GX Rated # 1 for 2011
06-23-11, 01:57 PM
#3
06-23-11, 03:40 PM
#5
I agree with tazdevl on some issues. I would not compromise on reliability one bit. Lexus should have better designed some of the features of the GX. The cassette player in the 470 is a huge joke. The volume **** is in the worst possible location. Some feature should have been included in the GX like auto closing mirrors, H.U.D., power rear hatch, 4 cameras, and a better hight adjustable suspension system. The GX has many great features but all auto makers (Lexus included) limit the types of features that they put on their cars. Only the high end car gets all the bells and whistles (S class Benz, LS Lexus, 7 series BMW).
06-24-11, 06:32 AM
#6
Moderator
Thread Starter
I agree with tazdevl on some issues. I would not compromise on reliability one bit. Lexus should have better designed some of the features of the GX. The cassette player in the 470 is a huge joke. The volume **** is in the worst possible location. Some feature should have been included in the GX like auto closing mirrors, H.U.D., power rear hatch, 4 cameras, and a better hight adjustable suspension system. The GX has many great features but all auto makers (Lexus included) limit the types of features that they put on their cars. Only the high end car gets all the bells and whistles (S class Benz, LS Lexus, 7 series BMW).
I don't understand why you compare the GX to luxury cars. Some people even compare it to crossovers. The GX is a REAL truck and when that is considered, it makes me appreciate how well it rides. It actually rides smoother and quieter then most so called SUVs.
Koz
06-24-11, 11:52 AM
#7
The 4 cameras that I am referring to is multi-terrain monitor with the camera in the drivers side mirror. Do you have the camera in the drivers side rear view mirror? Every other Toyota prado and Lexus GX in the rest of the world has it as an option. The cold box and 400 watt power plug is another option that the U.S. does not have but the rest the world has as an option.
Trending Topics
06-25-11, 06:26 AM
#8
Lead Lap
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 773
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wish they would release this to the US http://motoring.ninemsn.com.au/cars/...pdate-revealed
The US gets a lot of bloat-ware products.
The US gets a lot of bloat-ware products.
06-25-11, 06:30 PM
#9
Where to begin.... Keep in mind this is coming from someone that lives in Boulder, CO aka the Front Range. So my perspective may differ from someone that lives in an elevation challenged state like NJ. Granted it sounds like you drive in the mountains but don't live in them. It's different in the end because you don't deal with these conditions day to day.
My wife also has a 2010 RX and that car has features that the GX should have... Like auto fold mirrors which are totally worth it and an excellent shift program vs the GX which sucks and is jacked up because of the lack of power vs mass (RX AWD/GX 4300lbs/5200lbs 270hp/301hp).
- Vehicle is underpowered… 301HP is insufficient for the mass of the vehicle. This is apparent on hills and passing at highway speeds. Torque is also on the low side but is less of an issue than the lack of HP. Should have put at a minimum a detuned 5.7 liter engine. Take out a LR4 or Grand Cherokee Hemi. Not to mention RR, RRS, LX570 or QX56... All of which I took out. Hell the GS and LS have the same displacement engine with more hp and torque.
· Poor shifting program. Vehicle holds gears too long, downshifts 2 gears instead of 1 which results in overly aggressive and borderline unsafe/uncontrolled acceleration at times, especially with cruise control on.
- Always have to modulate the accelerator to maintain speed above 55.
- Steering is imprecise vs the competition. GC and LR both steer great vs the GX.
- Brakes are too small for the weight of the vehicle. This becomes obvious when towing. They also randomly pulse during normal braking so it isn't the rotors. Haven't been able to replicate with dealer.
- Brakes make a squishing sound during the first 2/3rd of the pedal travel i.e every DAMN time. Can't tell you how excited I am to listen to this over the course of ownership.
- No terrain select!!! Crawl control is an unrefined joke. Tried it out. Ford, LR and Jeep have this, why doesn't Lexus? Doesn't Toyota have something better than crawl control in the new 4 Runner?
- Air suspension is a joke when compared to LR4 and GC.
- Satellite antenna on roof too tall for some roof boxes.
