Longtime Toyota owner here...most recent ownership has been a 5th gen 4Runner. I love the 4runner’s reliability and inherent off-road capability, however I’ve found the seat comfort and noise insulation wanting (granted I shouldn’t have high expectations for basic cloth seats). Thought for a while that I would be migrating to a pickup (Tacoma or tundra), but I really dislike the Tacoma’s seating position and 3.5l v6. Tundra seems quite a bit better in those 2 areas, but I don’t need that much capability and the size would be a bit much for where I regularly park and drive in the city.
I started off telling myself that I’d never consider a Lexus, simply because I don’t need that much luxury, but I’ve come full circle and I’m now at the point where the GX is starting to make lots of sense. It seems to check a lot of the boxes I’m looking for: more torquey engine, better seat and ride comfort, heated everything, better insulation, slightly better towing, uses vetted LC prado platform. As much as I love the billy goat agility of the 4Runner, I’ve rarely needed the rear locker and the ride and NVH can become a bit tiresome on the many long highway drives i do. I want something that can do 99% of what the 4Runner can, but with better comfort. GX seems to be the most logical and cost-efficient option.
Some questions I’m trying to work through:
1) does it get about the same mpg as a stock 4Runner?
2) how does the back space (with seats folded down) compare to the 4runner’s?
3) are the third row seats removable or fixed in place?
4) any added maintenance considerations for the 4.6l v8 over the 4.0l v6?
5) I know premium is recommended...will the engine survive If lower octane fuel is used (like in an emergency)?
6) do all versions come with tow package?
7) do all versions have the flip up rear window?
8) are any skid plates offered from factory?
9) ground clearance is listed as 8.1 inches which seems rather low...is that due to plastic side steps?
10) any recent changes to the 460 generation, or had the vehicle stayed mostly the same since 2009?
11) don’t want the air suspension...does that only come with certain trim levels?
12) does kdss come standard?
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I started off telling myself that I’d never consider a Lexus, simply because I don’t need that much luxury, but I’ve come full circle and I’m now at the point where the GX is starting to make lots of sense. It seems to check a lot of the boxes I’m looking for: more torquey engine, better seat and ride comfort, heated everything, better insulation, slightly better towing, uses vetted LC prado platform. As much as I love the billy goat agility of the 4Runner, I’ve rarely needed the rear locker and the ride and NVH can become a bit tiresome on the many long highway drives i do. I want something that can do 99% of what the 4Runner can, but with better comfort. GX seems to be the most logical and cost-efficient option.
Some questions I’m trying to work through:
1) does it get about the same mpg as a stock 4Runner?
2) how does the back space (with seats folded down) compare to the 4runner’s?
3) are the third row seats removable or fixed in place?
4) any added maintenance considerations for the 4.6l v8 over the 4.0l v6?
5) I know premium is recommended...will the engine survive If lower octane fuel is used (like in an emergency)?
6) do all versions come with tow package?
7) do all versions have the flip up rear window?
8) are any skid plates offered from factory?
9) ground clearance is listed as 8.1 inches which seems rather low...is that due to plastic side steps?
10) any recent changes to the 460 generation, or had the vehicle stayed mostly the same since 2009?
11) don’t want the air suspension...does that only come with certain trim levels?
12) does kdss come standard?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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