Like it or not, there is still room in the market for a luxury SUV that rides more like a truck and a lot less like a car. If you want a car look at the great Lexus sedans that you can drive, but if you want to have all the Lexus luxury you can imagine in a vehicle that does still ride like a brute with its body on frame construction, the Lexus GX is a great choice. This big beast is able to handle the rough trail riding to give some of the other lauded off road machines a serious run for their money.
The GX is a hauling, towing, working, off road, capable and comfortable drive that you’ve been looking for. yes, the ride can get rough when you hit bumps or head off road because this SUV is built like a truck, but those rough rides are more than worth it when you see where you can go and how much you can enjoy what you find when you get there. This big beast of burden is the most capable SUV you’ll find with the number of luxury features that Lexus likes to add to the package to give you a great way to enjoy the ride.
To prove that capability you have to include the right powertrain for the drive. The GX shows up with only one powertrain, but it’s one that is meant to get the job done. This power starts with the benefit of a 4.6-liter V8 engine that gives you 301 horsepower and 329 lb.-ft. of torque. Toss in the six-speed automatic transmission and you have a powertrain that feel oddly familiar to you while also being supremely capable. The 4WD system of this brute is full time, making it easy for you to leave the paved road in order to tear up the trails and have the ride you want.
While we can talk about the brute of the GX all day, the reality is this is supposed to be a large luxury SUV. This means you have standard items that are easy to enjoy such as the synthetic leather upholstery, wood trim, ten-way power front seats, dual zone automatic climate controls, a rearview camera, a power moonroof, a power operated tilt/telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, a nine-speaker audio system with an eight-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, USB ports, Siri Eyes Free compatibility, ten airbags, active headrests and much more.
If you thought that list gave you a jam packed vehicle full of impressive items, the options list takes this luxury even farther. The Premium trim gives you leather upholstery, a tri-zone automatic climate control system, mahogany trim, LED foglights and an Intuitive Parking Assist system, as well as a plethora of other safety features. Moving up to the Luxury trim will give you an adaptive variable suspension, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, second row captain’s chairs, power folding outside mirrors, a wood and leather trimmed heated steering wheel, and the power fold flat third row of seats. You can also add a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound system, the Driver Support Package and the dual screen rear seat entertainment system.
Features that stand out on the Lexus GX start with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System that uses stiff anti roll bars to ensure the lean is minimized on paved roads while allowing more suspension travel when the vehicle is driven on the trails. Another great item on this SUV is the full time 4WD system that makes this one of the most capable off road system that can be found on any model on the market today.
With many SUVs becoming smaller and much closer to actually being a wagon instead of an SUV it’s nice to see at least one luxury model that still takes the utility part of the name seriously. Yes, the GX is getting old in its model, but this old brute is still one of the most impressive luxury vehicles you’ll find on any road to give you the drive you want and the ability to travel over a wide variety of terrain challenges. Stop by your nearby Lexus dealer and see if you don’t end up driving away in a brand new Lexus GX that you know will allow you the benefit of the off road adventures you want to enjoy.
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