Gecko
New member
Agree. The ML system is absolutely killer... it was a must-have feature for me. A few people who have been in my car so far listen to it and its like :scared:
Has anyone regretted upgrading to GX 460?
- Thread starter Gecko
- Start date
Agree. The ML system is absolutely killer... it was a must-have feature for me. A few people who have been in my car so far listen to it and its like :scared:
Now is the time to get one! Great incentives if you can find the combo of your liking combined with a high trade in value on your current 4Runner.
IanB
New member
Short term update: things I miss from the 5th gen 4Runner include, lighting upgrades availability (4R had HID lows, DD SS3 fogs), stereo upgrade availability (4R had Pioneer Carplay headunit), rear hatch/roll down rear window.
That is all, but some of those are pretty major things IMO.
That is all, but some of those are pretty major things IMO.
Thai
Elite Member
My brief experience with GX460: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-topic/268915-after-years-finally-back-suv.html?highlight=Lexus+GX
Oldmanb777
New member
Land Cruiser/LX570 is larger and a lot more expensive. Hold its value better than the GX. Thirstier. More space, but not really efficiently done. It's like a mid sized pick up compared to a full size. Like Ranger compared to F-150. The gX being mid size, the LC/LX being full size.
Gecko
New member
After after 4.5 years with X-REAS in Limited 4Runners and ~6 weeks with KDSS in a GX 460, I can't understand why Toyota even still builds X-REAS.
KDSS is just as good - if not better - on road, and doesn't completely butcher your ride quality like X-REAS does.
KDSS also seems to be more reliable long term...
KDSS is just as good - if not better - on road, and doesn't completely butcher your ride quality like X-REAS does.
KDSS also seems to be more reliable long term...
I’m with you......every time I drive my wife’s new GX I am blown away impressed with how smooth this beast is! Suspension is fantastic! The issue is we are in a world of folks comparing this to “car based” suvs. Coming from a 2018 Armada the GX REALLY puts the Nissan to shame on many levels.......and the Armada was a great vehicle!
IanB
New member
This is a good point, I had the XREAS in our 4Runner Limited, and happily swapped on some 17" wheels in an effort to smooth the ride, as the roads here are affectionately referred to as "war torn", lol. I was never impressed by the XREAS, maybe if you lived somewhere with perfect roads it would be OK. It makes things too firm and you feel every bump.
The KDSS on the GX460 does a much nicer job of improving handling while maintaining ride quality.
Sorry if this has been said, but a 470 is the winner if you want to flat tow behind an RV (like any Toyota with a stick shift transfer case that has a Neutral position). Never considered this until we bought our first Diesel Pusher Class A motorhome last year. 5000 lbs. is a hefty tow, but 1250 foot pounds of Cummins turbo diesel torque doesn't care.
Mark Linkous
New member
I actually went the opposite direction last week going from a 2021 GX Premium to a 2021 ORP with KDSS.
To be sure, while kissing cousins, the vibe is way different as are the looks.
Initially, we went down to San Fran to buy a 2012 GX from a Lexus dealer and went so far as to sign the paperwork. Amazingly, for 3 days they could not get it to pass smog and by Friday they made me a killer offer on a 2021 Nebula Grey/Sepia Premium.
And while specifically avoiding the 2013+ GX’s as I find the spindle grill to be heinous, being trapped 3 days in Daly City was enough to make me go along.
That and the Denali we traded in barely made it from Humboldt owing to a comical combination of a superfund site level oil leak (had to add 6qts once) and a transmission that had a nasty habit of refusing to shift into 2nd sealed the deal.
Regardless, once we got back to Arcata, came the realization that where we went to pay cash on a 2012, now we had a brand new vehicle and a quite low payment owing to handing over $20k or so for the aforementioned 2012.
With that, realizing that the differences between the 2012 I briefly drove and the 2021 seemed to me to be a far superior steering wheel and more in your face grill were scant, things like a vinyl interior and an almost identical infotainment setup to my old circa 2009 LS460 really began to get my goat. So to speak.
Ultimately, the silly used car prices coupled with a previous relationship with the owner of the dealer I purchased the 4Runner from allowed us to get a TRD Premium with KDSS and moonroof with very little penalty.
Having a 5 hour drive in back to back days in both mostly made me miss the aforementioned steering wheel which is shared with the LX570.
Otherwise, with both having KDSS, handling was fairly comparable and the roads from the Bay Area to Humboldt County get twisty from time to time.
The insulated glass on the GX and no doubt added insulation certainly add for a more serene cabin. Ditto the V8.
That said, for our uses, things like Apple CarPlay are huge. Also, all of our vehicles get dirty and the costs to get the GX to where I would feel comfortable wheeling seemed high.
Ditto being able to easily upgrade the audio after having a Focal/JL system in the LX. Also, the 3rd row eats up much space.
To be sure, while kissing cousins, the vibe is way different as are the looks.
Initially, we went down to San Fran to buy a 2012 GX from a Lexus dealer and went so far as to sign the paperwork. Amazingly, for 3 days they could not get it to pass smog and by Friday they made me a killer offer on a 2021 Nebula Grey/Sepia Premium.
And while specifically avoiding the 2013+ GX’s as I find the spindle grill to be heinous, being trapped 3 days in Daly City was enough to make me go along.
That and the Denali we traded in barely made it from Humboldt owing to a comical combination of a superfund site level oil leak (had to add 6qts once) and a transmission that had a nasty habit of refusing to shift into 2nd sealed the deal.
Regardless, once we got back to Arcata, came the realization that where we went to pay cash on a 2012, now we had a brand new vehicle and a quite low payment owing to handing over $20k or so for the aforementioned 2012.
