Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460

Despite the rise of the crossover, there's still a market for traditional SUVs. Moreover, some buyers don't want to sacrifice luxury to get the capability that a full-frame, truck-based sport utility offers. Lexus makes the GX 460 for consumers who want a blend of opulence and a sure-footed, full-frame, locking-transfer-case 4x4 architecture that's not afraid to pull a substantial trailer and won't roar loudly enough to cause permanent hearing damage.

While the Lexus RX grabs the hearts of buyers looking for an L-Finesse crossover, the GX 460 is an alternative choice if you're considering an LR4 or Range Rover Sport, the most direct competitors in terms of architecture and market segment. Taking price and mission into account, a disparate field of rivals ranges from the BMW X5 and Audi Q7 to the GMC Yukon Denali or even the Ford Expedition King Ranch. The GX 460s footprint and price puts it in between larger crossovers and even bigger SUVs, perhaps an awkward place to be, but sales goals are modest.

So does the GX 460's tinge of uniqueness help it stand out from the herd? Have the changes made since being knocked for potential instability been effective?

The GX 460 is styled with common Lexus features. Swept headlamps and a wide-slat grille is ugly to some and nondescript to others. Prominent blocky wheelarches are meant to convey ruggedness, though the effect can be heavy-handed on the relatively short wheelbase that the GX 460 shares with the Toyota 4Runner. Not likely to win any beauty contests, the GX 460's styling doesn't leave a lasting impression, though it's instantly identifiable as a Lexus.

Saying the GX is a Lexus on the outside means the styling is tame and blends easily into the background. The Lexus-ness means a lot more when talking about the interior. High quality materials and excellent assembly quality are on display everywhere, though the metallized plastic on the center stack looks more Scion than Lexus. Padded and stitched leather covers the door panels and even the dashboard. It looks and feels finely crafted and sends the right messages to the rugged luxo-roader set.


Shiny Bubinga wood accents on the door panels, dashboard and steering wheel are richly toned, and perforated leather facilitates ventilated and heated power-adjustable front seats. Outboard second-row seats are also heated, and Lexus makes much of its available upgrade to semi-aniline leather without saying much about why it's better. For the record, semi-aniline leather is dyed all the way through and treated with a protective topcoat, versus plebian pigment-slathered hides. The GX 460's seats could be upholstered in fetid banana leaves and they'd still be all-day comfortable.

There's not much in the GX 460 interior that feels cheap. Indeed, most switchgear feels fluid-damped, and nearly everything around you is padded or soft-touch. With the button-heavy center stack, steering wheel and console, there's a whole lotta touchin' goin' on, too.


Standard GXs make do with a 4.5-inch LCD, but ours had a big, bright eight-inch unit. There's some over-reliance on the non-tactile touchscreen interface, which can be maddening to figure out. There are also plenty of buttons. Hard switches for the three-zone climate control, seat heaters, transfer case and audio system pepper the center stack and console. Still more controls populate the steering wheel, where drivers can adjust the audio system, engage the voice-recognition system in casual conversation and twiddle through the information displayed between the trademark Optitron gauges in the instrument panel. Look up, and there are a few more buttons for the large moonroof and traction control, and don't forget the eight buttons that flank that big LCD, giving you climate, audio and navigation menus. Finding what you want sometimes takes a few seconds of reading.

There are nice ergonomic touches, like sliding and reclining second row seats and a third row that's power folding. There's less interior space in this latest generation GX, down by at least 17 cubic feet to 130. It wasn't capacious before, and it's less so now, though it's mostly a problem for third-seat riders and the cargo space that disappears when the last row is in use. A 120-volt outlet in the cargo area is a smart inclusion, considering the lifestyle-of-doing-stuff the GX is intended to support. Second-row controls for heated seats and climate are part of the three-zone system that's included with the Premium equipment level. An optional Mark Levinson audio system is there for the audiophile taking, though we found little to complain about with the sound of the Premium model's standard audio setup. Families will likely be interested in the rear seat entertainment system, too.


The utility role may be wrapped in luxury, but the 4.6-liter V8 can tow 6,500 pounds, though its 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque are more V6-like figures these days. The engine is smooth and well-isolated from the cabin in typical Lexus fashion, though it makes its presence known if you're booting it. There's significant weight for the powertrain to deal with, and speed is not the priority in the GX, though it's got enough oomph to please its customers. The automatic transmission has six speeds and is nearly undiscernable in its operation. Things change when you ask for a downshift, however. The exceptionally smooth transmission hesitates for what seems like an eternity, meaning instead of a simple one-gear kickdown, you've by then mashed the pedal to the floor to avoid being crushed by overtaking traffic. Fuel economy stands at 15 miles per gallon in the city city, 20 mpg on the highway, and Lexus specifies premium fuel. Our combined driving returned 17.8 mpg, which is right on the bubble, and better than we expected, though filling the 23-gallon fuel tank is not a bargain purchase.

The 5,305-pound curb weight is perched atop a fully-independent Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, which self-adjusts the stabilizer bars for more suspension travel off-road and good manners on pavement. Premium trim GX 460s get a self-adjusting rear air suspension as standard fitment, too. The driving experience has hints of truck flavor, with some head toss and high-waisted body motion. A longer wheelbase might smooth out some of the hobby-horse motions, but the GX 460 isn't trying to be a crossover, and movements are controlled and the frame is strong and jiggle-free. Steering feedback isn't something we even need to discuss, other than to say the level of power assist is just right and there's no slop to the GXs reactions.