- Plastic on dash looks cheap. LR4 LUX and GC Summit offer leather dash.
· Poor choice of tires. Vehicle came with Bridgestones which are subpar when compared to Michelin Latitudes.
- TPMS system sucks and I have a huge beef with Lexus on this. There is no way to read actual tire pressure for all 5 tires in the vehicle. I can buy a +/- $20K American, Korean, or Japanese car that tells me the actual tire pressure in all tires. So with my luxury SUV I have to get down and check each tire????
- Rear spoiler too small which results in debris building up on the rear windshield too quickly. Does not happen with the RX because it extends further.
- All weather mats are really 3 season.
- Nav is dated (6 years hasn’t changed), slow, unresponsive andacts like it. 2011 Porsche/VW nav is great. Definitely the best looking, offers the most useful directions, most responsive and has great multimedia functionality.
- Trip duration on Nav is nowhere near accurate. It is ridiculous that Lexus does not get a database of road speeds that the Nav can use and dynamically update the trip duration based on traffic data like other luxury manufacturers. Instead you rely on customers having to input road speeds manually in the Nav. Navigon on my iPhone 4 is better overall, routes more intelligently and looks a lot better.
- XM traffic service is completely useless. Whatever service Navigon on iPhone 4 uses is updated more frequently and accurate... at least in AZ and CO based on my experience.
- CO maps for the NAV are way off... to the tune of some locations like the North Campus of the Children's Hospital by a few miles. This happens more often than not here.
- Poorly executed rear entertainment system. I have to contort myself in the front seat to turn on the rear DVD screens with the remote control. Menu randomly pops up on screen with ebrake.
- No 120V socket for rear entertainment system. How is someone supposed to hook up a gaming system using the alternative inputs in the rear console? Run a cord to the rear of the trunk area or over the center armrest to the 12/120 socket in the front console? What happens to the folks in the front that have something plugged into the socket? Competitors offer a 120V socket, why didn’t Lexus?
- Multimedia system does not reduce the volume for Aux or Bluetooth sources when Nav gives directions. It does this for every other source but these two.
- iPod interface is ridiculous, slow and useless with even a moderately sized library.
- 330W of output with the Mark Levinson system is positively anemic these days. 2012 LR4 will have 825 watt 18 speaker system. ML was a differentiator a few years ago... no longer.
- Voice recognition system is poor and not as accurate as voice recognition as the RX. Hierarchical menu in general is awkward, time consuming and tedious. iPhone 4 has quicker and more accurate recognition than my 2011 vehicle. Need to innovate like BMW licensing Nuance Communications.
- Auto setting on climate control is either too hot or too cold and does a poor job maintaining a steady temp. RX does a better job maintaining a steady temp.
- $65K SUV and no compass in the rearview mirror. My $52K RX does.
- No storage in the vehicle.*Look at a LR4 or GC.
- Glovebox is not felt lined like my RX to ensure contents to not rattle.
- Glovebox is smaller than RX.
- No pockets in door for keys/glasses like RX.
- Barn door rear gate is ridiculous. The auto press and customers have been complaining about this for years, globally.
- No power door.
- Cargo area lighting poorly executed when cargo cover is extended. RX has light above and on side so you don't have to retract cargo cover at night to see trunk/cargo area.
- OE hitch is now no longer located behind the removable bumper cover. Reduces ground clearance, hard on the shins, gets pants dirty and detracts from the look of the vehicle.
- Useless gearshift display in dash (middle of the 3 at the bottom). Could have used it for actual tpms display.
- Wideview is a custom option. Infiniti and LR have it readily available with the "premium/lux" model.
- Load floor is too high.
- Vehicle should have some with a full size matching alloy spare.
There's more but here are my thoughts after 3700 miles. Don't bother refuting. My perception. This is my 6th Lexus. Been loyal but I think they're sitting on their *** and need to start innovating on a variety of fronts (and not on their highest end vehicles). I hate complacency and with some of their lines the are beginning to epitomize the word. Lexus used to think out features and include them... before you knew you needed it. These days they don't appear to be too focused on customer needs. Details were thoroughly thought out. No longer it seems.
