Go-anywhere Lexus GX 460 does it with a new look and more luxury
With its production run now entering its fifth year, Lexus has afforded its entry-level go-anywhere off-roader, the GX 460, with a mid-life facelift.
As indicated by its silhouette, the GX is based on the current generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and sports a revised facia derived from the LS in the form of the brand’s new Spindle Grille, triple-beam LED headlights and a new Sport Design Package for the Premium and Luxury trim levels that adds unique mirror caps, lower grille surrounds, a matte black exhaust tip, scarlet taillight clusters and Gunmetal Grey 19-inch alloy wheels.
Unlike the South African market Prado however, the GX does without the spare wheel cover affixed to the bootlid and instead opts for a traditional tailgate as found on the model sold in Europe.
Like its sibling, the GX offers three rows of seating with the only interior changes consisting of heated and ventilated front seats for the base model, optional captain’s chairs in the second row on the Luxury and Premium, and Grey Sapele wood and aluminium inlays. A new Rioja Red leather finish with a black headliner completes the changes and joins three other hues; Black, Ecru and Sepia.
Debuting as an option on the Luxury only, the Off-Road Package adds Lexus’s Multi-Terrain Monitor with panoramic display, undergaurd protection for the transmission cooler and fuel tank and the Multi-Terrain Select system with Crawl Control.
Joining the rest of Lexus’ SUV range, the GX’s suite of safety systems now includes Safety Sense P+ that consists of Pre-Collision with Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Intelligent High Beam Assist, and Lane Departure Alert.
Underneath its bonnet, and as its name points out, the GX comes powered by a 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine that produces 224kW/446Nm and allows for a braked trailer towing capacity of 2 948 kg.
Hooked to a six-speed automatic gearbox, the GX comes with a selectable four-wheel-drive system made up of a low range gearbox, Torsen limited-slip differential, Adaptive Variable Suspension with three modes (Normal, Comfort and Sport), Hill Descent Control, Vehicle Stability Control and Active Traction Control.
In the United States, the GX 460 will have a choice of seven colours; Nebula Grey, Black Onyx, Atomic Silver, Starfire Pearl, Fire Agate Pearl, Claret Mica and Pearl, Nightfall Mica but don’t expect it to be made available in South Africa anytime soon.
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