2018 Lexus Gx REVIEW
Channel: Premium Cars
Date: 2017-12-11

The 2018 Lexus GX has something to hide. Beneath the leather and hourglass nose, it’s a Land Cruiser Prado—something like a Toyota 4Runner—to the rest of the world.
It’s more a work truck than its glam-SUV grille and geegaws let on, but just a short drive in any Lexus GX—base, Premium, or Luxury—and it’s all given away, thanks to its tall-wagon feel, its side-hinged tailgate, and its dozens of off-road controls.
We give it a 6.0 out of 10 overall, with points above average for comfort, performance, and features.
With a big spindle grille and a sport-styling package grafted on its old-school SUV body, the Lexus GX is at odds with itself. The exterior’s at war with itself in the same way as its cabin, which pulls off the mix with more confidence. Amid its myriad off-road switches and buttons, real wood and leather (on most models) pads the GX’s rugged roots over with some Ivy League library feel.
There’s enough off-road technology in the GX 460 to cruise almost anywhere. Whether it’s used often or not is anyone’s guess, but the creamy V-8 power, sweet 6-speed automatic, and center-locking four-wheel-drive system are just the start. The GX can push down opposing wheels when one leaves the ground, for better grip. It can dole out more power to the rear wheels for smoother launches. It can take over low-speed crawling entirely on behalf of the drivetrain and brakes, so the driver only has to steer. On pavement, those features cut sharply into its appeal. Steering is all but sensation-free, and a smothering ride damps out much of the information drivers need to move a vehicle safely and quickly. It’s an SUV, not a crossover, after all.
The GX has a commanding view from the driver seat, plush cushions, and ample room in the front and in the second row, though it’s a climb to enter it. The third-row seat suffers all kinds of compromises: it’s tough to access, leaves little head and knee room, and doesn’t fold flat, which means the high, narrow cargo area is even less useful.
Safety equipment lags other Lexus SUVs, and no crash-test data has been published. The base GX has synthetic leather seats and doesn’t come with navigation; you’ll pay more for premium audio, surround-view cameras, crawl control and adaptive dampers, and really lovely semi-aniline leather. There’s no way to pay for better gas mileage, though. The GX 460 clocks in at 16 mpg combined, which is low even for today’s big SUVs.