The burrs have been studiously buffed off the GX 460's driving experience. Controls operate with an uncanny smoothness that's astounding when you stop to consider how hard it is to pull off. Steering, accelerator and brake reveal no nasty surprises, and the powertrain does its best to avoid detection. It's too bad that, in being unobtrusive, the engine doesn't generate the power or torque we now expect from modern V8s, and the automatic transmission's avoidance of kickdowns mars an otherwise serene driving experience. Despite the lack of performance verve from the otherwise delightful engine and transmission, the acceleration is plenty more than most owners will require. There's real off-road capability here, too, and no matter where you're going, the interior has that serene Lexus atmosphere. And just as importantly considering the recent round of negative press, at no time did the GX 460 ever get crossed up or feel unstable.

Granted, we weren't trying the evasive maneuvering that got Lexus in trouble with Consumer Reports in the first place, but neither did the GX display any bad tendencies. In snow, standard stability control steps in early and effectively to provide the maximum safety net.


It's hard as a car guy to admit that you like a Lexus, but the 2011 GX 460 has a lot going for it. It's luxurious without being sterile, and the nicely-trimmed cabin feels more expensive than the price of entry. In a class of expensive competitors, the GX commands more money than many, but the cabin makes you feel rewarded for your expenditure. The most annoying traits are the reliance on the touchscreen for even every day controls, and a tailgate that swings open to the right instead of opening like a hatch. The less than practical rear door reveals the veritable lack of storage space when all three rows of seats are in use, as well.

The GX 460 does have a lot of competition above, below and beside it with luxury crossovers and SUVs to fend off, and it may not stack up on paper. With impeccable build quality inside and out, luxurious materials, and a brand reputation for reliability and dealers that coddle, it's a different story on the road. Or off it, for that matter.

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-...eview/#3893307

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/25/2...iew-road-test/

grabber2

I don't know why, but I like the new Highlander then the new GX...

LexFather

That is actually really good review for it. Sadly it does nothing for me inside and out. Would like to see a hybrid offered.

venom21

I think its past its prime. The age of these vehicles is coming to an end.

dunnojack

that side profile is quite fugly.

there's nothing going on. it's so vanilla compared to the GL and Q7

rominl

iTrader: (4)

haha and the car was just released last yr!

but i have to agree, the gx is just kind of plain...

rdgdawg

Ding ding ding

dunnojack

no wonder it's so plain. the autoblog tester was missing side cladding....

bad co

I think that Lexus should ditch the body of frame architecture and develop a unibody chassis that can be shared with the next gen RX. The result would be a more competent RX. This would enable the RX to have a V8 option and compete with the AMG's M's and Turbo's.

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

Honestly its a great SUV imo, perfect for all around use V8 muscle with mileage similar to other SUVs though the rear hatch could have been changed with this new model, the price is right in line with its competiton, I think its great they kept the touch screen the styling like the LX570 though could have been done better though

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

BOF suvs are obviously on the decline and the GX, the last of a dying breed, but there is just something to be said about driving a TRUCK that feels like it could go through hell and back without breaking a sweat. I love X5s, RXs, Cayennes, etc as much as the next guy, but given the choice I will always choose a 4Runner, GX, Land Cruiser or LX.

It's something I really can't quantify and we already know that is where many BOF suvs fall short, but there is a lot of appeal in driving something that feels so solid and capable, and that can go almost anywhere without a second thought.

When Lexus did their research for the second gen GX, they came up with figures that something like 40-50% used it recreationally and 60-70% used it for towing, so it's no surprise that they stuck with BOF. As more and more SAVs/CUVs are born, I think there will remain a market for a few select BOF SUVs.

I have friends who go on hunting and fishing trips every year to Canada, Alaska, Montana, North Dakota and some of the most challenging wilderness areas on the continent and they ALWAYS take GXs because the thing is simply unstoppable through river beds, creeks, debris, mud, trails, etc.

I have major respect for all of the Toyota/Lexus BOF SUVs....even if L-Finesse ruined the GX and LX this time around, IMO.

LexFather

Why would they do that? The RX is by far the best selling and standard in the class. I think they would need to develop a better chassis if they want to make it some AMG/Turbo SUV but they sell what 100 of those so its hard to even justify that market.

Quite frankly the new RX is a stunningly better drive than the 1st gen and it does offer a sport package.

Most SUVs are not road racers, they are driven by people with sense that like the space, elevated height etc and not worried about wanting to race it.

Good points, amazingly the GX surpassed sales goals last year WITH the recall and stop sale last year. There are many people that can appreciate the ruggedness of a true BOF vehicle.

Its funny to think Lexus sells 3 SUVS and 2 are real trucks.

lamar411

The GX looks so big and bulky that theres nothing nice to look at. The interiors nice, but the 1st gen GX beat it on the outside.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

I thought you said that is soooooo 80s



yeah, they cleverly put the 3rd row seat down so you can't see the zero storage space when it's up
this was a big FAIL for the gx for me (and I was a 1st gen owner)
WTH was lexus thinking???????

the new 4runner is much better looking than this

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I much prefer the 1st generation by a mile. Not a fan of the steering wheel, but it's not as bad as the front end. It doesn't look elegant at all. Had they gone with headlights that are not as dumb looking, it would have looked a lot better. But for now, I think they took a step back in design compared to the very nice looking 1st gen.