GX470 Helps FJ Cruiser Rescue City Bus from Snow Drift
After lending aid to both an FJ Cruiser and a city bus, YouTuber Logan King goes over pros and cons of owning a GX470 after a year with it.
Every Lexus looks great against the snow; otherwise, those Decembers wouldn’t be ones to remember. However, not every Lexus is capable of running in winter’s fluffy precipitation. The GX470 is one of the few made for such great white blankets out of the box. Yet, with a few upgrades, it can be made even better.
YouTuber Logan King spent the past year building up his GX470 to the off-road machine it is at the moment. Just in time for the tough winters in his native Calgary, Alberta, too, where a rescue attempt needed a bit more power.
“Matt just told me there’s a bus stuck somewhere in my neighborhood,” said King. “We’re gonna go try and save them […] Matt arrived before me, so he thought he would give it a try by himself. The FJ was doing a great job here. The bus slowly started moving.”
King said the bus had been stuck in the snow drift for an hour before his friend tried to rescue it with the FJ. However, it needed more Toyota power to truly free the bus. Thus, King’s GX470 took lead in front of the FJ, the two of them finally pulling the bus back onto the street. The FJ also pulled a GMC pickup out of another drift, showing up Detroit as only a Toyota could.
“First thing I love is the V8 engine in the GX470,” said King. “It’s the 2UZ-FE. I love it. It’s known for its reliability. It crushes it off-road […] Even with the 35s, I find the low-end torque is good enough that I didn’t need to re-gear.”
King also loves the GX470’s uniqueness among Lexus builds. While offering the prowess of a 4Runner, the Lexus allowed King to put his stamp on the rig. The A-TRAC four-wheel drive system is also a plus, as is the side-opening tailgate, and the luxurious interior. Alas, the interior is not just a blessing (especially the heated front seats), but a curse.
“The first con of the interior would be [the front] seats,” said King. “They are not very supportive. You slide around a lot, especially off-road. The bolstering leaves a lot to be desired, especially compared to some of the cars I have.”
King may replace the front seats with aftermarket units. However, that may mean losing the heated option he needs for those winters in Calgary. He’s also not a fan of the small center console due to its cup holders, nor the big V8’s thirst for fuel. Overall, though, his GX470 is the perfect ride no matter the terrain or season.
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