Sharing a frame with the heavy-duty and off-roading friendly Toyota 4Runner, the 2019 Lexus GX 460 brings the Japanese automaker's traditional sense of refinement and luxury to an extremely capable SUV. With three rows of seating as standard, the GX 460 is a luxurious people-carrier that'll not only last the test of time thanks to Lexus' impeccable build quality, but also looks good doing so.
What's New for 2019
The Lexus GX 460 enters the 2019 model year with no major changes over last year’s model.
Choosing Your Lexus GX
Underneath the GX 460's boxy body sits an old-school body-on-frame construction that gives the SUV its superb off-roading capability. Not to mention, the GX 460 has a smooth V8 engine that gives the SUV its regal qualities on the road. Every GX 460 trim is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine that produces 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque. The engine is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard, while a four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer gear is also standard.
Fuel economy for the GX 460 is rated at 15 miles per gallon city, 18 mpg highway, and 16 combined. When properly equipped, the GX 460 is capable of towing up to 6,500 pounds.
While the GX 460 is a luxury-first machine, the SUV, when properly equipped, can go off-roading with some of the best machines on the market. Besides having full-time four-wheel drive, the GX 460 can also be fitted with Crawl Control, which manages the SUV's throttle and brakes to maintain a certain speed over rough terrain. Downhill Assist Control is another optional feature that helps the GX 460 with its off-roading capability and helps maintain a certain speed when traveling down a steep hill.
Lastly, the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System helps improve on- and off-road capability. When driving on the road, the system, which automatically fixes the front and rear stabilizer bars in place, minimizes body roll in corners. When off-roading, the system aids in allowing each wheel to move independently.
The GX is available in three trims:
460 Base
The entry-level GX 460 starts at $53,180 (all prices include the $1,025 destination charge). The base model comes with nearly everything you could ever realistically want as standard like 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a power moonroof, running boards, roof rails, LED daytime running lights, and SmartAccess keyless entry. On the inside, the SUV comes with a nine-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, a USB port, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, fold-flat third-row seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a high-resolution multimedia display.
There's only one major option package for the base GX 460: the Navigation Package, which costs $1,555. Standalone options include headlight washers ($100), intuitive parking assist ($500), heated and ventilated front seats ($640), and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert ($0).
460 Premium
The GX 460 Premium starts at $55,750 and adds NuLuxe interior trim, navigation, LED fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, three-zone automatic climate control, and intuitive parking assist as standard.
Despite being a separate trim from the regular GX 460, Lexus sells the GX 460 Premium with the Premium Package ($2,570) as standard. The Premium Package with ECRU ($3,070) includes Mahogany wood accents and three-zone climate control. The Premium Package with Captain's Chairs ($3,395) adds 18-inch alloy wheels, second-row captain's chairs, a bespoke front fascia, and unique exterior mirrors. Lastly, the Sport Design Package ($5,130) brings 18-inch Gunmetal Metallic wheels, a Sport Design body kit, a chrome exhaust tip, and Scarlet taillights.
460 Luxury
The range-topping GX 460 Luxury is priced from $64,580 and adds power-folding and auto-dimming exterior mirrors, headlight washers, an adaptive variable suspension, an auto-leveling rear air suspension, semi-aniline leather interior, a wood- and leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, power-reclining and -folding third-row seats, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert as standard.
There are two major packages for the GX 460 Luxury. The Sport Design Package ($1,950) brings 18-inch alloy wheels, a Sport Design exterior body kit, a chrome exhaust tip, and Scarlet taillights. The Driver Support Package ($2,340) comes with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound system, a surround-view monitor, a driver attention monitor, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, intelligent high beams, and Crawl Control. The Mark Levinson audio system is sold on its own for $1,145.
If you want all of the latest driver-assist features, the 2019 Lexus GX 460 Luxury, despite its large price tag, is the only way to go. If you're willing to sacrifice some safety features, the GX 460 Premium brings some upscale luxury features as standard. Having to choose between three packages is unfortunate, but the cheapest option, the Premium Package with ECRU, is the one we'd go with.