xswl0931

The split lift gate on the LX is my favorite. In most cases, I just need to open the top part to put stuff in. It also blocks the rain when needed (I'm in the Seattle area). Because it's split, I need less clearance than a single lift gate.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Or one with a swing gate like Toyota was smart enough to install on the GX.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I drive from the left side of the vehicle like everyone in the U.S. so I like walking back to the left side and conveniently opening the rear door. I'd be annoying to have to walk around to the passenger side to open the door. I rarely parallel park, and even rarer yet am I bringing a package back to load up while parallel parked (usually going to a resturaunt if I'm parallel parking), so I'll take the right-hinged, left-latching swing because it's ideal 95% of the time. For those rare occasions where I'm picking up baggage at the airport or while parallel parked, I'll suffer.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Exactly. If lift doors are so wonderful and swinging doors are so awful, why is nobody complaining that all passenger doors swing?

SaniDel

The split lift gate on the LX is my favorite as well, but I am coming to appreciate the right-hinged, left-latching swing door on the GX. As 'I6turbo' succinctly stated, a side-hinged rear door should open from the driver's side. There have been a few times when the side-hinged rear door has been a nuisance, but it would be a nuisance most of the time if it was left-hinged.

The pop-up window solves most of our access problems, in addition to providing rain blocking. We back our GX into the garage and there isn't room to open the rear door, but we can get most of what we bring home through the window opening. Ironically, the higher cargo floor that conceals the third row of seats makes that easier ... I can reach through the open window and readily pick items off the cargo floor. For those few large items that won't fit through the window, we stop in the driveway, open the side-hinged door to unload, then back in the rest of the way.

That being said, the split lift gate is the ideal solution, which would compel us to trade our 2010 GX if it became available in subsequent model years.
Regards,

SaniDel

gyung

iTrader: (1)

I'm also right handed, so this way is much easier for me to open. I guess they could have put some other kind of handle, but I like how it looks.

Like I6Turbo said, I also agree is a lot more convenient to not have to walk around even though its just a couple extra steps.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Another thing, I suppose it takes a well-built vehicle to support a big side-swinging door like the back of a largish SUV. If the whole shebang isn't rugged enough, the door would start sagging like the passenger doors on an old GM car and it'd be a mess to open and close. That might be one reason some cheaper vehicles (minivans, etc) use the hanging doors.

malmon

That's the thing, nobody needs to suffer if there is a power lift gate that swings up.

With the swinging door, which situation would be more important or convenient to most consumers when loading stuff in the back, the package that you can hold with one hand, or baggages and big boxes that are seating in the curb?

If you have trouble using your left hand, go the gym. If you have some kind of disability, then the more you need the power lift gate.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Or... If you don't like the truck, you might have been wiser to have bought something else rather than whining about it. Toyota has a special toll free number: 1-800-WHA-WHAA

smartlexus

I have not read all the post but the reason for the swing door is to provide better head clearance, all your door hardware is on the side with a flip gate all the hardware goes on the roof..is it worth that over the convenience of a lift gate ..you decide...

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Some are recommending a driver-side hinge/open from the passenger side for a rear swinging gate -- Has any manufacturer ever done that? Seems goofy to me -- seems like people would generally ask, WTF??? Has it been done?

dgsvt

I don't buy the head clearance thing... Let me think about it again... Nope, sorry, still don't buy the head clearance excuse. Think about the Toyota Highlander. The Highlander is a 3 row SUV with a liftgate and it's smaller than the GX. No headroom problems with the Highlander... It's the rear mounted spare on the Prado that makes a liftgate impossible. Toyota didn't want to spend the money to change from the swing door on the Prado to a liftgate on the GX. I'm sure that they must have done some research on the rear door option and just decided that the cost vs benefit wasn't worth the change. Our poll here shows that 80% prefer a liftgate. So it isn't about what the GX customers want, but what the Prado customers want. I guess they don't sell enough GX's to warrant making a change in the rear door to what the majority of customers want. I wonder how many people were turned off by the rear door and just decided not to buy? I know a few customers that feel this way and decided not to buy based on the rear door.

wannaGX

How many of us who have actually owned both types of doors are complaining?

I had a 4runner and was disappointed they didn't change the door but now that I own the car, I see how much easier it is compared to my 4runner which has the exact door everyone is saying it should have. Now the pull up door with an auto button might be better but this door is easier to open, can open just a little so everything doesn't fall out, can open a bit in the garage and access whereas before I'd have to open the garage door etc. etc.

So, has anyone *****ing actually owned a vehicle with the door you wish the GX had? Bc if not, frankly, you really don't know what you're talking about.

SaniDel

We've owned all three ... and recently: the 2010 GX 460 with a swing door, a 2006 RX 400h with a lift gate and a 2004 LX 470 with a split drop and lift gate. Of the three, I prefer the split drop and lift gate. The head clearance issue is a problem for tall people like me ... I scuffed my head on the RX lift gate enough to prefer the GX side swing door over a lift gate ... really! In addition, a power lift gate won't work in a low garage ... we learned that the hard way in a beach rental with parking underneath ... the lift gate kept banging against the garage door track!

However, neither is as good as the split drop and lift gate on the LX. The lift gate is short enough to provide rain cover without scraping my head, the drop gate extends the cargo area for loading and we can back into the garage and still open both gates. Were it not for the size of the LX, that's what we would be driving, but even the LX 470 didn't fit well in our townhouse garage and the LX 570 is bigger still.
Regards,

Peter


P. S. The 2010 GX 460 reminds us a lot of our 2004 LX 470, but better ... more power, better handling and those perforated leather seats are supreme. Quite frankly, the only disadvantage is the swing gate. If a split drop and lift gate gets offered on the GX we will be trading again.

Luke27617

iTrader: (2)

Agree! I had the 06 4runner with lift gate. I am tall so it worked for me. My wife could never close it. Takes too much strength, not convinient for shorter people and you have put down what ever you are taking out as you cannot easily close it. Lexus could put the automatic door opeening/closing system, but the other issue is scraping the door against objects when open (issue with low sitting garrages or when you open it at the entrance to the garrage. It is a tall vehicle and with automtic openning system it is difficult to control situation when you may damage the door. The only scrapes/dings in the truck were on the lift gate.

So I like the swing gate. You can open it as much as you would like even in tied places. Pop up glass was also a great addition to help put in/take out smaller things.

Also initially I was suprised which way the door swings. It would make sence from other side when you pull in to a curb. After using it, actually I like that it opens from the driver side. I don't have to walk around to get something out. The only time I park at a curb is when driving to airport and that happend maybe once a month.

So after using the car for over a month I am very happy with it and makes sense to me why Lexus designed it the way they did.

I would like to change my initial vote from lift gate to swing to a poll someone did here