We never thought there was much of a gap in Lexus’ luxury SUV lineup.  The RX300 fulfilled the needs of the buyer who wanted a midsize sport-ute that could tool around town like a car, and the LX470 took care of the large end of the market, as well as offering the Toyota Land Cruiser’s off-road ability combined with great freeway manners.  What more could one ask for?

Apparently, Lexus thought of something.  For 2003, an all-new sport-ute is shoehorned into the lineup right between the RX300 and LX470.  Called, perhaps predictably, GX470, this new mid-sizer splits the difference between its larger and smaller brethren, with serious off-road ability and good in-town manners.  The fantastic build quality and luxury features it inherits from the entire Lexus lineup.

In spirit, the GX470 owes a lot to Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer of the 1970s and ’80s.  It was arguably the first luxury SUV (along with Land Rover’s Range Rover), prowling the highways with leather and fake wood trim inside and out before there was even a “luxury SUV” category in the market.  Like the Grand Wagoneer, the GX470 is a body-on-frame, V8-powered truck that’s just a bit smaller than the biggest SUVs and substantially larger than the small ones.  Chances are, the GX470 could follow a Wagoneer or Range Rover off-road, too.  Thanks to an array of high-tech traction aids, it might even better it, but whether it will ultimately match the iconic status of the seasoned luxury SUVs remains to be seen.

Our test GX470 certainly drew a lot of curbside attention.  At first glance we found the design to be derivative of other Lexus product.  The tapered grille and big “L” badge are there, as well as aggressive fender flares and a profile that’s strongly reminiscent of big brother LX470.  The V of the hood carries the grille’s shape down into the bumper for an interesting effect, but otherwise we didn’t think it was that distinctive.  Onlookers contradicted this impression, however.  More than once during the week we were stopped and surrounded by several curious onlookers–including a number of Mercedes M-Class and BMW X5 owners–who wanted to know all about the newest Lexus, so perhaps there’s more to the GX470′s design than meets the eye.  The details are admittedly nice; the headlamp covers, for instance, are tinted very slightly green instead of the usual clear plastic covering them.  The running boards are lighted, too.

Inside it’s all Lexus, with dark leather, wood, electroluminescent gauges and comfortable chairs front and rear.  The large console is trimmed in both wood and leather, just like the dash, but we had a hard time keeping its cargo-bay style door closed.  When equipped with third row seats the GX470 will seat eight.  The third-row seats flip up and fold to the side, a stowage method that never proved popular in the Previa or Land Cruiser.  For what it’s worth, they work well but are slightly fussier than a removable seat would be.  Then again, you don’t have to remove them if you don’t want to.  The cargo area is easily accessible thanks to a rear door that opens out instead of up, and there’s a comprehensive tool kit as well.  The luxury stuff is here too, of course; DVD-based satellite navigation, rear air conditioning, Lexus’ signature Mark Levinson sound system and a DVD player for rear-seat passengers are just a few of the goodies on the options list.

The 4.7 liter DOHC V8 is based on the engine which powers the LX470 and Toyota Tundra pickup.  235 horsepower is good enough to keep the GX470 moving along smoothly in traffic.  It’s also clean enough to qualify the GX470 as a low emissions vehicle (LEV).  The five-speed automatic transmission is equally smooth, just like we’ve come to expect from Lexus.  We even cast aside the GX470′s luxury mantle and made it tow a car, and it handled the truck stuff with aplomb.  The 4.7 V8 has a towing capacity of 5000 pounds, and the GX470 can be equipped with a receiver hitch from the factory.

The GX470 drives like a very tall sedan on the freeway.  It’s not just the isolation of the body-on-frame construction that makes this so.  Full-time four-wheel drive is a generally stable drive system, but Lexus has stacked the deck with an array of electronic aids to ensure that this SUV doesn’t drive like a truck on any surface.  Anti-lock brakes, Vehicle Skid Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) damping help to smooth out on-pavement driving.  The heart of AVS is an “intelligent” shock absorber system that can change stiffness according to road conditions, speed and driver inputs.  The result is a capable off-roader that drives like an ES300 sedan.

Capable off-roader?  Yes, indeed.  The GX470 is poised to give any Land Rover Discovery (Or Grand Wagoneer, for that matter) a run for its money in the rough, with a standard low-range transfer case and electronic aids for safe descending and starting on steep hills.  The hill ascent and descent assists work like similar units on Land Rovers, and use the ABS to prevent wheelspin when going up, and to limit vehicle speed to less than five miles per hour when going down.  The traction control can lock the front and rear differentials, as well.  There’s also a Land Rover-style adjustable suspension, which can be used to raise the GX470 over obstacles.  A brief foray into the dirt with our test GX470 showed it to be maneuverable for its size and happy to tackle fierce conditions without a loss of composure.

Land Rover’s truck-like Discovery pales in comparison to the GX470, but don’t fear, Land Rover faithful; the Disco still has spades more personality than the GX470.  Thanks to all the luxury gear and gadgetry, it costs a significant bit more than the Discovery as well.  The GX470 splits the difference between the big Land Rovers it wants to emulate, with its base price of $44,925 falling right between that of the Discovery and Range Rover.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Lexus GX470, which we tested.
Length:     188.2 in.
Width:        74.0 in.
Height:        74.6 in.
Wheelbase:    109.8 in.
Curb weight:    4675 lb.
Cargo space:    13.2 cu.ft. (all seats up); 77.5 cu.ft. (all seats removed)
Towing capacity:    5000 lb.
Base price:        $44,925
Price as tested:        $48,052
Engine:         4.7 liter 32-valve DOHC V8
Drivetrain:         five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower:         235 @ 4800
Torque:         320 @ 3400
Fuel capacity:        23 gal.
Est. mileage:        15/18

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