AVS ... that became available in 1998 with the LX 470 and we had five of them before we "traded down" to a 2006 RX400h in mid-year 2005. We used both the ride settings and the height adjustment daily, especially the later whenever we parked ... we would lower the suspension in the final few seconds and the LX would be 'down' by the time we set the parking brake. Much as we love body-on-frame, the climb is not as easy as when we were younger ... entering or exiting a vehicle that is 'down' on its suspension is a lot easier.

However, our last experience with AVS was almost five years ago and the GX 460 base we drove seems even easier to enter than the LX 470 with AVS ... maybe in five years Lexus has learned that Americans tend to be taller and heavier than other cultures. We think we will not need AVS, which will make our choice easy ... a base GX 460 "optioned up" to what we like and need, but not "over the top" as the GX 460 Premium.

Best wishes and good luck ... finding a nicely optioned GX is the challenge, but opting for a base model will increase the likelihood of getting what you need without getting more than you want.
Regards,

SaniDel

flipside909

Comfort is the AVS' softest setting. The airbag isn't fully inflated so there may have been some feeling of lateral and horizontal movement in that type of road condition. Comfort mode works well on freeway or highway driving especially on uneven surfaces.

The GX base has a good planted feel. Of course it will not ride as soft as a GX Premium in Comfort mode, but it will still retain a good sense of comfort and stability.

stl2chi

just my $.02..... Please correct me if I'm wrong.

All years of the GX470 came with AVS, while KDDS was added as an option in 05.

With that said, I test drove the base GX460 last week.. I found the lack of AVS provided a much "rougher, bouncier" ride over the pothole challenged roads of Chicago than my '05 GX470 with AVS and KDDS. With both systems.. these trucks have the ability to corner flat when needed and then ride smoothly on the highway.. (I have even used the AVS to stabilize the truck during very windy highway conditions)

Sadly... I would have to order AVS.

Not sure I understand how an system that was standard has now become a very price option.

gs400jon

KDSS was an option in 2004 and very hard to get.

carfanmd

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I decided to try the Premium over a long test drive last night and toggle the ride between normal and comfort. I did this on highway and regular streets. While there was a difference between the two, it was very slight in my estimation. I found normal mode (which I assume is what is standard on the base) to be as good as my 08 GX470 in comfort mode. Also, the new suspension gave it a firmer and more sure footed ride in corners as its designed to do. Bottom line, I signed up a 2010 base with upgrades that make it exactly like a premium minus the suspension, levinson, rear entertainment and lighted foot boards. All of those features, while nice, I really don't care about and can not justify $8K more in my mind plus a reduction in residual by 2%. I think they may make the cars with the suspension as an option in the base but not the current set of cars that are being delivered. My choices were $66K premium or $58K base. I chose the base and will pick it up this weekend. We'll see if I made the right decision. I hope so.

kelv2888

That is exactly what I did and I love my truck, didnt regret it one bit, Im totally satisfied with what I have and hope you will be too.

akfd

Good to hear the truck without AVS is just as good as the older GX with AVS Comfort mode. When I was test-driving, I found the Comfort mode on the GX460 was too soft; I liked the "Normal" mode and "Sport" Mode better. My current car is a 1998 ES300, and while AVS was offered back then, the car handled exactly the same without it.