I'm also fairly critical of most products because I work on both the strategy, development and marketing of technically complex medical devices. I look at the product in question, how people interact with it and what the competition is up to.
Personally, as a Lexus Advisory Board Member, I think they're focusing in on the wrong things lately based on the research I'm being sent.
My wife also has a 2010 RX and that car has features that the GX should have... Like auto fold mirrors which are totally worth it and an excellent shift program vs the GX which sucks and is jacked up because of the lack of power vs mass (RX AWD/GX 4300lbs/5200lbs 270hp/301hp).
- Vehicle is underpowered… 301HP is insufficient for the mass of the vehicle. This is apparent on hills and passing at highway speeds. Torque is also on the low side but is less of an issue than the lack of HP. Should have put at a minimum a detuned 5.7 liter engine. Take out a LR4 or Grand Cherokee Hemi. Not to mention RR, RRS, LX570 or QX56... All of which I took out. Hell the GS and LS have the same displacement engine with more hp and torque.
· Poor shifting program. Vehicle holds gears too long, downshifts 2 gears instead of 1 which results in overly aggressive and borderline unsafe/uncontrolled acceleration at times, especially with cruise control on.
- Always have to modulate the accelerator to maintain speed above 55.
- Steering is imprecise vs the competition. GC and LR both steer great vs the GX.
- Brakes are too small for the weight of the vehicle. This becomes obvious when towing. They also randomly pulse during normal braking so it isn't the rotors. Haven't been able to replicate with dealer.
- Brakes make a squishing sound during the first 2/3rd of the pedal travel i.e every DAMN time. Can't tell you how excited I am to listen to this over the course of ownership.
- No terrain select!!! Crawl control is an unrefined joke. Tried it out. Ford, LR and Jeep have this, why doesn't Lexus? Doesn't Toyota have something better than crawl control in the new 4 Runner?
- Air suspension is a joke when compared to LR4 and GC.
- Satellite antenna on roof too tall for some roof boxes.
- Plastic on dash looks cheap. LR4 LUX and GC Summit offer leather dash.
· Poor choice of tires. Vehicle came with Bridgestones which are subpar when compared to Michelin Latitudes.
- TPMS system sucks and I have a huge beef with Lexus on this. There is no way to read actual tire pressure for all 5 tires in the vehicle. I can buy a +/- $20K American, Korean, or Japanese car that tells me the actual tire pressure in all tires. So with my luxury SUV I have to get down and check each tire????
- Rear spoiler too small which results in debris building up on the rear windshield too quickly. Does not happen with the RX because it extends further.
- All weather mats are really 3 season.
- Nav is dated (6 years hasn’t changed), slow, unresponsive andacts like it. 2011 Porsche/VW nav is great. Definitely the best looking, offers the most useful directions, most responsive and has great multimedia functionality.
- Trip duration on Nav is nowhere near accurate. It is ridiculous that Lexus does not get a database of road speeds that the Nav can use and dynamically update the trip duration based on traffic data like other luxury manufacturers. Instead you rely on customers having to input road speeds manually in the Nav. Navigon on my iPhone 4 is better overall, routes more intelligently and looks a lot better.
- XM traffic service is completely useless. Whatever service Navigon on iPhone 4 uses is updated more frequently and accurate... at least in AZ and CO based on my experience.
- CO maps for the NAV are way off... to the tune of some locations like the North Campus of the Children's Hospital by a few miles. This happens more often than not here.
- Poorly executed rear entertainment system. I have to contort myself in the front seat to turn on the rear DVD screens with the remote control. Menu randomly pops up on screen with ebrake.
- No 120V socket for rear entertainment system. How is someone supposed to hook up a gaming system using the alternative inputs in the rear console? Run a cord to the rear of the trunk area or over the center armrest to the 12/120 socket in the front console? What happens to the folks in the front that have something plugged into the socket? Competitors offer a 120V socket, why didn’t Lexus?
- Multimedia system does not reduce the volume for Aux or Bluetooth sources when Nav gives directions. It does this for every other source but these two.
- iPod interface is ridiculous, slow and useless with even a moderately sized library.
