2010 Lexus GX 460

When the Lexus GX 460 showed up in my driveway, I almost discounted it immediately. It seemed like another honkin' big SUV that requires honkin' deep pockets to purchase; my test vehicle was priced at just over $62,000. Ever the intrepid journalist, I decided to wrap my preconceived notions up in a tidy little box, stow them away on a shelf in the garage next to the doggy-safe ice melt and review this car with an open mind. Low and behold, I'm glad I did. I actually loved my week in the GX.

Not only did the GX 460 ooze luxury, it was equally functional for my days shuttling my kids and their friends around.

This SUV with room for seven doesn't drive like an SUV with room for seven. It's amazingly nimble, with a turning radius that's much smaller than I expected (its maneuverability is also aided by front and backup cameras and parking sensors). Its ride quality is super smooth, and its acceleration is light, quick and responsive.

During my week of test driving the GX, I commented numerous times on how quiet the interior is at highway speeds, so much so that I could hold a conversation with the third-row passengers. However, as soon as I picked my parents up for a little road trip to visit my brother in his seventh year of college (you think I'm kidding?) both of them complained about the road noise. I told my dad to turn off his hearing aids and that seemed to fix the problem quite nicely.

Despite all the pros, there are a few cons in the Lexus GX 460 that would be deal-breakers for me.

See also:

Parking brake
To set the parking brake, fully depress the parking brake pedal with your left foot while depressing the brake pedal with your right foot. (Depressing the pedal again releases the parking brak ...

Vehicle load limits
Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity, towing capacity and cargo capacity. Total load capacity: 900 lb. (410 kg) Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupan ...

Power windows
The power windows can be opened and closed using the switches. Operating the switch moves the windows as follows: 1. Closing. 2. One-touch closing*. 3. Opening. 4. One-touch opening*. *:Pushin ...