2017 Lexus GX 460 Premium with Sport Package - Interior, exterior and Drive.
New for 2017
- Heated/ventilated front seats for base model available as standalone option.
- Second-row Captain’s chairs standard on Luxury, available for Premium.
- New optional Sport Design Package includes front bumper, front grille lower garnish, rear bumper spoiler, exclusive design exhaust tip, rear tail light graphic, redesigned side mirror cover, and gray metallic paint on 18-in. alloy wheels.
A key to the GX 460’s dual personalities is its standard Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which helps to significantly reduce body lean without resorting to stiffer springs and dampers. Lexus made the stabilizer bars stiffer to help reduce maximum body-lean angle by as much as 50 percent.
KDSS has it handled, though. Hydraulic cylinders act on each stabilizer bar, and linked by a pressure-sensing valve, they continually vary the lean resistance. During on-road cornering, when both front and rear hydraulic cylinders are in a neutral position, no fluid flows in the system and the stabilizer bars work conventionally to help reduce body lean.
Driving in off-road situations, KDSS is designed to reduce sway resistance, which allows the wheels to move with a larger degree of side-to-side independence. When the GX 460 encounters an uneven surface, one compressed cylinder causes fluid to flow to the other cylinder, helping the vehicle to keep all four wheels on the ground. The system works without any action needed by the driver.
The GX 460 has another ace up its fender for on-road smoothness. Available Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) uses electronically controlled dampers that adjust to road surface conditions. The driver can tailor ride and handling characteristics by selecting from among Normal, Sport or Comfort modes.
Most of the time, even full-capability SUVs are traversing highways rather than the Rubicon Trail. That’s why the Lexus GX 460 uses a full-time automatic four-wheel drive system that can enhance everyday handling as well as it dispatches rutted trails.
A Torsen® torque-sensing limited slip center differential distributes power 40:60 under most driving conditions and changes the ratio as needed based on wheel slip. The system offers a low range for off-road driving, and the center differential can be electronically locked.
Driving through a curve on pavement, for example, the Torsen differential can change the torque split to 30:70 to enhance vehicle tracking. If wheels spin, the center differential can change the ratio to to help control slippage. The system can respond to sudden changes in road-surface conditions, such as driving through a puddle or over an ice patch.
A two-speed transfer case with low range is supported by a wide array of chassis control technology. With Downhill Assist Control (DAC), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and available Crawl Control, the GX 460 has the capability to traverse unpaved, uneven trails and steep inclines.
In some off-road conditions, where the driver might have a hard time knowing which direction the front wheels are pointing, the GX 460 comes with a standard steering angle indicator in the gauge panel. A-TRAC provides the traction benefits of having locking front and rear differentials, but with lower weight. The system can apply the brake to a slipping wheel, while transferring torque to the wheels with better traction.
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