- 330W of output with the Mark Levinson system is positively anemic these days. 2012 LR4 will have 825 watt 18 speaker system. ML was a differentiator a few years ago... no longer.
- Voice recognition system is poor and not as accurate as voice recognition as the RX. Hierarchical menu in general is awkward, time consuming and tedious. iPhone 4 has quicker and more accurate recognition than my 2011 vehicle. Need to innovate like BMW licensing Nuance Communications.
- Auto setting on climate control is either too hot or too cold and does a poor job maintaining a steady temp. RX does a better job maintaining a steady temp.
- $65K SUV and no compass in the rearview mirror. My $52K RX does.
- No storage in the vehicle.*Look at a LR4 or GC.
- Glovebox is not felt lined like my RX to ensure contents to not rattle.
- Glovebox is smaller than RX.
- No pockets in door for keys/glasses like RX.
- Barn door rear gate is ridiculous. The auto press and customers have been complaining about this for years, globally.
- No power door.
- Cargo area lighting poorly executed when cargo cover is extended. RX has light above and on side so you don't have to retract cargo cover at night to see trunk/cargo area.
- OE hitch is now no longer located behind the removable bumper cover. Reduces ground clearance, hard on the shins, gets pants dirty and detracts from the look of the vehicle.
- Useless gearshift display in dash (middle of the 3 at the bottom). Could have used it for actual tpms display.
- Wideview is a custom option. Infiniti and LR have it readily available with the "premium/lux" model.
- Load floor is too high.
- Vehicle should have some with a full size matching alloy spare.
There's more but here are my thoughts after 3700 miles. Don't bother refuting. My perception. This is my 6th Lexus. Been loyal but I think they're sitting on their *** and need to start innovating on a variety of fronts (and not on their highest end vehicles). I hate complacency and with some of their lines the are beginning to epitomize the word. Lexus used to think out features and include them... before you knew you needed it. These days they don't appear to be too focused on customer needs. Details were thoroughly thought out. No longer it seems.
I'm also fairly critical of most products because I work on both the strategy, development and marketing of technically complex medical devices. I look at the product in question, how people interact with it and what the competition is up to.
Personally, as a Lexus Advisory Board Member, I think they're focusing in on the wrong things lately based on the research I'm being sent.
Last edited by tazdevl; 06-25-11 at 07:15 PM.
06-26-11, 07:00 AM
#10
Moderator
Thread Starter
Don't bother refuting. My perception. This is my 6th Lexus. Been loyal but I think they're sitting on their *** and need to start innovating on a variety of fronts (and not on their highest end vehicles). I hate complacency and with some of their lines the are beginning to epitomize the word. Lexus used to think out features and include them... before you knew you needed it. These days they don't appear to be too focused on customer needs. Details were thoroughly thought out. No longer it seems.
I'm also fairly critical of most products because I work on both the strategy, development and marketing of technically complex medical devices. I look at the product in question, how people interact with it and what the competition is up to.
Personally, as a Lexus Advisory Board Member, I think they're focusing in on the wrong things lately based on the research I'm being sent.
I'm also fairly critical of most products because I work on both the strategy, development and marketing of technically complex medical devices. I look at the product in question, how people interact with it and what the competition is up to.
Personally, as a Lexus Advisory Board Member, I think they're focusing in on the wrong things lately based on the research I'm being sent.
Koz
06-26-11, 09:46 AM
#11
Matrix the GX against the competition, take a few test drives and see if you feel the same way. Bottom line is that they could have done a much better job. I wouldn't say it's invented and as mentioned I drive the vehicle in different conditions than you do or our friend in DE (lived in Greenville and am intimately familiar with the terrain, almost bought a house at highest point in the state 450' above sea level) which shapes perception. I'm certain the GX does great where you guys live.
To answer your question... reliability. Vehicle doesn't really have have any standout qualities or excel in anything in particular. Tech in the car is so-so, engine is on the low side for the class, room so-so, third row so-so, towing at the bottom of the competition, performance so-so, ride quality so-so, ergonomics so-so etc....
