By Beverly & Steve Smirnis
Buyers of the Lexus GX 460 lead a double life. They’re refined during the week and like to get a little crazy on the weekends. Some fitting this profile might consider trading their luxury level half-ton pick-up for the amped-up luxury cousin to the Toyota 4Runner with truck-like body-on-frame construction.
Fold down the two rows of seats inside this full-size SUV to carry all the stuff you usually haul around in the pick-up Monday through Friday and pop them up to seat the family Saturday and Sunday. Its 4.6-liter V8 engine (301 horsepower, 329 lb-ft of torque) is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive rated to tow up to 6,500 pounds. But to really see the brawn behind this luxe beauty, take it off-road. The extreme off-road capability of the GX 460 could come in handy when you’re checking out raw land for lots or developing your next subdivision.
As a Lexus, even the base level offers plenty of luxury. LED headlights, Lexus’ Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, keyless ignition and entry, leather upholstery, an 8-inch touchscreen, nine-speaker sound system and a full suite of advanced driver safety features are standard. Upgrading to the Luxury trim gets the auto-leveling adaptive suspension and the optional Off-Road package adds a plethora of all-terrain hardware. The Navigation package adds Enform infotainment system apps and an upgraded display. Top the Nav package with the Premiumpackage to get parking sensors, heated and ventilated front seats, three-zone automatic climate control and second-row captain’s chairs if you wish.
Our test vehicle at the Luxury level came with all of the above as standard plus auto-leveling adaptive suspension, a heated wood-trimmed steering wheel, power-reclining and folding third-row seats, and leather upholstery for an MSRP of about $54K. Ours added a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system and two-screen rear-seat entertainment system. The fully-loaded tester also had the Off-Road package with Multi-Terrain Select system, Crawl Control, a multi-view surround monitor, a transmission oil cooler, and underbody skid plates. If that wasn’t enough, the Sport Design package added 19-in split-six-spoke alloy wheels with Dark Gray and machined finish, exclusive front fascia and side-view mirror design, and more. With every bell and whistle possible, the price tag was right at $72K. But hey, it’s one vehicle doing double duty!
To learn more about What Drives US and new Toys and Trucks auto reviews, sign up here.
