Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The Lexus SUV lineup has always been the talk of the town. The GX model is no different when it comes to ringing bells. The Lexus GX, otherwise known as the Grand Crossover, is a full-size luxury SUV. The name GX stands for Grand Crossover. The GX is positioned between the RX crossover and the premium full-size, off-road capable LX SUV. All GX production has occurred at the Tahara plant in Japan.
Lexus spent development dollars to redesign the GX 460’s exterior. Upon first look, the bigger spindle grille stands out and looks good on the GX. The triple-beam LED headlights and a great look to the GX alongside the Sport Design package which adds details to the grille surround, front and rear bumper spoilers, dark gray exhaust tips, chrome detail side mirrors, scarlet taillights and 19-inch dark gray metallic alloy wheels. The exterior of the GX definitely steps in the luxurious look of the SUV and sparked conversations with many onlookers about the versatility between on road and off road.
The interior of the GX fit the luxury look of the exterior. Inside the cabin, the Luxury model that we reviewed has the new Gray Sapele wood with aluminum trim. The Rioja Red interior, with red leather and a black headliner, is new for 2020. Leather is based throughout the entire vehicle. The comfortable first and second rows have nice space for adults, but the third row is cramped and a fit that is best for children. The GX has a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard second-row seats, and a power-reclining and folding third row.
The GX has seating for seven people in three rows, with the third row equipped to easily fold for a flat cargo floor. If you for the captain’s chairs in the second row, then capacity drops down to six people. The second row can also be folded as well but only to a point because the seats do not go all the way down. The GX has about 11.6 cubic feet of room behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded and 64.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.
The infotainment system is sufficient but not praise worthy. There was both a touch screen and physical controls. I did not enjoy the graphics and the overall layout. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration technology are not available. On a positive note, features like Amazon Alexa, an 8-inch touch screen, Siri Eyes Free, HD Radio, Bluetooth, navigation, a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system, and the Lexus Enform App Suite. The 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system was a highlight to the package with its’ studio quality sound. Two USB ports have been added to the second-row so now passengers can charge their phones. There is a total of four USB ports now.
The GX still has the 4.6-liter V-8 engine that produces 301 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque paired with a six-speed automatic. The V-8 packs a punch when going uphill and comfortable on the open road. The SUV was a bit sluggish in regards to throttle response on the highway and the handling is not dynamic. The GX has enough power for your commute or a road trip but be prepared to spend more gas money with the GX than its’ rivals. The 2020 GX 460 gets 15 mpg in the city, 19 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg combined.
Safety is key for Lexus so for 2020 the Lexus Safety System+ comes standard in the vehicles. The package comes with a long list of safety tools such as pre-collision system/ automatic front braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, rear view camera, intelligent high-beams, front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, a driver attention monitor, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control are part of the deal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have crash tested the 2020 GX.
As a father of two little children, getting their car seats in the vehicle safely is important to me. There are two full sets of LATCH car-seat connectors for the second-row outboard seats. The upper tethers are easy to access, but the lower anchors are kind of deep in the seats.
The GX sits in a competitive class amongst the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, BMW X5, the Acura MDX and the Land Rover Discovery. When it comes to warranty coverage, Lexus outpaces rivals such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz with a limited warranty that covers 4 years or 50,000 miles, a powertrain warranty covers 6 years or 70,000 miles and complimentary maintenance that covers for 1 year or 10,000 miles. The top-of-the-line 2020 GX 460 Luxury that we reviewed comes in at $71,240. The GX 460 is tuned for going off-road but ready hit the asphalt and show off its’ luxurious side. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