As mentioned this is my 6th Lexus. I currently own 2010 and 2011 RX and GX. I'm not new to the brand nor am I new to luxury vehicles. If anything I have a better perspective of the brand than many here because I have 2 newly redesigned vehicles and can compare features/execution having driven thousands of miles in both.
Last edited by tazdevl; 06-26-11 at 10:43 AM.
06-26-11, 11:39 AM
#12
Are We Comparing Apples to Oranges?
I've appended what the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Initial Quality Study had to say about "Midsize Premium Crossover/SUV" ... which seems to mix apples and oranges as the GX 460 has few direct competitors. Indeed, none of the runner-ups in their comparison are equivalent as none are body-on-frame, V-8 trucks, right? Further, the vehicles mentioned in our discussion are not on the Power comparison (e.g., the LR4, the Grand Cherokee Hemi, the RR, RRS, LX570 and the Q56). Those that are in the Power comparison (the RX, the X6, FX-Series and the XC70) seem to be in a class of their own and I am not surprised that the RX came out on top.
It seems we are allowing our frustration ... or our delight ... with our decision to purchase a GX to interfere with reasonable discussion. At the very least, J.D. Power has "thrown fuel on the fire" by their ill-advised comparison of unrelated vehicles. Although I admit to being delighted that the GX came out on top, I also readily admit the GX lacks many of the features and finesse of the RX, which we owned until trading it for the GX.
Let's not allow J. D. Power's ill-designed comparison interfere with our purposeful discussion of what we have in common ... ownership of the GX 460. I've deleted my earlier post as it fails that test.
Regards,
SaniDel
P.S. to 'tazdevl' ... bonus points for your intimate knowledge of my geographic location and the local terrain! We owned a home in Centerville near another "high point" in Delaware, but what's a few feet (or a few inches) of difference in 448 feet? ;-)
http://www.city-data.com/states/Dela...opography.html
It seems we are allowing our frustration ... or our delight ... with our decision to purchase a GX to interfere with reasonable discussion. At the very least, J.D. Power has "thrown fuel on the fire" by their ill-advised comparison of unrelated vehicles. Although I admit to being delighted that the GX came out on top, I also readily admit the GX lacks many of the features and finesse of the RX, which we owned until trading it for the GX.
Let's not allow J. D. Power's ill-designed comparison interfere with our purposeful discussion of what we have in common ... ownership of the GX 460. I've deleted my earlier post as it fails that test.
Regards,
SaniDel
P.S. to 'tazdevl' ... bonus points for your intimate knowledge of my geographic location and the local terrain! We owned a home in Centerville near another "high point" in Delaware, but what's a few feet (or a few inches) of difference in 448 feet? ;-)
http://www.city-data.com/states/Dela...opography.html
Last edited by SaniDel; 06-26-11 at 11:47 AM. Reason: typo in spelling of "J. D. Power" ... there's no 's'
06-26-11, 11:53 AM
#13
P.S. to 'tazdevl' ... bonus points for your intimate knowledge of my geographic location and the local terrain! We owned a home in Centerville near another "high point" in Delaware, but what's a few feet (or a few inches) of difference in 448 feet? ;-)
http://www.city-data.com/states/Dela...opography.html
http://www.city-data.com/states/Dela...opography.html
With respect to the GX... It is an odd duck and I agree it is good to see it ranked high. Ladder frame etc... is dated in the SUV world these days and offers little benefit vs the benefits of unibody with independent suspension. Having been on a LR driving course for a work related event, gotta say I was impressed.
Lexus did a great job on the RX, huge fan. Just feel they didn't put the same level of refinement and detail into the more expensive GX.
06-26-11, 12:35 PM
#14
We would not be surprised if our 2010 GX 460 is our last truck, i.e., body-on-frame as that design is being displaced by unibody designs with independent suspension. If it would fit in our townhouse garage, we would own the LX570, but it wouldn't ... perhaps in another residence ... and presuming Lexus continues to offer the LX. Lacking either a larger garage or a successor to our GX ... well, we might be keeping this vehicle for a long time.
