Why the side-swinging rear door?
#46
Okay here is the real reason why the GX has the barn door is mainly because of the head room if you look at it. Since all of you are comparing it to all the other SUVs its has a third row seat considering the size of this suv if it has the lift up hatch the hinges for the top and the automatic motor for the litfting and closing would interfere with the people who sit in the last row.....Just imagine how your neck would be if the RX had a third row seat in it. So since the GX has the hinges on the side this allows more headroom for the people in the last row...I only know this cause i asked the same question that yall are asking to the lexus representive that came to a dealership to unviel and answer any question that we had about the newly designed GX.. i know that the LX has a third row and a lift gate too but it is sooo much bigger then the GX.... i hope that his answers this threads question
#48
Okay here is the real reason why the GX has the barn door is mainly because of the head room if you look at it. Since all of you are comparing it to all the other SUVs its has a third row seat considering the size of this suv if it has the lift up hatch the hinges for the top and the automatic motor for the litfting and closing would interfere with the people who sit in the last row.....Just imagine how your neck would be if the RX had a third row seat in it. So since the GX has the hinges on the side this allows more headroom for the people in the last row...I only know this cause i asked the same question that yall are asking to the lexus representive that came to a dealership to unviel and answer any question that we had about the newly designed GX.. i know that the LX has a third row and a lift gate too but it is sooo much bigger then the GX.... i hope that his answers this threads question
#50
yeah they do have the option of the third row seat nad i know the highlander comes with one but what they dont have is that if the GX were to have a liftgate it would also most likely be motorized and the motor itself would be what gets in the way the 4runner and highlanders doesnt have a motor that closes and opens their liftgate
#51
There are plenty of SUV's with power liftgates, granted it is not the EXACT SAME size as the GX460, maybe off by an inch or two, but how many SUV's have the exact same dimensions anyway.
Lexus could have easily designed and installed a power lift gate on the new GX460 if they wanted to. They just chose not to.
Lexus could have easily designed and installed a power lift gate on the new GX460 if they wanted to. They just chose not to.
#52
I think it's just a cheap carryover of the Prado and Toyota just did not want to redesign the rear gate. The Prado has the spare on back so weight wise it would be too heavy to have it lift up. Thus why the RAV4 and old CRV had the gate. When the new CRV went the way of swing up, the spare tire was gone.
There is NO REASON to have a swing gate on the GX, none. The pros of having a up gate are far more than having a swing gate. Lexus blew it on the first GX and blew it again on the 2nd gen., plain and simple.
They fixed on big problem (the 3rd row now folds flat) and left another for Gen. 3. Guess Toyota didn't want to keep us totally satisfied or they would not be "pursuing perfection."
There is NO REASON to have a swing gate on the GX, none. The pros of having a up gate are far more than having a swing gate. Lexus blew it on the first GX and blew it again on the 2nd gen., plain and simple.
They fixed on big problem (the 3rd row now folds flat) and left another for Gen. 3. Guess Toyota didn't want to keep us totally satisfied or they would not be "pursuing perfection."
#53
That's your opinion. I significantly prefer the swing gate for similar reasons that I prefer passenger doors that swing instead of lift -- especially if it's not a power gate. A swing gate is far more convenient to open and put routine items in and out in my experience. I often rent vehicles, and sometimes get SUV's with manual lift gates. They are annoying as hell -- unlatch, pull it back while you step out of the way, lift it overhead, step up, do your thing, step back, pull it down and close it. PITA compared to a swing gate which works like a passenger door, which for some reason people don't seem to have problems with.
#54
They even hide tools and stuff in it. Imagine them hiding it in the manual lift gate, when you try to take it out it'll all fall on your head haha.
Edit: If you are loading a lot of stuff on your roof, wouldn't it be easier to step from the back if you are using a cargo box or basket? You can have the rear door open and it'll be easier than trying to load everything up from the side? Not to mention, if you have the manual lift gate up, you would have to close it before you can even get to the rear of the roof. Just a thought.
Last edited by gyung; 04-16-10 at 11:27 AM.
#55
That's your opinion. I significantly prefer the swing gate for similar reasons that I prefer passenger doors that swing instead of lift -- especially if it's not a power gate. A swing gate is far more convenient to open and put routine items in and out in my experience. I often rent vehicles, and sometimes get SUV's with manual lift gates. They are annoying as hell -- unlatch, pull it back while you step out of the way, lift it overhead, step up, do your thing, step back, pull it down and close it. PITA compared to a swing gate which works like a passenger door, which for some reason people don't seem to have problems with.
#56
I'm with you here - my parents love the swing gate too, and now they added a latched rear window, it's even better. I think it looks cool too
They even hide tools and stuff in it. Imagine them hiding it in the manual lift gate, when you try to take it out it'll all fall on your head haha.
Edit: If you are loading a lot of stuff on your roof, wouldn't it be easier to step from the back if you are using a cargo box or basket? You can have the rear door open and it'll be easier than trying to load everything up from the side? Not to mention, if you have the manual lift gate up, you would have to close it before you can even get to the rear of the roof. Just a thought.
They even hide tools and stuff in it. Imagine them hiding it in the manual lift gate, when you try to take it out it'll all fall on your head haha.
Edit: If you are loading a lot of stuff on your roof, wouldn't it be easier to step from the back if you are using a cargo box or basket? You can have the rear door open and it'll be easier than trying to load everything up from the side? Not to mention, if you have the manual lift gate up, you would have to close it before you can even get to the rear of the roof. Just a thought.
#58
#59
#60
What?
Also, lift must be overall better than swing or else someone's minivan would have a gate. And the loading of objects, if you have an object that causes the rear door not to close, on a lift gate the weight of the door almost keeps it down, so you just need to do a quick tie. With a gate, pretty hard to keep a swinging gate closed.
It seems a few here love it, so I guess it can't be completely bad.