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February 22, 2010
 2010 Lexus GX 460. Click image to enlarge |
The second row is definitely grown-up friendly though, and it can slide back and forth 10.4 cm, in addition to folding 40/20/40 as desired to expand the cargo area. The outboard seats in this row are even heated in Ultra Premium models, much to my nine-year old daughter’s delight. All models have heated and cooled front seats with power operation and driver’s side memory.
As noted earlier, all GX 460s have navigation (which also incorporates the standard backup camera), and many of the secondary functions in the audio and climate control systems are operated and/or displayed via its touch screen multi-media interface (MMI).
This system needs a bit of software tweaking though, as the default screen for this display is the nav system’s map, and most other screen modes return there after 30 seconds or so.
The main climate display reads only the set temperatures and the time. Manual operation of the climate system outside of a few primary functions (such as to change mode and fan speed) requires first calling up the MMI’s “climate” screen, and this is also the only way to (temporarily) view the outside temperature readout.
 2010 Lexus GX 460. Click image to enlarge |
It’s the same story for the otherwise very good, 17-speaker Mark Levinson 7.1 Surround sound audio system; track titles and artist information only show up if selected on the “audio” screen. Otherwise, the system only briefly displays channel and volume changes on-screen.
Oddly, you can keep the display screens for long-term fuel consumption and the standard Bluetooth phone interface on indefinitely.
Ultra Premium models feature dual rear video screens (mounted to the front seatbacks) that can operate independently of one another (they’re paired to their own wireless headphones), so one can display a movie, while the other is used for an auxiliary input like gaming. (Power for that game system can come from the standard 110-volt outlet located in the cargo area; 100 Watts in Premium models, 400 in Ultra Premiums).
I wasn’t able to find any provision for the driver to disable the rear system (as might be desirable with unruly passengers), however it is possible to access many DVD control functions from the MMI, and the disc itself loads into the same dash slot as those for the six-disc changer. In “Park”, with the parking brake set, you can even watch the movie on the MMI screen.
In Ultra Premium models, you are being watched too – a small, column-mounted infrared camera looks at the orientation of the driver’s eyes, and if it determines that your attention is averted and the vehicle’s radar cruise sensor and/or a pair of cameras detect an imminent collision, the Pre-Collision System (PCS) will sound warnings, flash lights, and even apply initial braking pressure. PCS can also cinch the front seatbelts and alter the steering’s assist in anticipation of avoidance manoeuvres.
  2010 Lexus GX 460. Click image to enlarge |
The radar cruise worked better than several systems I’ve tried in the past, able to discern whether a vehicle is in your lane or not, even around most curves. Build-up from wet snow eventually triggered a “clean radar sensor” message (it’s behind the big Lexus “L” in the grille), but unlike many such systems, you can opt to use it as conventional cruise control as well.
Including the one for the Lane Departure Alert system (in which the system watches for inadvertent lane drifting and sounds a warning), there are no fewer than six cameras on board Ultra Premium GXs.
Technology, capability, and premium finish and materials are what Lexus buyers expect, and while the “base” Premium lacks some of the content available on the Ultra Premium model, no-one could ever accuse it of being austere.
Courtesy lighting lights up the ground and running boards, the footwells (front and rear), inner door handles, and – on Ultra Premiums – the front scuff plates.
Both models share the same excellent fit and build quality – not a squeak or rattle to be heard in my Ultra Premium tester, even over the most heinous Highway 417 potholes – and most of the frequently touched surfaces are soft. There’s a pleasing variety of materials used, including the African Rosewood on the console lids. Only the group of hard to differentiate, generic switches to the lower left of the steering column suggest anything other than bespoke construction.
Although the GX 460 is an important part of the Lexus’ expansion into a global brand, it remains to be seen whether its traditional design approach will result in many conquest sales here; it could perhaps serve as a more urban-friendly, no compromises alternative to the LX 570 and other full-size luxury SUVs.
For those loyal buyers who appreciated the existing model, the 2010 GX 460 is certain to do just fine.
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Pricing: 2010 Lexus GX 460
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