Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Lexus
2003 Lexus GX470
Sep 29th
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
2002 Lexus IS300 SportCross
Jul 21st
Warning: This review may seem a bit enthusiastic and unabashed in its praise of the 2002 Lexus IS300 SportCross. That’s because it is. I liked the IS300 sport sedan when it made its debut in 2001, gunning for the BMW 3-series and largely finding its mark. I’m also a big fan of station wagons, partly because they make good cargo-carrying alternatives to SUVs and minivans without sacrificing handling, and partly because they just look cool. So it should be no surprise that a Lexus IS300 station wagon would be met with cartwheels of joy from my corner.
Technically, the SportCross is “more than a sedan, but less than a full wagon,” according to Lexus. Rather than making a direct competitor to luxury wagons like BMW’s 3-series wagon or Audi’s A4 Avant, Lexus chose to create a car that’s somewhere between a sedan and a wagon. There’s not much cargo space–a Volvo V40 is visibly larger. With only 21.8 cubic feet of space, the SportCross doesn’t make much of a hauler. Then again, the SportCross isn’t supposed to be a station wagon. Think of it as a road-tripper that’ll allow you to bring home unusually large antiques.
Even if you’re not a fan of station wagons, the SportCross’s elegant lines will catch your eye. The IS300 sedan’s notched back has been gracefully extended with a dramatically sloping backlight that gives the car a distinctly wedge-shaped profile. The roof is extended only slightly, and the additional sheet metal serves only to emphasize the way the SportCross’ flanks hug the 17″ wheels. A very subtle character line starts at the front wheel arch and kicks up at the C-pillar gives the SportCross a hunkered, ready-to-pounce look. It won’t be mistaken for a soccer mom’s car, that’s for sure. Also more noticeable are the slightly rounded headlamps under glass covers and the distinctive bulge in the hood. Both details are shared with the IS300 sedan, but the SportCross is many times more distinctive.
From the front seat there aren’t any significant differences between SportCross and sedan. The seating position is good and the “ribbed” dash texture is pleasing to the eye. The chrome shift knob, however, is a terrible, terrible thing to have to deal with in the summer, when it becomes as hot as a frying pan. Luckily, your friendly Lexus dealer will change it to leather for you. Our test car featured Escaine-upholstered seats whose suede-like surfaces were wonderfully grippy and comfortable. It’s supposed to be the sporty Lexus, but our test SportCross’ very upscale appointments were noticed by many.
As in the IS300 sedan, the inline six-cylinder engine is a sweet powerplant. Its 215 horsepower may not seem like much on paper, but remember, the SportCross isn’t that much larger than the average subcompact, and the engine is actually borrowed from the larger Lexus GS300. It seems a bit light on torque off the line, but at higher revs the SportCross wakes up thanks to variable valve timing. What’s missing is a manual transmission. It’s a mystery to me why Lexus offers a five-speed in the IS300 sedan but not in the SportCross (and if any Lexus engineers are listening, this should be rectified as soon as possible!). A gimmicky manual-shift option for the automatic transmission adds racing-style up- and downshift buttons to the steering wheel, and went largely unused during my test drive.
Apart from that dynamic oversight, the SportCross offers delightful balance, responsive steering, and tenacious grip. The four-wheel independent double wishbone suspension offer an around-town ride that might be too stiff for some tastes. The responsive, compliant poise is welcome when the roads get complicated, though. The SportCross is a great deal friendlier than the BMW 3-series which it closely emulates. It’s easier to become friends with a SportCross. Granted, any BMW 330i would probably eat it up on the track, but not by a significant margin. The SportCross is comparable to any of the German sport wagons but has less cargo space.
Lexus’ Brake Assist system, which increases braking power in emergency situations, and antilock brakes are standard equipment on the SportCross. Side airbags are also standard. Traction control and a pop-up navigation system are options. SportCross pricing starts at just over $32,000. Our test car’s Escaine interior and moonroof made for a very luxurious interior, but they’re expensive options that drove the as-tested price to $35,294. A fully loaded SportCross knocks at the door of $40,000, but there isn’t an alternative to Lexus’ “4+1 sedan” unless you’re willing to dig up a decades-old Audi 5000 wagon.
Bottom line: The IS300 SportCross is one of the more enjoyable cars I’ve driven in the course of my exploration of the automotive world, despite the lack of an entertaining transmission and the high price. Is that unabashed enough for you?
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Lexus IS300 SportCross, which we tested.
Length: 177.0 in.
Width: 67.9 in.
Height: 56.7 in.
Wheelbase: 105.1 in.
Curb weight: 3410 lb
Cargo space: 21.8 cu.ft.
Base price: $32,305
Price as tested: $35,294
Engine: 3.0 liter DOHC 24-valve inline six-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear wheel drive
Horsepower: 215 @ 5800
Torque: 218 @ 3800
Fuel capacity: 17.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/25
2001 Lexus LS430
Jul 8th
Talk about irony; the much-anticipated arrival of the Lexus LS430 test car coincided exactly with the arrival of my fourteen-year-old sister for a visit. So much for playing hot-shot auto journalist for her, I figured. What could be less interesting to a fourteen-year-old girl than a big, boring old man’s car? A rich old man’s car, to be sure, but Lexus clearly didn’t have the Britney Spears generation in mind when they designed the LS430.
