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Forbes
Forbes
Lifestyle
Josh Max, Contributor

Test-Driving The 2020 Lexus GX 460: Long In The Tooth, But Still Rocking

When the first GX rolled into dealerships in 2002, George W. was president, “The Osbournes” and “The Anna Nicole Show” both premiered and there was no such thing as smart phones, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook.

You’d think the GX would logically be consigned to the nostalgia heap years ago, but there’s one problem – people keep buying them. And why?

The GX 460 obviously belongs to the school of swank, as do all Lexi, of course, but it’s a less obvious, more practical swank than some of their larger SUVs. And does what it does very well, based on a recent week’s test.

For 2020, they’ve replaced the signature Mahogany wood trim in the Premium and Luxury trim levels with a gray Sapele wood. “Rioja Red” upholstery color is available complete with a black headliner. The available Sport Design Package delivers a lower grille surround, rear valence, side mirrors, matte black exhaust tip, scarlet taillamps and 19-inch alloy wheels with a Gunmetal Metallic finish.

So while the GX 460 is a geezer in a crowded market, they’re still jazzing it up here and there, to the good. 

Three trims are available; the GX 460, starting at $53,000, the GX 460 Premium at $55,790, and my tester, the GX 460 Luxury, starting at around $64,000.

Its main selling point is a new Off-Road Package featuring a Crawl Control off-road cruise control system that regulates your speed while the driver focuses on steering the best line across difficult terrain. This package also adds a Multi-Terrain Select traction system that regulates power delivery based on the surface conditions underneath the tires.

A fuel tank skid plate, a transmission cooler are also on deck, and a Multi-Terrain Monitor will show you what’s going on underneath the car. If you’re serious about off-roading and aren’t interested in Land Rover or Jeep, this will do the job.

All trims are equipped with a healthy, gulpy 4.6-liter V8 engine making 301 horsepower and 329 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed automatic transmission with a Sport driving mode distributes your power to all four wheels via a full-time 4-wheel-drive system.

Inside, it’s a palace, all great-smelling leather and wood and surfaces that feel smooth and sensuous in the hands.

It’s also got a plethora of knobs and switches which I personally prefer as opposed to touchscreens and such. Call me methusala but I believe reaching for a knob and turning it left or right while keeping an eye on the road is safer than having to look away to actually A. Find the correct digital screen at speed and B. Get it to quickly do what you want it to do. Its sound system – an optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system, is rich, crispy and easy to use despite lacking Apple Car play or Android hook-ups.

Your ride is also better-than-average with help from a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) which helps to keep the vehicle level in both on and off-road conditions. When the GX encounters an uneven surface, one compressed cylinder causes fluid to flow to the other cylinder, helping the vehicle to keep all four wheels on the ground. The system works without any action needed by the driver, which is great for all newbies or those who don’t wish to leave anything to chance, like me.

On-road smoothness is assisted by Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS). The AVS uses electronically controlled dampers that adjust to road surface conditions. The driver can tailor the ride by selecting from Normal, Sport, or Comfort modes.

A full-time automatic four wheel drive system’s available at the touch of a button, which got me out of the bit of uneven gravel at one point.

What didn’t I like? It was mostly predictable gripes like awkward access to the third-row seating, which is limited, and the rear door opens right to left rather than up and down, making it a chore to quickly open – you can’t open it or close it by any other means than manually. The vehicle’s voice recognition is feeble, understanding none of what I said no matter how slowly and clearly I said it. The forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems use the same chime, so you’re never sure why you’re being notified.

That said, this was a great, enjoyable week’s test, and I found the GX 460 a reasonably modern, upscale ride that did everything I asked of it. You can’t ask anything more from an old timer.

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