The Lexus LX 470 sets the standard for world-class luxury and ultimate off-road capability.
The big Lexus now faces off against an all-new BMW-designed Range Rover and a less expensive but rugged Cadillac Escalade, and its bland external design is starting to show its age.
However, it is still a wonderfully sumptuous, high-performance vehicle. The LX 470 is powered by one of the industry’s V8s and offers precise handling and a sumptuous ride. The interior is stylish, well-equipped, and offers the kind of environment you would need to have in your home.
It also comes from Lexus, which provides quality, durability and reliability in the industry, as well as stores committed to visitor satisfaction.
There’s a style available, priced at $61,855.
For 2002, the LX 470 benefits from a significant upgrade to its popular device: each and every LX470 now features DVD navigation. The formula is updated with a faster automatic unit that cuts address calculation time in half. covers the US and Canada, provides detailed data on destinations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and the Whistler resort area, and provides voice guidance in English or French. In the past, this formula was only available as a component of a $4,280 Feature Package that included an audio formula from Mark Levinson. The Levinson appliance is still available as a standalone option for $1,280.
Lexus designed the LX 470 to be compatible in a typical two-car garage and is shorter than the Lexus LS 430 sedan.
Last redesigned for the 1999 style year, the styling of the LX 470 is bland and boring. With the exception of its sporty GS and IS three-hundred, Lexus rarely takes chances on styling and it’s a strategy that works well. We’re not saying the LX 470 isn’t good-looking; We found it much better than the Lincoln Navigator. But it doesn’t offer the subtle European styling of the new Range Rover.
The Lexus LX 470 presents a more upscale appearance than the Toyota Land Cruiser, its distant cousin. Split-lens halogen headlamps, a chrome Lexus grille, body cladding, integrated running boards, and elegant use of paint contribute to this impression.
Lexus creates enchanting interiors. The LX 470 offers three rows of seating, offering sumptuous accommodation for another six people and seating for eight. Large door openings make it easy to get in and out.
The front seats are incredibly comfortable. The view of the road is excellent and the giant side mirrors provide visibility to the rear. Pretty walnut trim adds an upscale touch to the leather interior. Electroluminescent tools offer exceptional clarity and excellent appearance. We wish there were audio controls on the steering wheel.
All luxury features are supplied. The gigantic rear windows open at the touch of a couple of buttons attached to the dashboard. The side mirrors retract powerfully for parking in tight spaces. Auxiliary power outlets on the dash, center console, and rear shipping area provide wonderful comfort. A hydrocarbon sensor automatically recirculates the air when elevated levels of air pollutants are detected, while a micron activated carbon filter removes dust, pollen and odors from the indoor air stream, a benefit for hay fever sufferers.
The navigation formula screen can be used to watch DVD movies, even when the stream is parked, so you won’t be tempted to watch and drive at the same time. However, the audio portion of the movie can be played in the formula while in motion.
The rear booster seats are some of the most productive models we’ve seen of this type. They are comfortable and easy to access. They can be folded when not in use, but they are a little larger than others of this type and take up a bit of shipping space. Removing it provides an additional 15 cubic feet of shipping capacity for a total of 90. 4 cubic feet. In general operation, with the rear deck folded sideways and the middle seat configured to carry passengers, there is 39. 2 cubic feet of shipping space.
All exterior seats and the middle second-row seat come with a three-point seat belt. The driver and front passenger seat belts incorporate pretensioners and force limiters. Two front airbags are standard.
Other internal features include an advanced protection function for the remote keyless entry system, child safety seat anchors for the second row, a steering wheel and gear knob wrapped in wood and leather, and an auto-dimming virtual compass built into the rearview mirror. and upgraded rear cup holders.
In addition to being luxurious, it is comfortable and quiet.
At top speeds, you hear some wind noise coming from the vicinity of the giant mirrors, but with such a huge vehicle, those mirrors are something we need to do without.
The 4. 7-liter 32-valve Lexus V8 is smooth, quiet, and punchy. It produces intelligent torque at low revs; 80% of the maximum force is obtained at just 1,100 rpm. This provides sensitive functionality at low speed and force for towing or climbing steep terrain. While most sport utility vehicles use pickup truck engines, this 4. 7-liter V8 has four camshafts (DOHC) and four valves per cylinder (32V). Although it only produces 230 horsepower, it generates a forged torque of 320 pound-feet. The LX 470 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in about 10 seconds and covering the quarter-mile in less than 18 seconds. It’s not fast through the popular ones, but it’s enough to safely merge onto highways if you let go of the accelerator. This engine meets the popular California for low-emission vehicles.
The suspension provides a comfortable ride on winding back roads and bumpy Interstates, yet is capable of climbing any mountain, fording any stream. The rack-and-pinion steering provides sharp response. It’s easy to turn the steering wheel in crowded parking lots, but does not isolate the driver on the open road.
The LX 470 comes with an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), which allows the driver to adjust the damping between comfortable or corporate settings. It is electronically controlled by the response of the road sensors; The formula consistently adjusts the semi-active shocks from 16 settings to suit the conditions. It’s a complicated formula, and it works incredibly well. The LX 470 rides smoothly on unpaved roads, but inspires confidence in the driving force with its tense reaction on winding terrain. roads.
Like the Range Rover, the LX four70 features an adjustable ride height. Press a button and the hydropneumatic formula raises and lowers the vehicle approximately four inches. This allows the driver to increase the transparency of the floor to clear obstacles or reduce the ride height for driving on the highway. This also makes getting in and out of the vehicle less difficult when everyone is dressed for a night out on the town.
The permanent all-wheel drive formula is permanently engaged and uses a limited-slip medium differential to distribute torque. Add to that a locking center differential, a limited-slip rear differential, and plenty of suspension joints and just the driving power, or worn tires. – You can be blamed for getting stuck in the mud.
The anti-lock brake system operates even in low range and is designed to offer better performance off road than traditional ABS by avoiding early activation on slippery slopes. ABS intervention decreases as road surface roughness increases or the grade steepens. That’s a good feature because traditional ABS can lengthen braking distances considerably on unpaved roads. Big disc brakes offer good response and seem to stop this 5,400-pound vehicle in a surprisingly short distance.
Three active protection technologies are combined with ABS to control the driving force: Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) helps maintain traction in difficult situations by detecting and correcting wheel spin. When it detects a loss of traction, the formula applies the brakes to individual wheels to help the driver maintain control. The formula also includes a brake assist function that translates a quick and strong pressure on the brake pedal as emergency braking and complements the brake pressure applied.
Finally, this big SUV also includes a four-wheel traction control system (TRAC), which provides a limited-slip differential effect by using brake and throttle intervention to control wheelspin. TRAC provides some of the traction benefits of locked center and rear differentials while preserving the steering response associated with open differentials.
Lexus LX 470 features a beautiful interior and superior off-road capability. It provides a quiet interior with a smooth ride and good handling. If you want big, luxurious, and capable, then this is the benchmark.
LX 470 ($61,855).
Honsha, Japan.
roof racks ($621); Trailer hitch ($294).