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| The midsize GX gets a new look, new features and a revised powerplant for 2010. (Photo: Lexus) |
I was one of the journalists initially trying to coax Lexus Canada into bringing the original GX 470 across the 49th after having seen it cruising the streets of LA on numerous occasions. It's a great looking machine after all, combining a tough and rugged Land Cruiser Prado based SUV with the sophistication of a premium luxury brand.
So to be one of the first to see the new 2010 GX 460 at a press event in Muskoka, Ontario last week was a real treat, and to be able to sit inside and get a real feel for how beautifully detailed this new model is compared to its predecessor, which is still extremely good, created an opportunity to share my experience with you that I simply can't pass up now that the embargo is lifted and I'm able to talk about it.
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| Revised from the rear, the 2010 GX is still upright and fully capable of stowing loads of cargo and passengers. (Photo: Lexus) |
Lexus brand's parent company Toyota had us there testing the all-new 2010 4Runner, which just happens to share its underpinnings with the aforementioned Prado model and therefore the Lexus in question, making this particular SUV extremely capable off-road. I suppose that's the real differentiator here, as rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz aren't true 4x4s in the real sense of the word. No, the GX 460 is certainly capable of being sold against the Q7, X5 and ML, but it can also square off against Land Rover's LR3 and new LR4, Porsche's Cayenne, and Volkswagen's Touareg. I suppose Jeep's Grand Cherokee deserves mention too, in fully-loaded trim, as does Kia's exceptionally good new Borrego. But really, as good as it is we can't start comparing Lexus to Kia. It just wouldn't be right.
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| The GX has always been a decent handler for a body-on-frame SUV, but the new 2010 model promises even better road manners. (Photo: Lexus) |
I've spent a reasonable amount of time in a couple of GX 470s since the model launched in Canada in 2003, and have grown to love and dislike some aspects of this SUV. Hey, just about every vehicle has some disappointing character trait or two, but I won't delve into this single dislike right now or for that matter try to wrap my head around just why for some unfathomable reason it gets carried over to this 2010 model, so that we can start things off on a more positive note.
