Finest SUV we've ever owned
Pros:
Refined, deliberate, comfortable, and roomy mid sized SUV.
Cons:
Will your grins outweigh your grimace at the pump?
The Bottom Line:
I have never owned a nicer SUV. Wish it got 20 mpg but it's worth 16.5 ave. MPG to own this fine Vehicle. Very impressed!
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
My first impression while driving the GX was that it felt solid. The handling is deliberate and inspires confidence. The field of view in the GX is excellent. There is ample head room, even with the driver seat in an almost fully upright position. The over all impression I had was that of a full sized SUV such as a Tahoe.
I was surprised by the power of the 4.7 V-8. It has no problem powering up mountain passes and does so quietly and very comfortably.
I found the controls to be more user friendly and intuitive than the 04 RX-330, the trade in for our GX. We have the navigation system which once you take the time to learn it, is awesome. If you don't take the time to learn the Nav., it's frustrating! The Mark Levison sound system is wonderful, I just don't know that it is worth the price of the upgrade.
The GX is very comfortable and luxurious as you would expect. The ride as stated before is deliberate and inspires confidence, especially in deep snow. With the push of a button you can raise or lower the GX a couple of inches and it will automatically lower when parked. I have noticed slightly better handling when the GX is in the low position at highway speeds. A small knob adjusts the stiffness of the ride. Too spongy for me at the extreme comfort setting.
We have the 3rd row seats,(which our young kids adore) but these seats are small and practical only for kids or punishing your wife. They take up a lot of the storage space so I have found them to be impractical for baggage laden trips. They however are easily removed.
The warranty and Lexus service are 2nd to none. We bought ours "certified used" and this comes with a 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty and free road assistance! I have always been impressed with the service Dept. at Lexus. They pamper you as much as your Lexus and if the service is extensive they lend you a Lexus to use until yours is completed.
In the needs improvement area, I am not certain I like the side hinged rear door. It works fine but you need to be aware of the door in parking lots vs. roof hinged rear doors that lift out of the way when open.
The brakes have been described as grabby. They ARE! You will however be used to them within a few trips. If you need to stop in a hurry or want to remind your passenger to buckle up by bouncing their melon off the wind shield the GX is among the best!
On the whole, I am thrilled with the GX470. It is a very refined and capable mid sized SUV. With $4 gas prices, it will burn through a lot of your Starbucks fund and you will need to decide if the on average 16.5 MPG is worth the wonders this vehicle offers.