The GX comes "into its own" on long-distance highway runs, but on relatively flat terrain, e.g., the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes. We have made many weekend trips on both and the GX is ideal for those uses. We haven't taken it to Florida yet, but we expect it would do well on that run ... assuming we survive the horrors of Interstate 95! ;-)
I would not want to drive the GX on the Interstates in your part of the country, e.g., the downgrades coming out of the Eisenhower Tunnel. You may remember Thompson's Bridge Road (Delaware State Route 92) where it crosses the Brandywine ... that is about as steep a grade as we would want to tackle in the GX. My wife chooses 'Drive' but taps the brakes to force a double-downshift ... I prefer 'Sport' and pull it back to '3' ... either way works, but the GX definitely wants to "run away" on a downgrade!
Regards,
SaniDel
P.S. Our Lexus sales representative was surprised when we did NOT trade our 2006 RX 400h on the 2010 RX 450h, which was the obvious "next step" to keep us in the "Lexus Family". We had only a few objections to the new RX, such as the loss of those clever storage compartments in the rear cargo area and the touch screen, which they replaced with the bizarre "haptic controller" ... don't get me started on that!
What convinced us to wait for the GX 460 was ... we missed our LX! We owned six LX's, starting with the 1996 LX 450, but the last LX 470 we owned would not fit into our townhouse garage so it had to go. We think of the 2010 GX 460 as the LX 470 ... perfected ... and best of all, it fits in our garage.
The GX comes "into its own" on long-distance highway runs, but on relatively flat terrain, e.g., the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes. We have made many weekend trips on both and the GX is ideal for those uses. We haven't taken it to Florida yet, but we expect it would do well on that run ... assuming we survive the horrors of Interstate 95! ;-)
I would not want to drive the GX on the Interstates in your part of the country, e.g., the downgrades coming out of the Eisenhower Tunnel. You may remember Thompson's Bridge Road (Delaware State Route 92) where it crosses the Brandywine ... that is about as steep a grade as we would want to tackle in the GX. My wife chooses 'Drive' but taps the brakes to force a double-downshift ... I prefer 'Sport' and pull it back to '3' ... either way works, but the GX definitely wants to "run away" on a downgrade!
Regards,
SaniDel
P.S. Our Lexus sales representative was surprised when we did NOT trade our 2006 RX 400h on the 2010 RX 450h, which was the obvious "next step" to keep us in the "Lexus Family". We had only a few objections to the new RX, such as the loss of those clever storage compartments in the rear cargo area and the touch screen, which they replaced with the bizarre "haptic controller" ... don't get me started on that!
What convinced us to wait for the GX 460 was ... we missed our LX! We owned six LX's, starting with the 1996 LX 450, but the last LX 470 we owned would not fit into our townhouse garage so it had to go. We think of the 2010 GX 460 as the LX 470 ... perfected ... and best of all, it fits in our garage.
06-27-11, 08:49 AM
#15
Moderator
Thread Starter
If you can't deal with someone that has the same vehicle criticizing it, you shouldn't be on the boards. Internet forums aren't the place to come if you're seeking validation. If you like your GX and think it's the second coming, good on you. I personally expected better of Lexus. I think they failed on their market research, competitive intelligence and requirements process this time around.
Matrix the GX against the competition, take a few test drives and see if you feel the same way. Bottom line is that they could have done a much better job. I wouldn't say it's invented and as mentioned I drive the vehicle in different conditions than you do or our friend in DE (lived in Greenville and am intimately familiar with the terrain, almost bought a house at highest point in the state 450' above sea level) which shapes perception. I'm certain the GX does great where you guys live.
To answer your question... reliability. Vehicle doesn't really have have any standout qualities or excel in anything in particular. Tech in the car is so-so, engine is on the low side for the class, room so-so, third row so-so, towing at the bottom of the competition, performance so-so, ride quality so-so, ergonomics so-so etc....
As mentioned this is my 6th Lexus. I currently own 2010 and 2011 RX and GX. I'm not new to the brand nor am I new to luxury vehicles. If anything I have a better perspective of the brand than many here because I have 2 newly redesigned vehicles and can compare features/execution having driven thousands of miles in both.
