T4R in a suit (Lexus 460)

[truckmike26]

May be, but that's not what C&D said.

Like I posted in at least one other thread, a 4.6L is a de-stroked 5.7L, or so it seems. If that's the case, a 5.7L physically drops right in place of the 4.6L.

The old 4.7L was a different engine from the 5.7L. Fifteen years from now we'll see plenty of swapped-in 5.7L 5th-gen. 4Runners roaring around.

 

[DC Dude]

Like I posted in at least one other thread, a 4.6L is a de-stroked 5.7L, or so it seems. If that's the case, a 5.7L physically drops right in place of the 4.6L.

The old 4.7L was a different engine from the 5.7L. Fifteen years from now we'll see plenty of swapped-in 5.7L 5th-gen. 4Runners roaring around.

What are you talking about?

What I am talking about is that CD says the 4.6L's "engine performance is a letdown."

 

[DC Dude]

I think the Lexus RX would have been a better match to the rest of the vehicles. Seriously? An MDX against a GX? Come on C&D, lets do an apples to apples test.

RX may be more appropriate for their Acura's RDX.

 

[truckmike26]

What are you talking about?

What I am talking about is that CD says the 4.6L's "engine performance is a letdown."

I'm agreeing with you. The GX needs the 5.7 (because it's so heavy). Although doing that might steal too much thunder from the other Toyota/Lexus SUVs.

So...many years from now, home mechanics will put 5.7s in GXs and 4Runners (if Toyota won't do it now).

 

[6starbucks]

you should look at the vw toureg 3.0 tdi. i love that car, it is classified as a crossover though.....the wheel base is close if u want to offroad, and it has a ton of power, and it gets about 35 mpg (gotta love the v6 twin turbo diesel)

 

[DC Dude]

I'm agreeing with you. The GX needs the 5.7 (because it's so heavy). Although doing that might steal too much thunder from the other Toyota/Lexus SUVs.

So...many years from now, home mechanics will put 5.7s in GXs and 4Runners (if Toyota won't do it now).

Personally, I don't think anyone considering a Sequoia will buy a GX b/c of the engine. That's a decent step up in price difference. Also, I don't think a 5.7 in a GX is going to take away from LX sales. People buy LX because of the prestige behind the LX.

 

[DC Dude]

you should look at the vw toureg 3.0 tdi. i love that car, it is classified as a crossover though.....the wheel base is close if u want to offroad, and it has a ton of power, and it gets about 35 mpg (gotta love the v6 twin turbo diesel)

Does VW even have a heritage of offroad prowess? Clearly not the same as what Audi is known for, which is their legendary Quattro system.

 

[Koz]

What are you talking about?

What I am talking about is that CD says the 4.6L's "engine performance is a letdown."

Do yourself a favor and don't take what any rag mag says to seriously. If you what an accurate idea of how a vehicle performs you need to drive it yourself. The 4.6 is the perfect engine for the GX (and would have been for the 4Runner). It makes the GX feel agile, buttery smooth, very responsive and still get decent mileage.

Comparing a crossover to a body on frame (real truck) is ridiculous. It's like comparing a sports car to a luxury car and then deciding which one is better by how good they are on the track. If you going to compare them at least use an equal amount of off-roading criteria to give a fair comparison. If only off-roading was used to compare these vehicles, the results would have been the complete opposite. Also reliability/dependability should be a large factor (It is for me). What about audio systems, the ML is KILLER! The only other vehicle that should have been compared to the GX is the LR and it was picked next to last. The days of body on frame SUVs are just about gone.

The ONLY negative I have with the GX is the price, but it does have just about all the luxury and off-road features you can get on any vehicle.

For me it is the perfect vehicle. I will be retiring (early retirement) very soon and I will be traveling around the country with a TrailManor trailer in tow. I can set up the trailer and then explore all the back-roads and easy trails in western USA.

Koz

 

[DC Dude]

Do yourself a favor and don't take what any rag mag says to seriously. If you what an accurate idea of how a vehicle performs you need to drive it yourself. The 4.6 is the perfect engine for the GX (and would have been for the 4Runner). It makes the GX feel agile, buttery smooth, very responsive and still get decent mileage.

Comparing a crossover to a body on frame (real truck) is ridiculous. It's like comparing a sports car to a luxury car and then deciding which one is better by how good they are on the track. If you going to compare them at least use an equal amount of off-roading criteria to give a fair comparison. If only off-roading was used to compare these vehicles, the results would have been the complete opposite. Also reliability/dependability should be a large factor (It is for me). What about audio systems, the ML is KILLER! The only other vehicle that should have been compared to the GX is the LR and it was picked next to last. The days of body on frame SUVs are just about gone.

The ONLY negative I have with the GX is the price, but it does have just about all the luxury and off-road features you can get on any vehicle.

