Lexus 2018 Gx470 Technology Quick Guide
The 2019 Lexus GX features innovative technology, including Bluetooth®, a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System and much more. Research GX tech features. The 2019 Lexus GX features innovative technology, including Bluetooth®, a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System and much more. ©2006-2018 Lexus, a Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. For the base model, the average paid price for a new 2018 Lexus GX is trending $3,523 below the manufacturer's MSRP. There are three available 2018 Lexus GX trim lines. The average savings for the 2018 Lexus GX GX 460 is 6.62% below the MSRP.
2018 Lexus 470
Every new 2018 GX trim package comes standard with an incredibly powerful 4.6L V8 engine able to churn out more than 300 horsepower. You’ll also appreciate the supreme capability you’ll receive thanks to the standard Kinetic Dynamic Suspension, which is designed to change with the terrain—both on- and off-road—to ensure you stay in control of the vehicle in every situation. Weekend adventures with the family are easier than ever thanks to Trailer Sway Control and a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 lbs. Key engine and performance specs for the new GX 460 are as follows. Package Feature Availability Navigation Package Lexus Enform® App Suite Navigation system with voice activation and voice command Lexus Enform® Destination Assist Fuel guide, sports, and stocks Mark Levinson® Premium Surround Sound Audio System 7.1-channel architecture 17 speakers 330 watts of maximum power Driver Support Package Wide-view Front and Side Monitor system High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control Lane Departure Alert Crawl Control Pre-collision system with Driver Attention Monitor Intelligent high-beam headlamps.
The 2018 Lexus GX is glam on the surface, but its skeleton is entirely blue collar. The tall ride, side-hinged tailgate, and off-road controls hint at that. We give it a 6.0 out of 10 overall, with points above average for comfort, performance, and features.
(.) With a big spindle grille and a sport-styling package grafted on its old-school SUV body, the Lexus GX is at odds with itself. The exterior’s at war with itself in the same way as its cabin, which pulls off the mix with more confidence. Amid its myriad off-road switches and buttons, real wood and leather (on most models) pads the GX’s rugged roots over with some Ivy League library feel. There’s enough off-road technology in the GX 460 to cruise almost anywhere. Whether it’s used often or not is anyone’s guess, but the creamy V-8 power, sweet 6-speed automatic, and center-locking four-wheel-drive system are just the start. The GX can push down opposing wheels when one leaves the ground, for better grip. It can dole out more power to the rear wheels for smoother launches.
It can take over low-speed crawling entirely on behalf of the drivetrain and brakes, so the driver only has to steer. On pavement, those features cut sharply into its appeal. Steering is all but sensation-free, and a smothering ride damps out much of the information drivers need to move a vehicle safely and quickly. It’s an SUV, not a crossover, after all. The GX has a commanding view from the driver seat, plush cushions, and ample room in the front and in the second row, though it’s a climb to enter it.
The third-row seat suffers all kinds of compromises: it’s tough to access, leaves little head and knee room, and doesn’t fold flat, which means the high, narrow cargo area is even less useful. Safety equipment lags other Lexus SUVs, and no crash-test data has been published. The base GX has synthetic leather seats and doesn’t come with navigation; you’ll pay more for premium audio, surround-view cameras, crawl control and adaptive dampers, and really lovely semi-aniline leather. There’s no way to pay for better gas mileage, though. The GX 460 clocks in at 16 mpg combined, which is low even for today’s big SUVs. The Lexus GX doesn’t win much attention for great styling.
All the attention goes to its awkward front end, which doesn’t mate its latest styling themes with its traditional SUV body well. We give it a point for its richly upholstered interior, and subtract one for the below average exterior, bringing it to a 5 out of 10. (.) The latest Lexus front end factors a big spindle-shaped grille into the GX 460’s front end. It’s increasingly awkward, as the years pass and as new SUVs get bolder front ends without so much mismatching. The nose is bulky and stands out in relief from the beltline down, in an attempt to make the SUV look more grounded. It’s a big contrast with its slimmer and plainer body—too big, we think. The GX 460’s interior carves out space for people amid bulky door handles, chunky shapes, and luxurious, soft trim.
An upright dash intersects with horizontal bands of wood that splits up the controls. The GX doesn’t run away from its hardcore SUV roots, but the layers of rich interior materials do suggest it doesn’t attend many family reunions. Much of the Lexus GX’s performance profile centers on its old-school SUV mission and the compromises it makes to act like a contemporary crossover. We give it extra points here for the smothering ride quality it musters, and for its off-road artillery, but take away a point for its wobbly on-road feel, for a 6 on the performance meter. (.) Power comes from a 4.6-liter V-8 with 301 horsepower.
It shoves the GX down the road to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds, a V-6 number by our scale. At least it’s hooked up to a quick, smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic. All the off-road tech It’s turtles all the way down from there, as the GX piles on all sorts of fixtures and functions to guide itself smoothly off-road through increasingly implausible scenarios its American drivers never will even contemplate, unless they involve snack foods. All GX SUVs have rear air springs and an electrohydraulic system that lets the wheels communicate as they articulate over obstacles. When one wheel rises, the system presses down on the opposing wheel for better traction.
