Originally Posted by MAST4R

Ha! I had no idea you were considering that.

I have a very close friend with a GX 470. The others have already offered great insights.

I can only add a few things. Having AWD in Chicago would be huge for me. The suspension works great on the street. It is capable offroad off the box. The suspension is nice offroad as well. KDSS models add great handling on road and nice flex offroad. KDSS works much better with a Lexus suspension than with a 4R one.

Obviously the V8 makes a big difference in the mountains, but not sure that matters to you considering your location.

On the down side, there are also some notable negatives:

1/ The stock package works so well, especially with KDSS, that deciding on a replacement suspension is anything but easy. And replacement stock suspension costs a fortune anyway.

So if you plan to mod, maybe skip KDSS and make your life easier. And vice-versa.

2/ Although things rarely ever break, prices are Lexus.

3/ Here in the SW, maximum control is sometimes a big deal in tight rocks and offcamber spots. Rear locker and aggressive terrain control are in a different league from just A-trac. I have tested the difference on my rig and just witnessed it first hand 2 weeks ago when an SR5 struggled in a very narrow rocky spot where I could move with absolute precision.

To sum it up, a late year GX 470 with kdss would be more practical in Chicago, hands down. But depending on the kind of planned offroad mods, the 4R may keep your life a lot easier.

The timing belt does need proper replacement and I have heard horror stories about that when done by random shops.