I disagree with this

The best way to look at the GX460 is like 15/16th scale J200 Land Cruiser or LX570.

Drive a N280 4Runner, GX460 and J200 Land Cruiser back to back and the Land Cruiser DNA is strong in the GX and totally absent from the 4Runner - the 4Runners drives like (and is) the SUV version of a Tacoma.

 

Could not agree more, but there are many opinions on this.
Always keep in mind the GX is a Land Cruise Prado in the rest of the world.
The 4 Runner was originally a Hilux Surf, that is not a bad thing it is a simpler engineering to last forever, the 4 Runner have evolved closer to the GX and have used some of the same components.
But they have newer been intended to be the same vehicle or behave similar.

 

Whether I view it as a "luxury version of the 4R" or as a "15/16th scale of the Prado", to me, is like distinguishing between pronunciations for tomato.

My concern is that if the GX is just a plusher and softened form of the current 4R skeleton, that is just about enough to keep me considering other options. I've spent at least 12 hours in combined city and mostly highway driving in a new 4R, and, well... it was enough for me to be very glad to turn it back in at the rental counter and hope I don't get stuck with another 4R in the future. I'm just not sure that better ride comfort or interior plushness would offset my other issues with that vehicle.

The various inputs I've seen here thus far tend to support my suspicions, but I probably will drive one anyway just to operate on my own real-world experience as opposed to letting "what he/she said" drive my decision.

Having said that, I am very grateful for your input and perspectives because they are very helpful in this initial research effort to narrow down my field of choices.

 

Again, disagree.

Smaller Land Cruiser versus top trim SUV-ified Tacoma (4Runner).

The differences and character are more substantial than Camry and ES350.
The GX460 is a luxury version of the Land Cruiser Prado, so in the US market terms I think the 15/16th scale J200 fits better here, JMO

 

I think it drives great and handles quite a bit better than I'd have thought...it's not going to roll with a Macan GTS, but it's certainly competent and stable unless you do something pretty moronic. It's very smooth-riding, particularly for what it is. It does not have as much cargo space with the middle row seats in their normal position, but it doesn't suck either. Suggest deploying the rear cargo cover as often as possible to keep it quiet. And being quiet is where it gets high marks indeed. This thing is exceptionally quiet. Get a '22 or '23 for the most-up-to-date audio interface, car play, etc....audio is good but not off the charts, but certainly good quality. Steering is a bit fluffy, but decent feel and nice level of effort. Driving comfort is good, I call it my Zen driver. Gas mileage is rough, can be increased by learning to be gentle with right foot. Reliability is off the charts, Consumer Reports gives the '22 a 99/100, which is why I selected that particular year and main reason I selected this vehicle. I plan on driving it a good many years, I don't put too many miles on cars these days as short commute/work from home 2-3 days/wk, so I'll be putting on maybe 4500 a year tops on it, which alleviated my one gripe, fuel economy. But it's a relaxing, high quality and reasonably luxurious place to spend behind the wheel...and light years ahead of anything else of its type in terms of reliability. Good luck.

 

Good Luck in your search for the next car.

Below a little history of the LC timeline and family tree, as you can GX is a LC Prado, started with 120 and then into the 150 series latest get is the 250 in Prado line


And here the 4Runner family tree