The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 31, 2010 · 16 $ + FREE CHAMOIS Coupon required. Expiry: Apr. 30, 2010 Code: 5526 5 OFF with any oil change package 345 Speers Rd. (at Dorval), Oakville 905-842-9299 Valid at all GTA locations. Serious off-road ability hides under GX 460's civilized exterior By Neil Moore Metroland Newspapers Carguide Magazine When I first saw the new 2010, second-generation GX 460 SUV, my first thoughts were of a Toyota 4Runner in top hat and tails. Not that it's a bad thing, but with the company's constant crowing about the Lexus Lfinesse design language, I expected, well, a little more finesse. While the 4Runner embraces its truckiness, the GX 460 conceals it behind a three-bar chrome grille, swoopier projector-style headlights, and gentler lines. Still, make no mistake, this premium SUV is no wimp, and shares many of the serious offroad underpinning from its lower-priced sibling. Unlike much of the competition, which has been moving towards car-based, unibody designs, both vehicles have truck-based, bodyon-frame construction. The two also share suspension design (although tuned differently) as well as a number of offroad technologies that make bush-bashing a little easier. That is, if you'd take a $70,000plus vehicle over rock ledges, through the mud, and otherwise beat the heck out of it. The GX 460 comes in two well-equipped trim levels: the Premium and Ultra Premium. The "base" unit starts at $68,500 and includes all the power doodads you'd expect in any premium vehicle, plus three-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats with driver's memory, voice-activated navigation with backup camera, rain sensing wipers, moonroof, smart key system, front and rear clearance sonar (beeps when you get near objects) and the now legendary 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system with satellite radio and steering wheel controls. I drove the Ultra Premium, starting at $77,500, which comes chock-a-block with added technology. Aside from semi-aniline leather, heated wood-trimmed steering wheel and heated second-row (outer) seats, you get a dual screen rear-seat DVD entertainment system, lane departure alert, four-camera around-view monitor, radar cruise control system, and more. At the heart of this year's GX 460 is a new 4.6-litre V8 that is 14 per cent more powerful and 11 per cent more fuel efficient than the 4.7litre engine it replaces. It delivers 301 horsepower and 331 lb/ft of torque ­ up 38 hp over the previous generation. It is mated with a new six-speed automatic with sequential shift. There's noticeably more power than before, and despite the 2010 model's hefty 2326 kg ­ 176 kg heavier than last year's model ­ the GX 460 launches with authority and has no problem passing quickly at highway speeds. Luxurious, but mild-mannered in appearance, the Lexus GX 460 offers serious off-road ability under the skin. It comes with standard full-time four-wheel drive (with active traction control) with a low range for off-roading. Power is distributed 40:60 under most driving conditions, but changes according to steering input and wheel slippage. You also get standard Hill-start Assist Control, which helps keep the vehicle from rolling back when starting on an incline, and Downhill Assist Control, which holds the vehicle at a set speed ­ great for steep descents. At the Ultra Premium level, you get features like Crawl Control, which is a `cruise control' system for off-roading. Set the transmission to the low range, select one of five speeds, and Crawl Control will handle the throttle and braking while you concentrate on steering. I've tried this feature in the 4Runner on some nasty terrain, and it really does work. To help keep all four tires in contact on uneven surfaces, the standard Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System can disengage the stabilizer bars to allow more wheel travel and greater suspension reach. Back on the road, stabilizer bars work conventionally to reduce body lean. The Multi Terrain Select system allows you to choose the right amount of wheel slippage to suit the terrain. On very loose surfaces, such as mud or sand, the system allows for more wheelspin, while on bumpy moguls or solid rock, it provides more traction and limits your spin. Also at this top trim level is the Adaptive Variable Suspension, which can be set to Normal, Sport and Comfort. If you want to keep resident back-seat drivers engaged during a long drive, turn on the optional Lane Departure Alert. This feature notifies you whenever you drift towards an adjacent lane without signaling. Take your attention off the road to adjust the sound system or any of the GX 460's abundant techie toys and you'll inevitably hear a series of beeps, followed by an earful of criticism. I prefer the Mercedes E-Class system that provides a discrete "rumble strip" effect, felt only through the steering wheel. Dynamic radar cruise control allows you to maintain a pre-set distance from the car in front as the system applies brakes and throttle accordingly. Once it's engaged, bump the stalk up or down to adjust the digitally displayed speed in 1-km/h increments. I would like to say "just set it and forget it," but that would be unwise. The system responds reasonably well with the changing speed of light highway traffic, but I wouldn't count on it in heavier situations, or when some idiot cuts you off and stomps on the brakes. One clever safety feature is the Pre-Collision System (PCS), which uses the front radar sensor (to detect objects ahead) and a camera on the steering column to read your face position. If you're not facing forward when a collision is anticipated, the system sounds a warning and lightly taps the brakes to get your attention. It can even take a more active role (like braking) if a crash is imminent. As you'd expect in any Lexus vehicle, The GX 460 provides a spacious and well-appointed cabin, with impeccable materials, fit and finish. The 40-20-40 second-row seats slide and recline, and offer plenty of kneeroom. In one Lexus GX 460 SUV 2010 At a Glance: BODY STYLE: Mid-size, luxury SUV DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, fourwheel-drive ENGINE: 4.6-litre DOHC 32-valve V8 (301 hp and 331 lb/ft of torque) FUEL ECONOMY: 14.1/9.8/12.1 litres/100 km (city/hwy/comb) SAFETY: vehicle stability control, electronic brake-force distribution, ABS with brake assist, 10 airbags, active front-seat headrests. TOWING CAPACITY: 2,948kg PRICE: (Premium) $68,500 (Ultra Premium, as tested) $77,500 WEBSITE: www.lexus.ca motion, the right seat tilts and slides forward to access the third row. Yes, you can fit two people in the 50/50 third row, but they had better be small, and reasonably agile to get in. On the plus side, the third row seats can individually fold flat with the push of a button, giving you plenty of cargo space. Second-row seats can also be folded for a total of 1.8 cubic metres. The GX 460 may not be the most stylish luxury SUV in the segment, but there's plenty going for it under the mild-mannered sheet metal: a refined interior, sophisticated safety and handling technologies, and the ability to go where few SUVs would dare to go.