For me it is the perfect vehicle. I will be retiring (early retirement) very soon and I will be traveling around the country with a TrailManor trailer in tow. I can set up the trailer and then explore all the back-roads and easy trails in western USA.

Koz

Do yourself a favor in that if you have such thin skin, don't bother surfing forums because you'll easily get upset, as in this case, over differing opinions. Clearly there's a bias in your opinion b/c you ponied up money for this luxury offroad vehicle, which in itself, is an oxymoron and silly.

C/D must be doing something right since they've been in business for over 25 years.

Nevermind your issue with comparing body on frame with crossovers, the review by C/D can be taken as a standalone assessment of the vehicle, as their power, braking, driving (stability and suspension), acceleration, etc. comments were more discrete observations. The GX460 has the worst power/weight ratio among all 5.

 

[Koz]

Do yourself a favor in that if you have such thin skin, don't bother surfing forums because you'll easily get upset, as in this case, over differing opinions. Clearly there's a bias in your opinion b/c you ponied up money for this luxury offroad vehicle, which in itself, is an oxymoron and silly.

C/D must be doing something right since they've been in business for over 25 years.

Nevermind your issue with comparing body on frame with crossovers, the review by C/D can be taken as a standalone assessment of the vehicle, as their power, braking, driving (stability and suspension), acceleration, etc. comments were more discrete observations. The GX460 has the worst power/weight ratio among all 5.

I could give a rat’s a$$ about what ANY rag mag says about any vehicle. And I certainly could care less about someone’s opinion based on that rag mag’s findings. I base my opinion on experience and fact and you (who probably never even drove a GX) call it bias. Then you imply the bias is based on buying a type of vehicle that YOU feel is an oxymoron. Let set the record straight, I knew exactly what I was buying and wanted (a “luxury offroad vehicle”). I have no problem with what I paid for a vehicle that fits my needs perfectly. As a matter fact, I feel the GX is worth every penny and then some. I even feel better now that I have owned it for a while.

Nobody that buys a Toyota/Lexus SUV is concerned about how its power to weight ratio compares to other vehicles (especially crossovers). Their concerned about ability, quality, dependability and longevity.

You obviously are harboring some type of resentment for the GX (maybe the cost). It's pretty apparent in your posts and the way YOU presented this thread and your comments.

Koz

 

[truckmike26]

Nobody who buys a Toyota/Lexus SUV is concerned about how its power to weight ratio compares to other vehicles?

I sure do. That's one reason why I picked the 4R V6 over the Ridgeline -- the Ridgeline is 300 lbs. heavier.

Ironically, all that extra weight DOES make the GX a better tow vehicle. In the end, it's a 4Runner forum.

 

[6starbucks]

Does VW even have a heritage of offroad prowess? Clearly not the same as what Audi is known for, which is their legendary Quattro system.

actually the touaregs' 4-motion is known to be better offroad than audis' quattro or torsen.

"Touareg has what is called 4X-Motion, this system is geared more for real off-road use, with different settings for differential. Q5 Quattro is the Torsen system, by most accounts the best AWD for a passender car, but not as solid for rock-crawling."

also compare the engines/price (MSRP) just a side note they are all specs and prices for 2010
Audi Q5 - 3.2L V6 37k
270hp
243 tourqe

Audi Q5 - 2.0L FSI 35k
211hp
258tourqe

VW Touareg - 3.0L TDI 44k (own it and love it!)
221 hp
406 tourqe

VW Touareg - 3.6L FSI 40k
280 hp
266 tourqe

 

[6starbucks]

just to be fair i looked up audi q5

this is the only picture i found on 5 pages

 

[DC Dude]

I could give a rat’s a$$ about what ANY rag mag says about any vehicle. And I certainly could care less about someone’s opinion based on that rag mag’s findings. I base my opinion on experience and fact and you (who probably never even drove a GX) call it bias. Then you imply the bias is based on buying a type of vehicle that YOU feel is an oxymoron. Let set the record straight, I knew exactly what I was buying and wanted (a “luxury offroad vehicle”). I have no problem with what I paid for a vehicle that fits my needs perfectly. As a matter fact, I feel the GX is worth every penny and then some. I even feel better now that I have owned it for a while.

Nobody that buys a Toyota/Lexus SUV is concerned about how its power to weight ratio compares to other vehicles (especially crossovers). Their concerned about ability, quality, dependability and longevity.

You obviously are harboring some type of resentment for the GX (maybe the cost). It's pretty apparent in your posts and the way YOU presented this thread and your comments.

Koz

LOL!

You are clearly a walking contradiction.

First you slam CD by calling it a rag mag, and then you say you don't care what it says. If you "couldn't care less about a rag mag's findings," you wouldn't be on this thread topic whining about how the GX came dead last in a comparison test.

Do yourself a favor and don't take what any rag mag says to seriously.

Then you said the GX's only negative is its price, and now you say it's worth every penny.

The ONLY negative I have with the GX is the price....

