Let me ask you Trexus, why do you automatically think I was putting down Toyota. I have own Toyota or Lexus for the past 15 years and I had a 05 Lexus GX470. The GX is a great truck, but it is silly to think it is not based on the 4Runner or Prado. Both of which happens to be great truck in their own right.

 

I apologize if you thought I automatically thought you were putting down Toyota. I was merely agreeing with you and just stating more facts to support Toyota.

I agree the GX is a great truck I test drove one and I was about to purchase one but I decided to focus on my business first then I'll be in the market to get a GX in the future. The 4Runner is a great vehicle too. I owned a 1993 4Runner. It was black and she was a beauty...

 

You don't seem to understand, do you? All of the dialogue before you came out with your usual attack mode post was commenting on how the Prado and GX were the same vehicle. Then you come on, post some photos of a 4 Runner, a cheapened and down market Prado, and feel it fit to start typing in capital letters with bold, or whatever it is you do when you have no point at all, and insinuate delusions that never happened. There was never debate that a GX and 4 Runner are differentiated. Get a grip of the facts here before you continue with these little diatribes of yours. I'm not even going to bother responding to your gutter talk.

 

Come on, MR_F1, it's almost repulsive you have to resort to the your last statement. I disagree, finely state over and over again why I believe it, and continually get 1) sworn at, 2) told that I'm a troll, 3) that I must have never driven the car myself, 3) that I'm a fanboy. These are some of the most baseless attacks I've heard and kinda disheartening. I am truly sorry if some of my brash first statement struck some cord, but I've explained why I believe all this.

I'm sorry, MP, but between the T-Reg/Cayenne/Q7, different body panels used for every vehicle. They all have entirely different light housings, they all have entirely different interiors. That's the proper way to pull off common platform sharing. I've already posted photos, and the dynamic design differences are apparent not only from the inside. The GX and Prado on the other hand are nearly identical in every way, with extremely subtle design nuances inside and out. There's not even any remote comparison to be made between the obvious and glaring transplant of the GX from the Prado.The entire point is, there was little effort into distinguishing the thing as a "Lexus". Close to zero distinction - It's a trim level - The Audi Q7 is an Audi from the minute you see it to the minute you start it. The switchgear is wholly Audi, there's an MMI interface, every piece is revised.

I've said before, I understand why they've done it, the Prado isn't sold here, but I still can't get over the fact that for a Lexus, I've seen these design themes encapsulated in more Toyotas than just the Prado. I just feel Lexus could have done a lot more to distinguish the SUV itself, and yes, putting some cash into retooling the front end to be able to fit acceptable height HIDs would have been nice. I understand this was pre-L-finesse, and to be honest with you, I was never a large fan of pre-L-Finesse. I could never really get over the fact that my IS300 I once had was still a Toyota at heart. I know, it was stupid reliable, but I just wanted more from "Lexus". I may not be fully on board with some of the design conventions utilized by L-Finesse in the newer autos (and some of the weird downgrade of materials), but I like that they are making an effort to distinguish the brand not just as "Toyota's luxury brand", to simply "Lexus".







Based on what? What you've said? I don't know what I'm talking about? Please tell me you just didn't try and use that to justify that the GX is the "best luxury SUV" with that one MP! I understand you feel very strongly about the GX and Prado twins, but the reality is I disagree with most of what you've said. I still like reading your insight regardless. But, it's my opinion that the Prado wasn't created to induce new levels of refinement, to offer on-road manners, etc. The design of the vehicle itself is simple, nothing sophisticated, nothing elegant, and nothing I'd attribute with a high-end Luxury SUV. Brute would be a good descriptor. Just because L/Cs sell well in Dubai or somewhere else in the Middle East (somebody mentioned this before) doesn't prove that the GX is now "undoubtedly the finest luxury SUV". That's obviously your opinion, and you are right to say "arguably", because "arguably", the L/C Prado is sold with inferior engines across the world, from the petrol to the diesels - It has an interior and exterior designs that are uninspired and boring, it has slightly less big "technology" features (on the drivetrain, convenience, safety). To me, those qualities are crucial if you want to hold the candle as the "world's finest luxury SUV", and the GX doesn't distinguish itself enough over its brother to make that a reality.



