When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have the Car and Driver magazine where it landed #1 back in 98. Ahead of Escalade, Range Rover, Navigator and Mercedes M.
The original Mercedes M was such awful garbage, Mercedes was working on it together with Mitsu, then Mitsu bailed out, and Mercedes rushed out a very half assed product. It was notoriously unreliable, very poorly built where everything on the interior and the exterior fell apart, and it depreciated like a broken condom.
Once awesome LX. Lands 4th in Car & Driver. Escalade, Navigator and Grand Waggoner all ahead.
sad 😞
I think we can even squeeze in some more mid size SUVs into between #3 and 4. Lol. We were at a restaurant the other day waiting to be called. I told my wife.... Look, that's the new LX. She said, what? Why would someone pay that much for it? Yeah, I think it looks really bad. Knowing the inside and how it drives... yeah that's its place. What a shame. I had to come out to take a picture to see how bad it looked. I wonder if the owner saw me doing it and felt good that someone took a picture of his car.
The original Mercedes M was such awful garbage, Mercedes was working on it together with Mitsu, then Mitsu bailed out, and Mercedes rushed out a very half assed product. It was notoriously unreliable, very poorly built where everything on the interior and the exterior fell apart, and it depreciated like a broken condom.
They fixed a lot by the time the facelift came, both from a reliability and quality standpoint. They are tough to actually destroy which is interesting - I see plenty zombie pre-facelift MLs in America and Europe. Also, apparently at the time of the DCX merger the Jeep engineers were apalled at what Mercedes had been up to with the ML's suspension and lent some tips for improvement by facelift time.
They fixed a lot by the time the facelift came, both from a reliability and quality standpoint. They are tough to actually destroy which is interesting - I see plenty zombie pre-facelift MLs in America and Europe. Also, apparently at the time of the DCX merger the Jeep engineers were apalled at what Mercedes had been up to with the ML's suspension and lent some tips for improvement by facelift time.
It was a low point for mercedes, the interior trim in these would disintegrate, seat/windows motors would fail, and mechanically it was one bid disaster. Suspension wise, it was very unusual - a BOF setup with independent rear suspension, so Jeep engineers probably did not fancy it. But then Jeep also had an unusual setup with a GC, where it was a unibody with solid rear axle if my memory serves me right.
There was a lot of talk of the current GC being built on the ML platform, but one of the members here (carmaker1?) explained it wasn't true.
I think we can even squeeze in some more mid size SUVs into between #3 and 4. Lol. We were at a restaurant the other day waiting to be called. I told my wife.... Look, that's the new LX. She said, what? Why would someone pay that much for it? Yeah, I think it looks really bad. Knowing the inside and how it drives... yeah that's its place. What a shame. I had to come out to take a picture to see how bad it looked. I wonder if the owner saw me doing it and felt good that someone took a picture of his car.
Yeah. That rear end doesn’t look great.
the size I like. So a midsize to compare would not work as the LX does weight 6000lbs
At least it still has full time 4WD.
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation
Joe Kucinski
Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?
Brett Foote
GX 550 vs TX 550: Best 3-Row Luxury Lexus Family Hauler
Michael S. Palmer
9 Best Lexus Models You Can Buy for Half Price (And 1 You Shouldn't!)
It was a low point for mercedes, the interior trim in these would disintegrate, seat/windows motors would fail, and mechanically it was one bid disaster. Suspension wise, it was very unusual - a BOF setup with independent rear suspension, so Jeep engineers probably did not fancy it. But then Jeep also had an unusual setup with a GC, where it was a unibody with solid rear axle if my memory serves me right.
There was a lot of talk of the current GC being built on the ML platform, but one of the members here (carmaker1?) explained it wasn't true.
Solid rear AND front.......*stares at one in driveway* there some advantages, but the ride is "active" to say the least. Some find it exciting/busy in a good way and I lean into that camp
It's sad to see how the LX has fallen vs where it used to stand vs others.