Exterior

Despite undergoing a redesign for 2010, the GX 460 looks pretty much like you'd expect a large Lexus SUV to look. It's a little sleek, a little rugged and a little boxy; basically, it's a little bit of everything and not too much of anything, almost as if it's trying to not offend anyone with drastic design cues.

Its outside stance is tall and narrow, like a distinguished Englishman in a top hat. This contributes to extra headroom inside, which keeps passengers from feeling claustrophobic, and an urban-friendly turning radius.

My biggest complaint about the GX - something that'd be a total deal-breaker for me - is its swing gate cargo door. What?! At the risk of sounding brash, it's just plain stupid. Let me set the scene for you: It's sleeting outside, but you have to get your daughter and her science fair project to school for the science fair. You head into the garage, load the family into the GX - they climb in easily thanks to the illuminated running boards - then carry out the science project board. However, you can't open the cargo door since there isn't enough room in the closed garage to do so. You try to crack open the cargo door just enough to slide the project in, but there still isn't enough room. You resort to opening the garage door and venturing into the sleet with the project board so you can open the cargo door and load the project board, which is now covered in icy slush, into it. Your daughter's hypothesis runs down the board like cheap mascara.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times

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