See, I think that's where we are getting misunderstood. The L/C and 4 Runner are by far some of the most capable off roaders out there (body on frame, locking center diff, great approach/departure angles, skid plates, ground clearance), but so is the Touareg! I remember VW making a big point about their triple sealed doors back in 2003. Apparently you can "ford" in water up to 580mm w/ the air suspension (which rises the vehicle 12"). True, lots of SUVs can do this (including the L/C, Jeep, etc.), but in an X5 or RR, the two benchmarks for the T-reg, no, you will fry the electronics. Whereas the Toyota products are much more old school mechanical off road (manual locking diff), and some people like this much more, no less - the Touareg is more electronic in it's approach. The differentials are electric, there's a hill hold feature to direct all the torque to one wheel, etc. etc. What is amazing to me is that the Touareg is still a unibody SUV - it still handles well, it still drives marginally like a car, yet it's still able to go out and tackle 85% of what the L/C can do (ok, admittedly a figure derived in my own perception).

Now what I'm trying to say, MP, is that "the best luxury SUV" (IMO) should be able to conquer not just the off road, but coddle the occupants in a, dare I say it, car like package that exudes just the right about of everyday driving pleasure, but still carries all the credentials needed to tackle most off road excursions. I agree, a Prado may be marginally better off road, but from my experiences driving the thing, you can really feel the body on frame truckish nature of the beast in real world streets. For some reason, the Range Rover is able to offer a driving experience at odds with it's BOF design, and for that reason, I think it's probably the best package as far as "Luxury SUVs" go, with an emphasis placed on end descriptor. But the T-Reg, for being a unibody 'ute, is damn impressive for what it delivers off road. I suppose you could argue Luxury is relative, but the definition I am using is state of the art design attributes (like those auto leveling, dynamic bi-xenons) coupled with off road credentials, and topped with driving pleasure on road. The L/C and GX definitely are more focused, IMO, on the off-road credentials part.

 

I have seen links supporting the facts from the GX side. I posted some I would like to see some links supporting how the Land Rover and/or Tourag is so superior to the GX/Prado.

I've driven these vehicles. I've read reviews not just in America but from the world over these cars. The Tourag/GX/Prado are on par with one another. The Land Rover is a clear step behind those two. The facts support it.

Please provide some sort of "proof" of the superiority of these vehicles as everything we have posted proves its the other way around. I need to hear/see something better than the old "soul" arguement.

Thanks

 

^1SICK, facts don't equal to web links. I've made my position very clear with endless rational and fine examples, or so I'd like to think.

 

I don't disagree its clear where you stand, even if I don't agree with most of it. That said, I personally provided some info to back up my claims that the GX is more than a legitimate competitor to the Tourag/LR and others did so. It helps back up your claims.

IMO it would help your position to post a link or two showing where your sources are. I would love to learn more about the Tourag factory for instance or its build process outside of "its just built better".

If not, i'll google later.

 

yeah

this is what i hate about lexus.

...though infiniti is extremely guilty of this.


i hope lexus stops being a lazy bastard, and tries harder to differentiate toyota from lexus. too many similarities.

 

One man's rational and fine examples, are various others ludicrous rambling, and baseless "facts".

 

The GX was the old guard of Lexus....as we have seen, they continue to differentiate. Even the HS uses completely different body panels than the Avensis...

Infiniti is a rebadge brand so its not their fault.

 

Correct. I had a momentary brain-fart

I meant to say the discovery. Better be right this time

 

For you my friend!

It would have been easy to just post up all these as "indefinite proof" that my opinion was "the right one" from the start, but the fact remains that all these reviews we post are just one perspective. Yes, some of the conclusions that these reviews find are accurate (the 3-Series IS the best driving compact sports sedan, the Touareg DOES have a gorgeous interior and almost preposterous attention to small details, etc.), but we will always find holes in the vast majority of them. That's why I spent so much time spelling out why I believe the Touareg has a better fit, in my opinion, to the "luxury SUV" badge than does the GX. It's distinct, it's not another car wrapped in a wrapper - It's a Touareg. And, it has HIDs

 

I can't help it you are unable to take a viewpoint which rejects your own. Get over it. You were the one talking about trolling, talk about calling the kettle black. Good day.

 

You are trying to make a point that the GX is not a world class SUV because it is a rebadge of the Prado. That is all you have been trying to point out. I am telling, that by itself, the Prado is as good if not better than the RR and Toureg. You can't seem to get this through your head. Good day to you too, Kettle.

 

^It's not. You can believe whatever you like, but at least get help dealing with all this so you don't have to continually let your "anger" spillover in the form of snide insults.