Much to my surprise, young Ashleigh hopped into the LS430’s back seat, raised the side and rear sun shades, turned on the rear seat massage, and was in heaven. Perhaps some luxuries are universal.
If the LS430 can impress the Britney Spears generation, it should have no problem grabbing the attention of the older, Mercedes-bred buyers it’s hoping to attract. The original LS400 was a luxury upstart from an unlikely source–Toyota–that put Mercedes and Jaguar and other European luxury brands on the run. Lexus kept the competition working hard throughout the 1990s with minor revisions and updates to the LS400, but the new-for-2001 LS430 is the first complete revision. The wheelbase is longer, but the car is the same length, offering impressive increases in interior room and giving the car a more limousine-like presence at the curb. The new LS430 has a larger engine, a more modern, angular look, and a whole list of new gadgets.
The LS430’s big-box design doesn’t do much for me, but judging by the pedestrians’ stares, it looks good from the curb. Big chrome wheels certainly don’t hurt. The wheelbase has been increased three inches, so the LS430 looks larger without being substantially longer. Up front, a broad horizontal-bar grille with the familiar Lexus “L” in the center is flanked by multi-unit projector-lens headlamps under glass. The broad hood is very Mercedes-like, and the squared-off trunk even more so. Yet the proportions of the car are distinctly Lexus. It’s hard to actually mistake an LS430 for a Mercedes S-Class thanks to some design voodoo. The overall design is conservative and substantial. The LS430 makes a good piece of upscale corporate jewelry.
It’s also a good place to be a chauffeur. The LS430 is a playground of technology and gadgetry inside. The lovely, gently sweeping dash looks best in light colors. Lexus offers ecru, black, or ivory interiors with California walnut accents on the console, dash, and doors. There are a lot of ancillary controls, to operate the raft of power options. An in-dash satellite navigation system is available, as is an in-dash CD changer. The front seats are both heated and cooled; a fan pulls hot air away from the body through perforations in the butter-smooth leather, for a cooling effect. Seat, steering wheel, and mirror preferences are programmable, of course. And, to make the driver’s job easier (since he may well be a professional) the doors and trunklid are equipped with self-closing mechanisms. Very often in cars like this, the guy in the back is really the one who gets coddled. It’s no surprise my sister spent so much time back there. Sunshades cover both rear side windows, and the rear window. The rear seats are not only heated and power adjustable, but have a massage feature as well. Stereo and climate controls are provided for rear seat passengers, inside an armrest which looks almost like a second instrument panel. A separate rear air conditioner is also available, with an air purifier. The LS430 feels like the shortest limousine ever built–all it needs is a crystal chandelier and a wet bar. My sister and I both enjoyed the 240-watt Mark Levinson sound system, which may not have been designed to blare Limp Bizkit and Nelly Furtado for the enjoyment of teenagers (and their journalist brothers), but obliged quite willingly.
To witness Lexus’ signature quality all one has to do is listen to the LS430 while driving or riding inside. Listen hard. That’s the trick–the LS430 is nearly silent and vibration-free while it’s running. The magic-carpet ride has always been a Lexus trademark, and the LS430 takes it farther with an available air suspension. To smooth out the overall freeway ride as well as improve the road feel, the available Dynamic Laser Cruise Control can be programmed to maintain a set distance from the car ahead, rather than a set speed. This way, there’s no need to disable the cruise control in heavy traffic. We didn’t use it much; it was easier to simply pass the slower cars.
Lexus has been just as fanatical about the engine’s smoothness as it has the suspension’s. It’s so smooth and silent it’s hard to believe there’s a 290 horsepower engine under the hood. The new 4.3 liter V8 is a silky 32-valve powerplant, and uses Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to ensure slick power delivery. The LS430 will even help the driver; the Intuitive Powertrain Control detects gas pedal pressure, vehicle speed, road grade, and other factors, and adjusts the engine’s torque delivery to make the ride smoother. The result? Much of the jerkiness felt when trying to maintain speed in traffic is wiped out. Intuitive Powertrain Control will also automatically hold gears while climbing hills, and downshift when the brake is applied. Chances are most drivers will never even notice it working. The five-speed automatic transmission works so smoothly it might as well be using a single all-purpose gear.
Yet another driver assist is available–Intuitive Parking Assist. Ultrasonic sensors pick up obstacles in front of and behind the car can be had on minivans and are nothing new, but the LS430 uses the navigation system’s dash display to show exactly where the obstacle is. It proved invaluable when parallel parking the big car.
The laser-guided cruise control, Intuitive Parking Assist, and Mark Levinson sound system are all part of the LS430’s Ultra Luxury Package. It also includes the air suspension, navigation system, moonroof, powered door closers, sun shades, and more. The Ultra Luxury package adds over $12,000 to the LS430’s base price of $54,005. The boardroom-on-wheels feeling makes the car well worth our test car’s price of $70,440–even to teenage girls.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Lexus LS430, which we tested.
Length: 196.7 in.
Width: 72.0 in
Height: 58.7 in.
Wheelbase: 115.2 in
Curb weight: 3955 lb
Cargo space: 20.2 cu. ft.
Base price: $54,005
Price as tested: $70,440
Engine: 4.3 liter, 32 valve V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 290 @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 320 @ 3400
Fuel capacity: 22.2 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/25