Matrix the GX against the competition, take a few test drives and see if you feel the same way. Bottom line is that they could have done a much better job. I wouldn't say it's invented and as mentioned I drive the vehicle in different conditions than you do or our friend in DE (lived in Greenville and am intimately familiar with the terrain, almost bought a house at highest point in the state 450' above sea level) which shapes perception. I'm certain the GX does great where you guys live.
To answer your question... reliability. Vehicle doesn't really have have any standout qualities or excel in anything in particular. Tech in the car is so-so, engine is on the low side for the class, room so-so, third row so-so, towing at the bottom of the competition, performance so-so, ride quality so-so, ergonomics so-so etc....
As mentioned this is my 6th Lexus. I currently own 2010 and 2011 RX and GX. I'm not new to the brand nor am I new to luxury vehicles. If anything I have a better perspective of the brand than many here because I have 2 newly redesigned vehicles and can compare features/execution having driven thousands of miles in both.
First the drive train. – Could the GX use more power; as far as I’m concerned there is NEVER enough power. No one loves big power more then me but with gas prices today mileage is very important. The GX is NOT underpowered, it has just enough power to get the job done and still provide class LEADING mileage. I find the engine/trans (and gearing) combo to be the perfect combination of power (with gas mileage) and gearing for off roading and towing. On my last towing trip I was able to keep 6th gear locked most of the time (fairly flat terrain) and got 16.8 mpg. I'd love the see a GC or LR4 do that, they probably wouldn’t see that mileage without towing.
Apparently you have never towed with the GX because if you had you would have SEEN the GX is capable of maintaining highway speed limits in 4th gear (without downshifting), at ANY incline.
Clue – Using cruise control in a mountainous area is not a good idea unless you want two gear downshifts. You will also get excessive downshifts going downhill to shed speed.
I know you are a technically complex person that has owned six Lexus’, not to mention you being a Lexus advisory board member (Thank God for that) but you have no clue as to design and engineering of a vehicle. Example; you claim the trans has a “Poor shifting program”, when in fact it shifts very well. The longer it can hold a gear the better. The last thing a drive train needs is to be downshifting often (wear/tear and mileage). Also being able to hold a higher gear shows there is enough torque and balanced gearing and helps gas mileage. The trans also shifts extremely quick and seamlessly. Also using the manual mode works great when towing in the mountains. With a little practice you can get absolutely no momentum loss or jerky shifts. Again 4th gear will pull up ANY incline (at highway speeds) without downshifting when towing. The GX tows so well, it can tow a 4200 lbs trailer without the use of any sway or WD system. This is not opinion, it is fact.
Brakes – There is a difference between long brake pedal travel and not enough braking power. The long pedal travel is designed into the GX braking system for off roading. Unfortunately my trailer has weak brakes and I have to rely on the TV’s brakes to do more then it should but the GX is up to it. The brakes on the GX are plenty. Sometimes because there is VERY little engine braking (almost none) and having long brake pedal travel the brakes seem to be weak (especially downhill). Once the brakes are engaged there is plenty of braking power.
Apparently you have no clue as to how crawl control is supposed to work or you were not off-road (on an incline/decent) when you tried it. Under the right conditions it works like magic. It could be the difference between having a catastrophe or getting up/down a treacherous low traction hill.
As far as all the cosmetic complaints you have, they are a matter of personal opinion. Example; you complained about the dash being plastic when in fact it is a specifically designed and engineered material (that I find good looking) to provide a non reflective, long lasting life. I was glad it was used being it is the same material used in my IS. In my opinion the GX has a wonderful interior (including the controls) and is one of the features I liked most. I’m not going to address all the petty stuff which is again, a matter of personal opinion.
Since you seem to want to compare the GX to the RX I personally felt the GX was smoother and quieter then the RX (my personal opinion). I think you need to stop comparing the GX to crossovers because it’s comparing apples and oranges. I test drove every vehicle in its class (including all mention above plus) and each had their positives and negatives. Yes some handled better, some had more power but for my needs (towing, easy to moderate off roading, luxury driving with decent mileage) the GX was the best overall truck.
Koz
Last edited by Koz; 06-27-11 at 05:01 PM.