T4Fun

generation 2 - 2010 -2013 gx 460 - 1st pic

generation 2.5 - 2014 + gx 460 - 2nd pic.

i'll start off. i like the generation 2.5 way better..

Trexus

Lolrax

Some people think Gen 2 is boring, but I think it's elegant. 2.5 is not proportional in the front, it's all front end and looks like an afterthought, which it was

bigsley18

i've owned a '13 and now have a '14. i prefer the exterior of the '14 but prefer the interior of my old '13. both vehicles were not top of the line models but i was pretty disappointed with the downgraded interior in the '14s. that being said, my brother-in-law has a 2004 tundra and it looked like it was only two years older than my '13. i would say they're pretty even as far as pros and cons go but that isn't an option

Lolrax

I didn't realize there were any downgrades, is it just the materials? What is the difference?

bigsley18

Lolrax, a noticeable difference right away is the leather. The leather in the '14 is not dyed all the way through like how 10-13s are. The leather in the '14s just feel really cheap. Some interior plastics are also cheaper(doors and cup holders). My wife and I also noticed that the ventilated seats don't blow out air as well as our old '13. And that may be due to the new leather used: I'm not sure though.

Lolrax

Interesting. I remember a thread about it, but the guy wasn't a pre 2014 GX owner so I was curious. Next time I am at the dealer I am gonna check it out. I guess they had to do some things to bring the price down for '14. I also remember reading somewhere that there were some suspension changes.

bigsley18

"I guess they had to do some things to bring the price down for '14"

i tell my wife this every time i step behind the wheel(she drives it every day). it sucks but i look at the front end and it makes me happy again. mechanically, the only difference i can tell from driving is no more creeping at stop lights/signs. then again, we still have under a 1k miles on the odometer so it's still being broken in.

whenever you're at the dealership, i would tell the salesman to go away and spend some quality time in both models. it may take a few mins to notice the differences but they're there.

11GX460

I'd much prefer the 2010 - 2013 design, not only because I have one, but I actually waited for the 2014 redesign to purchase one. The Spindle Grille works on some of Lexus' cars and cuvs/suvs, but definitely not all. I know design is a subjective matter, but when you apply L-Finesse to a block of steel, you get the 2nd gen design, which can easily withstand the test of time. It's a classy design crafted in a high quality interior (even in base form) that the owner and his/her occupants will truly appreciate. Once a vehicle becomes too polarizing, it ends up on the other end of the spectrum.

The 2014 GX was introduced with NuLuxe, a synthetic leather application. In order to get genuine leather, you'd have to opt for the top-of-the-line edition, which I believe is the Luxury trim line. Now, don't get me wrong, I've actually sat in a 2014 base with the NuLuxe interior and it's actually very good. I was also told that NuLuxe is more durable than leather, but it's not as shiny. The only problem with NuLuxe is that they don't like heat; hence, no heated seats in the base model. Though it does make me wonder how they'll hold up in the long run if it's constantly exposed to hot weather. High quality genuine leather is becoming rarer as a standard in luxury cars. Power 3rd row seats are also not standard on the 2014, which never bothered me; although these chintzy moves do affect the overall luxury experience.

bigsley18

From my understanding, there are 3 types of leather in the '14 models. There's the nuluxe, half dyed leather included in the comfort/premium package and then the semi aniline leather in the top ranging luxury model. My '13 was a premium and my '14 has the comfort/premium package. There's definitely a difference in the leather even though they're supposed to be equal trim levels.

chrisliuw

The leather in 2014 premium model does not look good at all. The leather with luxury model looks ok though.

Actually Nuluxe looks very good, much better than premium. As 11GX460 mentioned Nuluxe may not do good with heat, but seems very good choice for people does not need Heated seat.

JohnJerk

I think it is a giant leap to think seat heaters do not come in the base due to heat issues with nuluxe. More logical reason is low cost associated not having to install seat heaters and to push sales of higher trims.

Black nuluxe gets hot in the sun, way hotter than what a seat heater will give.

T4Fun

Gen 2.5 definitely much better than gen 2.

differences of Gen 2.5
better braking - less force required to stop

quieter overall - they fixed the rattling in the rear door and rear axle - Doesnt sound like a school bus going over bumps.

transmission doesnt jump around

sound of engine starting sounds different to me than before. Cant explain it.




on another note, leather seats are same to me. I see on premy and base seat material is not so good.

Lolrax

Interesting, I was curious to hear some of the differences. Any other observations?

SpokeBroke

My experience seems very different than yours with our 2010 model.
My 105 lb wife who's vehicle it is has no issue with brake force, neither do I when I drive it. It stops on a dime if you need it to. (We both bike over a hundred miles a week each so leg strength is not an issue!)
Ours certainly does not sound like a school bus going over bumps, even up our 1/2 mile gravel drive in the mountains. In fact it's extremely quiet, the quietest vehicle I've ever owned.
The transmission in ours does not jump around, and we drive it in both city and steep mountain roads - no issue there.
It sounds like you are very happy with your 2014, and that is great, we'd love to see some pics!