With that, realizing that the differences between the 2012 I briefly drove and the 2021 seemed to me to be a far superior steering wheel and more in your face grill were scant, things like a vinyl interior and an almost identical infotainment setup to my old circa 2009 LS460 really began to get my goat. So to speak.
Ultimately, the silly used car prices coupled with a previous relationship with the owner of the dealer I purchased the 4Runner from allowed us to get a TRD Premium with KDSS and moonroof with very little penalty.
Having a 5 hour drive in back to back days in both mostly made me miss the aforementioned steering wheel which is shared with the LX570.
Otherwise, with both having KDSS, handling was fairly comparable and the roads from the Bay Area to Humboldt County get twisty from time to time.
The insulated glass on the GX and no doubt added insulation certainly add for a more serene cabin. Ditto the V8.
That said, for our uses, things like Apple CarPlay are huge. Also, all of our vehicles get dirty and the costs to get the GX to where I would feel comfortable wheeling seemed high.
Ditto being able to easily upgrade the audio after having a Focal/JL system in the LX. Also, the 3rd row eats up much space.
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Gecko
New member
You traded in a 2021 GX 460 Premium on a 2021 4Runner ORP and had to pay?
Mark Linkous
New member
No. Had a pretty large amount to put down as I had put so much down when we got the GX.
That said, GX’s don’t fetch quite as absurd of an amount as a 4Runner.
Think I lost a few hundred Dollars and had it for 2 months and drove around 2500 miles
blschaefer1
New member
Why is it that you think the 4Runner ORP stock is that different from a GX460 Premium in terms of off road worthiness and that you would need to dump money into the GX make it comparable? I just went from a 2020 ORP to a 2021 GX460, BTW. I will have no qualms taking the GX off road.
supersaiyan96
New member
Slightly different perspective. I went from a 2004 4Runner SR5 to a 2013 GX460 Base.
Some things are night and day different obviously. The extra torque from the v8 was instantly noticeable, though the drive-by-wire pedal tuning is very weak-sauce on the GX460. I know that there are products on the market for this (Pedal Commander, etc.), but I found I got used to it anyway. Also, I only found this out right before I bought it, but a GX requires premium fuel. If you're a cheapskate like me, that might sting a bit. It'll run on 87, but the decrease in power and mileage isn't worth doing so.
As for the infotainment, I had a Pioneer head unit in my old 4Runner that had some nice features including a dedicated Pandora app, but I can't have any of that in the GX due to the integrated head unit from the 1830's. Your options for A/C is to set it to auto (which works well actually) or to go into a soft menu on the headunit to adjust the fan speed. No physical dials or switches for the fan speed.
It's a wash on the rear door. The swing out is weird, but the old hatch on the 4Runner took too much effort to close in my opinion. I think I rolled the rear window down maybe twice in the 5 years I had the truck.
Rear space is MUCH NARROWER in the GX. I was surprised by this once I measured. I had made a bike rack for the 4Runner (just a board with a couple of fork mounts screwed to it that clamped onto the rear tie-downs). Just to see what I would need to replicate it on the GX, I tried to put it in the GX to measure the new cutouts for the rear hooks and the board wouldn't fit across the back at all. A full 8" too long. The bikes wouldn't fit in the GX at all. I'd have to remove the handlebars and put them right next to each other for them to fit.
That said, EVERYTHING ELSE about the GX is superior. The v8, the 6 speed auto, the all-time 4WD with lockable center torsen diff, the leather interior with heated and cooled seats, the auto sensing wipers, you name it.
Some things are night and day different obviously. The extra torque from the v8 was instantly noticeable, though the drive-by-wire pedal tuning is very weak-sauce on the GX460. I know that there are products on the market for this (Pedal Commander, etc.), but I found I got used to it anyway. Also, I only found this out right before I bought it, but a GX requires premium fuel. If you're a cheapskate like me, that might sting a bit. It'll run on 87, but the decrease in power and mileage isn't worth doing so.
As for the infotainment, I had a Pioneer head unit in my old 4Runner that had some nice features including a dedicated Pandora app, but I can't have any of that in the GX due to the integrated head unit from the 1830's. Your options for A/C is to set it to auto (which works well actually) or to go into a soft menu on the headunit to adjust the fan speed. No physical dials or switches for the fan speed.
It's a wash on the rear door. The swing out is weird, but the old hatch on the 4Runner took too much effort to close in my opinion. I think I rolled the rear window down maybe twice in the 5 years I had the truck.
Rear space is MUCH NARROWER in the GX. I was surprised by this once I measured. I had made a bike rack for the 4Runner (just a board with a couple of fork mounts screwed to it that clamped onto the rear tie-downs). Just to see what I would need to replicate it on the GX, I tried to put it in the GX to measure the new cutouts for the rear hooks and the board wouldn't fit across the back at all. A full 8" too long. The bikes wouldn't fit in the GX at all. I'd have to remove the handlebars and put them right next to each other for them to fit.
That said, EVERYTHING ELSE about the GX is superior. The v8, the 6 speed auto, the all-time 4WD with lockable center torsen diff, the leather interior with heated and cooled seats, the auto sensing wipers, you name it.
I traded our 19 4R Nightshade in for a 21 GX460 about three weeks ago. Atomic Silver/ Rioja Red. It is one sexy sexy ride, and the ride quality is night and day. The only thing I really miss on the 4R is the rolldown rear window and not a huge fan of the swinging door on the GX. But overall, it is a night and day difference in favor of the GX. We got about $2500 over what we paid for the 4R if you include the tax benefit of the trade and now pay .9% financing over the 0% we paid for the 4R. Don't regret a thing about the trade though.
thelongestmile
New member
If my '19 GX had Apple Carplay, I would have never gotten rid of it. The aftermarket solutions just aren't the same as factory quality.
