2018 Lexus GX 460 Road Test and Review

Lexus didn’t invent the luxury SUV, but Toyota’s luxury brand is widely credited for perfecting it. Lavish SUVs continue to be a large part of the automaker’s success, and today Lexus offers four, including its best-selling RX, the sporty NX, and this mid-size GX 460. 

First introduced in 2002, the Lexus GX sits above the new three-row version of the RX in the brand’s lineup, and it’s one of only two Lexus SUVs to offer a V8 engine. Like its larger brother, the V8-powered LX 470, the Lexus GX is a seven-passenger SUV that offers unique style, an upscale interior, and off-road capability unexpected from Lexus. Built in Japan, the family-friendly GX 460 competes against a long list of popular luxury suvs from Europe and Japan, including the Land Rover Discovery, Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.

Every GX 460 uses an all-aluminum 4.6-liter V8 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It isn’t the most high-tech powertrain in this class, but it’s smooth and refined. And with 301 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque, it’s plenty powerful. Unlike the Lexus NX and RX, the GX is not available as a hybrid.

Three trim levels are available, with prices starting at $53,150 including a $995 delivery charge. Standard features include four-wheel drive, power front seats, a sunroof, dual-zone climate controls, a nine-speaker premium sound system, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a backup camera. Other models are the Premium trim, which costs about $57,000, and the GX 460 Luxury, like our test vehicle, which costs $64,525. Pack it with options and packages and the price climbs quickly. Our test car cost $73,624.

There are larger SUVs in this class, but the GX interior is roomy and family-friendly. The GX's 109.8-inch wheelbase is the same as the Lexus RX, but it’s over 8 inches shorter than the Audi Q7’s. Rear legroom is more than adequate, but other SUVs offer more. The third row can accommodate adults if they’re under 6'2'' and the ride is short. Our test vehicle had second-row captain’s chairs, which are part of the optional Sport Design Package. They make third-row access much easier than with the standard bench seat but limit seating to six.

Those captain’s chairs are well-shaped, heated, and comfortable, with built-in armrests, adjustable headrests, and the ability to recline. Rear passengers also appreciated the rear climate controls, as well as the optional dual-screen rear seat entertainment system with remote and wireless headphones. Parents will also like the easy-to-reach LATCH connectors, the deep center console bin, large door pockets, and well-placed front cupholders.

With its lack of an extravagant digital gauge display, quirky push-button shifter, or multiple oversized screens that deploy dramatically from its dashboard, some will find the interior of the Lexus GX 460 to be dated. Maybe even a little old-fashioned. Others, however, will appreciate its simplicity and revel in its ease of function.

Control placement is excellent, and all the knobs and switches are large and easy to find. They operate with a feeling of quality, and there’s wood on the heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel, which is an opulent touch. The doors close with a solid thud. The front seats are soft but supportive and covered in buttery leather. Visibility is outstanding, as the roof pillars are thin and the mirrors are large.

With seven aboard, the GX offers little cargo volume. Lexus says there’s 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the SUV’s third-row seat. We don’t see it, but there was just enough room to smash in a few backpacks. The third row is split 50/50 and easily folds flat, expanding that space to 46.7 cubic feet. That's more than you get in a Volvo XC90, but far less than the Audi Q7 offers. On the Luxury trim level, a power folding and unfolding third row is standard. With the second and third rows folded out of the way, there’s 64.7 cubic feet, which is small for a class that's led by the Acura MDX’s 90.9 cubic feet. 

Loading cargo in the GX is compromised by a high cargo floor and an odd rear door design that opens out instead of up. The door also opens left to right, toward the curb, further compromising your ease of loading, and Lexus does not offer a power tailgate on the GX.

In most Lexus models, the infotainment system is controlled by a small joystick or a touchpad interface, which can be overly sensitive and at times frustrating to use. This is not the case in the 2018 GX 460. In this SUV, the audio system, navigation, and suite of apps are operated through a simple, well-sized touchscreen, placed perfectly within the driver’s reach.

Although we appreciated the graphics and simplicity of the navigation system, and enjoyed the sound quality of the optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, the system is unfortunately not compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The GX also doesn't offer onboard Wi-Fi. Bluetooth is standard, though, and it connected to our smartphone quickly. The GX's top two trim levels also get a year of complimentary Lexus Enform Destination Assist. Similar to General Motors’ OnStar, it includes access to a 24-hour hour live call center that can help you find addresses or a point of interest and send the destination right to your nav system.

The GX’s many active safety systems feature high-grade technology. Many are standard, but a more than a few are extra-cost options. Our GX 460 Luxury test vehicle came standard with blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert. It also included the optional $4,340 Driver Support Package, which added dynamic radar cruise control, a lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, Lexus’ pre-collision system with a driver attention monitor, and an enhancement to the backup camera that offers side and front views.

The 2018 GX 460 has not received a crash-test rating from either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

With a 301-hp V8, the 2018 Lexus GX 460 is quick off the line. This SUV will hit 60 mph in just 7 seconds. And Lexus says it can tow 6,500 lbs. It’s fun to put your foot into the throttle and feel the thrust of that big V8 engine. And merging on the highway is stress-free, even with the GX loaded with half of my daughter’s club volleyball team.

The Lexus also feels light on its feet, and it handles well with responsive steering and brakes. But this SUV is more luxurious than sporty. It’s relaxing to drive, with an extremely quiet interior and a plush ride, thanks to a long travel suspension with air springs in the rear. The suspension is adjustable, offering three settings including comfort and sport, but they all felt exactly the same to us. The six-speed automatic transmission is smooth and responsive, but it doesn’t offer as many gears as the competition, which hurts the Lexus’ fuel economy. The GX is rated at 15 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, which is behind most of its competitors. I averaged 15 mpg during a week of mixed driving.

Lexus says the GX 460 is a work-to-weekend warrior that’s as at home on the trail as it is in the city or suburbs. Usually we’d dismiss such marketing hyperbole. However, Lexus ain’t lying. Unlike many of its competitors, the GX really is ready for the trail, thanks to a locking two-speed transfer case with low range, rugged Dunlop tires, over 8 inches of ground clearance, and tough body-on-frame construction. Its tight turning circle, which makes the GX easy to park at the mall, also gives it surprising agility on the trail. And when driven off-road, the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System allows more independent travel from side to side, improving traction and helping keep all four wheels on the ground.  

Like the Toyota 4Runner TRDPro, which is one of the best off-roading SUVs available, the Lexus also has downhill assist control, hill-start assist, and available crawl control, all of which make it easier to drive on unpaved, uneven trails and steep hills. The only GX competitors that can rival it in the dirt would be the Land Rover Discovery and the five-passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The 2018 Lexus GX 460 isn’t the brand’s sexiest SUV, or its most technically advanced, or its most powerful, or its most popular. But in many ways, the GX hits all the right notes, checks all the right boxes, and offers SUV buyers a unique blend Lexus comfort and refinement along with family-friendly features and rugged off-road capability. It’s not very sporty, but somehow the GX manages to be fun to drive. It’s an SUV with character. And we like its personality.

If you’re in the market for a three-row luxury SUV that’s not afraid to get a little mud on its tires, the GX is a solid overall choice.