I have no problem with what I paid for a vehicle that fits my needs perfectly. As a matter fact, I feel the GX is worth every penny and then some. I even feel better now that I have owned it for a while.
Koz

And then, you continue your rant about why people buy Toyotas and Lexuses. Yeah, is that why Toyota spent billions on recalls and lawsuits?

Nobody that buys a Toyota/Lexus SUV is concerned about how its power to weight ratio compares to other vehicles (especially crossovers). Their concerned about ability, quality, dependability and longevity.

The bottom line is that you need to figure out what your real position is since your opinion wavers back and forth. Again, if you have thin skin, then don't bother reading about your GX anymore.

 

[Koz]

Nobody who buys a Toyota/Lexus SUV is concerned about how its power to weight ratio compares to other vehicles?

I sure do. That's one reason why I picked the 4R V6 over the Ridgeline -- the Ridgeline is 300 lbs. heavier.

Ironically, all that extra weight DOES make the GX a better tow vehicle. In the end, it's a 4Runner forum.

I stand corrected, what i should have said was; their main concern.

Note - The Ridgeline is hardly in the same vehicle class as the T4R, with its unibody and IRS that rides like a car and has the utility of a pick-up. Not sure where you got the 300 lbs difference.

Koz

 

[Koz]

LOL!

You are clearly a walking contradiction.

First you slam CD by calling it a rag mag, and then you say you don't care what it says. If you "couldn't care less about a rag mag's findings," you wouldn't be on this thread topic whining about how the GX came dead last in a comparison test.



Then you said the GX's only negative is it's price, and now you say it's worth every penny.





And then, you continue your rant about why people buy Toyotas and Lexuses. Yeah, is that why Toyota spent billions on recalls and lawsuits?



The bottom line is that you need to figure out what your real position is since your opinion wavers back and forth. Again, if you have thin skin, then don't bother reading about your GX anymore.

:snacker: I can't wait to read more of your insight!

Koz

 

[DC Dude]

actually the touaregs' 4-motion is known to be better offroad than audis' quattro or torsen.

"Touareg has what is called 4X-Motion, this system is geared more for real off-road use, with different settings for differential. Q5 Quattro is the Torsen system, by most accounts the best AWD for a passender car, but not as solid for rock-crawling."

also compare the engines/price (MSRP) just a side note they are all specs and prices for 2010
Audi Q5 - 3.2L V6 37k
270hp
243 tourqe

Audi Q5 - 2.0L FSI 35k
211hp
258tourqe

VW Touareg - 3.0L TDI 44k (own it and love it!)
221 hp
406 tourqe

VW Touareg - 3.6L FSI 40k
280 hp
266 tourqe

That actually makes more sense compared to the GX. Audi is VW's luxury line. They put the 4Motion in the Touareg because it's more likely to be taken offroad and rockclimbing compared to the Q series, which is a luxury SUV and has the Quattro system.

Lexus probably couldn't figure out what to do with the GX so they just slapped luxury amenities onto a T4R and added about $15-20K to the price tag and almost 450 lbs. in weight (compared to a 5th Gen Limited). If they had offered a V8 for the 5th Gen Limited, that would easily eat into the sales for the GX.

BTW, the Q7 was compared to the GX460 and it was the Q7 that came in first.

 

[DC Dude]

:snacker: I can't wait to read more of your insight!

Koz

I can't wait to read more contradictions. :banana:

 

[Thai]

I can't wait to read more contradictions. :banana:

To be fair to koz, not everyone buys their SUVs based on how fast it is or how good it is around corners. For example, if i were given a shopping spree of the SUVs included in this comparo, then i would have gotten the last place winner (GX460), even without blinking an eye. Why? Because i would have gotten it and trade it in for a 4runner Trail! Seriously, for me, the added poundage over a Limited 4runner is not a big deal, comparing to what you get in return: a true V8 (not that i need it, but still a v8 is a v8), super quiet cabin (hey, those sound deadeners do weigh a few lbs), super stereo system (Mark Levinson rocks!), and superb interior materials and fit & finish. The V8 along should explain most of the weight difference vs. a V6 4runner Limited.

The rest of the field is a joke to me. Land Rover LR4? Yeah, that's ok, i don't want to own the most UNreliable & UNdurable car in the world at this time. Audi? Nah, it is a Touareg on heels...and the Touareg ain't a reliable thing either. Audi's premium sound system (B&O) is not very good.

The ONLY one that i would consider outside the GX is the Acura MDX because it is reliable, durable, does its crossover job very well, and has an awesome sound system (ELS)...probably easily rivaling the Mark Levinson in GX. In addition, with experience with Acura service near my house, I LOVE ACURA SERVICE!! Man, it is cheap! My wife's TSX just got 30k mile checkup...all for $38!! Lexus owners can only dream of having that cheap of a service, much less a 30k mile service!

 

[Carl_G]

Its amazing how upset some people get on the forum.