Lexus GX460 is a Luxury Off-roading King
See how the Lexus styling for the GX460 camouflages one of the most well-proven off-roading platforms on the planet.
We’ve all rolled our eyes at the ignorant claim of Lexus vehicles just being Toyota’s with fancy seats. It does, of course, go deeper than that glib hand-wave of a dismissal. However, there is a kernel of truth there and the two companies share technology where it makes sense. The reality is that Lexus being the luxury division of Toyota has some very real benefits and when Toyota builds a world-class platform that borderlines on perfection, it would be a mistake not to utilize that.
As Jeff Glucker points out in this video from the Truck Central YouTube channel, the GX460 is built on the Toyota Land Cruiser platform and more specifically, the mid-sized Prado model. When it comes to off-road capability and reliability, it totally makes sense to rebadge the Prado, give it the Lexus styling at the front and wave the Lexus magic wand to bring true luxury to the interior. Glucker is absolutely right as well about how the Land Cruiser is used around the world and why, when push comes to shove, a Land Cruiser often valued over a Land Rover or Range Rover when conditions get real. One of the best examples is Australian farmers in the outback where reliability is an absolute necessity and too much complexity is to be avoided.
The Land Cruiser Prado is an older platform, but that’s not all negative in our eyes. It’s an older platform that is both very well proven and very well supported. In societies mad rush to move technology forward, we often forget that newest isn’t always best for long-term ownership and tools we rely on. Whether it’s for someone that wants a comfortable commuter they can go have fun with or a doctor covering a large area with a hostile climate, a reliable and proven platform is king.
