The epitome of luxury and off-road ability for Toyota is called Lexus, and it is one of the most reliable brands in the world.
And it’s offering a vehicle that will look good either into a mall parking-lot or somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. But basically, the car’s shape has been the same since 2009 and only a few external details have been changed.

The engine offered is a 4.6-liter V8 with 301 hp and 329 lb-ft (446 Nm) of torque. It is coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission, the same as before. For the all-wheel-drive system, Lexus uses a Torsen center differential with a fixed 40-60% ratio under most driving condition, but can redistribute the torque depending on the wheel slip. It can be locked manually to a 50-50% ratio. For the off-road mode, the car has a two-speed transfer case, with hi-low gears.

For the infotainment sector, the Lexus GX460 has a lot of cameras, which can show everything around and, as a premiere, bellow the car. The driver can activate a camera to see what’s underneath, and where are the wheels. Good luck on a muddy track!

The infotainment system allows a connection with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa and can lock or unlock the doors, start the engine and control the climate inside the vehicles. All these are available through a smartphone. As expected, the system can be connected via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

The big GX SUV from Lexus was revised in 2013.
It was even more capable in off-road and more comfortable on-road.

The second generation GX premium SUV from Lexus debuted at the 2009 China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition promising to be more fuel-efficient, better equipped, and quieter than the previous generation. Four years later, the facelifted version came with a better image as well.

A completely new front fascia, which resembled the rest of the Lexus range, and a new set of headlights drastically improved the look of the big off-road barge from the premium Japanese car-maker. Since it shared the same platform with Toyota Land Cruiser 150 it shared some of its body panels, with flared rear fenders and triangular taillights mounted on the D-pillars.

The interior was revised and it featured a navigation system display that was used for the backup camera as well. The seven-seat configuration was kept, but the last row of seats was suitable for children. A blue LCD was installed between the speedometer and the tachometer, and showed not only the on-board computer main information but also the ride height for the rear axle.

The non-facelifted version suffered from an ESP problem, which was fixed by the 2013 model. The drivetrain was improved with the introduction of a Torsen center differential which was locked in the event of rear wheels spinning. The 4.6-liter V8 and the 6-speed automatic gearbox were the same as those found in the non-facelifted version.

You might think that the GX 460 offered only great off-road capabilities due to its truck-base architecture, but here was the trick.
The mid-size SUV was also a great choice for buyers looking for luxury as well.

For 2010, the SUV’s dimensions did not change very much, however, luxury was improved and new features were added. The most notable equipment added was the Crawl Control technology that worked like cruise control for low speeds, thus allowing the driver to keep his feet of the pedals while running on rugged terrains.

The engine was also updated, cranking 40 more hp than the one the previous model. The powerplant was a 4.6-liter V8 engine that produced 301 hp.

The 2010 model was offered in two trim levels, the base and the Premium. Standard equipment included 18-inch alloys, heated outside mirrors, a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated power from seats, power-folding third-row seats (not available for previous models), dual-zone automatic climate control, a back-up camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The premium trim level added an adaptive variable suspension, adaptive xenon headlights, new leather upholstery, a heated steering wheels, heated 2nd row seats, air-conditioning for the rear passengers and additional chrome trim.

Safety wise, the GX 460 featured antilock disc brakes, traction control, stability control, downhill assist control and hill-start assist control. Standalone options included a Pre-Collision system.

Built on the same platform as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, the Lexus GX was a much better-equipped vehicle that offered more luxury than its better-known sibling.
After Mercedes-Benz introduced the ML in 1997, the premium SUV segment started to be more crowded. Toyota didn’t stand aside and, being one of the best off-road manufacturers globally, used the Land Cruiser/Prado 120 platform to create a new Lexus, the GX.

With its color-body front bumper and the three-slats chromed grille, the GX showed a commanding view on the road. Its flared arches and plastic molds on the sides were carried over from the Land Cruiser/Prado. The carmaker offered an option for side steps, which decreased the ground clearance but eased the ingress and egress from the vehicle.

Inside, the GX offered room for up to seven people, with two jump-seats in the trunk. The designers made a car-inspired dashboard with curved lines and a center stack adorned by wood-trims on the sides, on the center console, and on the door panels. Lexus installed a standard automatic transmission on the GX470 and moved the gear selector closer to the front center armrest.

Under the hood, the only engine option was a 4.7-liter V-8. Toyota paired it with a five-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to all four wheels through a transfer case with low-range gear.