Lexus 2018 Gx470 Technology Quick Guide
The same Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System is an option on the Toyota 4Runner and standard on the Land Cruiser. Like similar systems on the Mercedes GLS and others, the system does remarkable things, but also disguises body lean, and leaves the driver less informed as to tire grip. It does make the ride much smoother, even on moderately twisty roads, despite the GX’s height and the height at which it carries weight. The ride’s even better with the adaptive dampers on the Luxury edition, but steering is a letdown.
Its artificial feel persists from off-center and it’s slow to respond, as are its spongy brakes. Of course, the GX has full-time four-wheel drive, with a 40/60-power split via a Torsen center differential that sends even more power to the rear under acceleration. The system has a true low range, a center differential lock, and a crawl-control feature that takes over low-speed traction from 1.0 to 3.7 mph. It seems obvious, but ask yourself: Who really wants to take a luxury SUV off-road? If the answer is you, take a look at the less expensive Toyota 4Runner, and its superior approach angle. Lexus outfits the GX 460 like the old-world SUV it is.
That’s both good and bad. The interior has a dated space, but elegant grace notes layer it with rich appeal.
We give it points above average for excellent front seats and finish, for a 7 in quality and comfort. (.) Lexus packages the GX like the circa-1990s SUV it really is. It’s tall, somewhat narrow, with a high floor. The layout benefits the driver and passenger, who ride high in well-padded chairs that sit well above the window line.
Outward vision is great, and head and leg room abound. Lexus damps out the SUV-ness of it all with a thick layer of luxuriant trim, except on base models, which sit out with synthetic leather.
Other versions get real wood and proper leather, while Luxury versions wear a less treated semi-aniline leather. The controls feel better designed and less cluttered than those in so many rivals that overwhelm with complexity. We also love the steering-wheel controls, the legible gauge layout, and the cleanly laid out center stack for audio, climate, and navigation functions. There's something to be said about real buttons that are easy to locate. The second-row seat has lots of space, and slides on a track to expand its own leg room, or to grant more to the third-row seat. The rearmost row desperately needs that extra space. It’s tough to climb in, and doesn’t have realistic head and knee room for moderately sized humans.
The third-row seat can’t be removed, and the power-fold feature means the bench sits high above the cargo floor. It also doesn’t fold quite flat, which makes the GX and its side-hinged tailgate even less useful for regular cargo hauling.
Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA has crash-tested the Lexus GX 460, so we don’t assign it a rating here. (.) All models have 10 airbags, active head restraints, and a rearview camera, as well as Bluetooth for handsfree calling. Other Lexus models now come with the bundle standard, but the GX SUV still leaves the most advanced safety features on its options list. For another $4,000, the package adds forward-collision warnings with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, attention assist, lane-departure warnings, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitors are also sold as an option, as are surround-view cameras.
If you’ve settled on a GX, make sure you tick all those boxes. Its wide roof pillars make rearward vision a challenge. There’s room for improvement on the Lexus GX’s standard-equipment list, but lots of custom touches and dealer pampering makes up for the lack of gear.
We give it a 7 for its options and for the Lexus kid-glove treatment. (.) Lexus sells the GX 460 in base, Premium, and Luxury trims. All of them come with power features, cruise control, and four-wheel drive, as well as a moonroof, 18-inch wheels, a rearview camera, power front seats, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Base models don’t have leather or navigation, despite the GX’s high sticker and its relative age on the market. Options on the base model include heated and ventilated front seats, navigation, blind-spot monitors, and smartphone-app connectivity. The infotainment system has a relatively large display, but it’s still awful to navigate, and Lexus does not offer Android Auto or Apple CarPlay as useful, streamlined bypasses.
The GX 460 Premium gets navigation, heated and cooled seats, and mahogany trim, while Luxury models add an adaptive suspension, a nicer grade of leather, a rear air suspension, and a heated steering wheel. Its options include 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio and dual-screen rear-seat DVD entertainment. Another option bundles off-road crawl control, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warnings with automatic emergency braking, and automatic high beams. All but the first are standard on many Lexus models this year, and we’re not sure why they’re still an option on one of the oldest vehicles in its lineup. I purchased this vehicle for my wife after having an excellent experience with a Toyota Tundra. I was looking for reliability and she wanted luxury, both were huge disappointments. I’ll touch on the main.
I purchased this vehicle for my wife after having an excellent experience with a Toyota Tundra. I was looking for reliability and she wanted luxury, both were huge disappointments. I’ll touch on the main issue firstreliability. The vehicle is not by any means cheap and with the Toyota/Lexus reputation I expected superior reliability, which has not been the case. Early on, we had a check engine light that turned out to be an emissions pump that failed; this has been a recall on other vehicles, but not the GX. I don’t remember the exact cost, but I believe it was $3k, which Lexus did not cover any of that expense.
Recently, the radiator went out, which was another $1k (this is sort of a wear and tear issue so I’m not really complaining about it, just mentioning it). And finally the issue that really ruined it for me, we had our transmission fail which is a $7k fix.
So in just 4 years of owning the GX we have shelled out $10k in maintenance. This is considered a luxury vehicle, but compared to competitors it is about 10 years behind the times. The quality of the interior is good, but the dash has not been updated in forever and is honestly less desirable than any new pickup truck out there.
I will say the LX has been updated and is nice, so I would imagine the GX should get a facelift soon.