Beauty and Beast Mode: This 2020 Lexus SUV Does Both
A car that can both go off-road plus look stunning and sleek in the driveway has an obvious draw. The more versatile a vehicle is, the more appealing. There is one Lexus SUV that is both beautiful and beastly. The Lexus GX is an all-around vehicle that boast luxury and capability.
A luxury SUV with a body-on-frame build has its perks. Unfortunately we don’t get the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado in the United States, but it really isn’t much of a loss when you consider that the GX460 is literally the same car but with Lexus luxury.
2020 Lexus GX460 beauty
The Lexus GX460 is part of a second generation of the Lexus GX. The first generation of this Lexus SUV was based on the J120 platform. Now in its second generation, the GX is on the J150 Land Cruiser Prado platform. The Lexus GX of today takes the 460 in its name from the 4.6 liter V8 engine under its sleek and shiny hood.
For the 2020 model year, Lexus has decided to bestow its midsized luxury SUV with a number of upgrades. Revisions to the grille offer a new vision of this Lexus SUV that fits in nicely with the current Lexus lineup.
Small upgrades have polished details like the emblems and badges for a more modern look. According to Car and Driver a new color –– Atomic Silver –– is now available, and LED headlights are a standard feature. The plush detail on the shifter and the steering wheel are nice added updates that won’t go unnoticed.
The new tech for this Lexus SUV includes a full standard safety suite. There is also the addition of rear USB connectivity. Though it hasn’t been seriously redesigned since 2010, this SUV maintains the classic luxury that Lexus is known for without sacrificing on a more fundamental level.
Beast mode: is this Lexus SUV capable?
The Lexus GX460 is capable of navigating sand, mud or snow. It can rock crawl with the best of them and won’t disappoint the Land Cruiser lovers that appreciate raw and rugged capability. It gets pretty poor gas mileage around 17 mpg, but fuel efficiency isn’t typically a selling point for off-roaders like this.
The V8 delivers plenty of power for unpaved adventure, and has three driving modes. In comfort mode, the GX460 handles nicely. It’s not too bouncy, and stays pretty smooth through to the medium setting. But in Sport mode, this Lexus SUV throws smooth suspension to the wind.
The steering tightens up nicely for this off-road driving option, but you can suddenly feel every little bump and irregularity beneath you. There are cool sensors and camera views, including one that can sense under the car for when you are on the trail.
Additionally there is an option for locking the differential which gives the GX460 a 50/50 split that adds some major oomph to the driving ability of this SUV in off-road conditions. The video below shows the 2020 Lexus GS460 handling snow with ease in all three driving modes because of its effective full time all-wheel-drive powertrain.
The 2020 GX does both
This is an SUV that has enough to offer in terms of both beauty and beast mode dirt driving abilities. The Lexus GX460 is a great example of a family car fit for adventure. But it doesn’t give itself to complete and total utility. We’ll leave that to the Toyota 4Runner.
