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Considering the Lincoln Aviator does a 6.0 with its non-hybrid, AWD model, it does seem that there is a shortage somewhere. They are in the same price range and market segment.
A 6.5 ain’t bad but it ain’t earth shattering.
6.5 seconds is what my 2014 LX570 is, weighing 6200lbs with the old 5.7.
Re: GX, 479lb/ft of torque is frankly a pretty massive amount for a not-humungous SUV. This GX550 should be notably quicker than it is.
It is possible that what the V35 makes on an engine dyno when tested to the J1349 SAE standard is a different number than what the ECM's torque management strategies allows it to output under use depending on conditions. Or perhaps other testing will confirm it to be quicker than 6.5 seconds to 60. As a happy GX460 owner I can say the GX550 is substantially quicker than mine, so it has that going for it.
They had a couple of Prem+ 550's at the dealership today. I didn't drive it but I did sit in both front and back seats and gave it a good look over. It def is bigger than the 460.
I can see where some folks would really like this thing - esp if they wanted to tow. Not sure how much of a luxury SUV it is though - it is nice, but it did feel like there was a bunch of cost cutting.
1) The exposed rear window wiper mechanism on the inside of the window is a little odd - also it is for sure is going to get in the way almost every time you try to put in a heavy bag or object via the rear window opening. Easily can see the mechanism getting smashed for more than a few owners.
2) I sat in the back seat and pulled on the 'magazine' pocket on the back of the front seats. I have a video but not sure how upload, but it is so cheap. The whole front seat cover moves when you pull on the pocket like it some bunk job after market seat cover- so weak, totally cheap.
3) Rear seat arm rest - even cheaper than I thought it would be from pictures. Not long enough and feels and looks cheap.
4) Steering Wheel. At least to me, the material around wheel, while soft, feels kinda cheap. Way cheaper feel than my '07 IS250, let alone the awesome wheel in our '13 GX. The IS250 was the entry car to the entire Lexus line at that time, it is way nicer leather feel than the GX550. I know not a big deal but on the other hand, you do touch the wheel all the time.
5) Front Cup Holder. Not so much cheap, but are on the passenger side of the console. This wouldn't be a big deal, but the passenger side is slightly recessed, so it is 'difficult' to get a standard coffee cup (the one I got from the Lexus barista) in and out because from the drivers side you have to reach over and down a bit. Not the end of the world but it is a movement that drivers will make over and over and I can see it getting both annoying over time and increase odds of a spill over the console. Again, not the end of the world but something I noticed right away when I put my cup down in the holder.
6) Headliner - way cheaper feel/material than in the 460.
7) Back seat door card. I pulled a bit on the door arm rest/handle on the back seat door and I could see the arm and door card flex quite a bit. Again, not a huge deal, but very surprising and makes me wonder if everything is screwed down as well as it should - maybe there will be rattles etc down the line? I don't know but less robust than other Lexus that I have had.
8) Rear Hatch - There is a thin plastic panel/covering along the outer rim on the inside of the hatch - I don't know if this is how it is meant to be, but that panel (not sure how else to call it) had a lot of flex, and didn't seem like it was attached tightly to the hatch - but maybe that is how it should be.
I have videos of the door pocket, back seat, and hatch panel flex. If I can figure out how to post with out uploading to Youtube I will.
Other than that, I can see someone being pretty happy with it - esp if you are not coming from a 460. I don't think I would be happy with it, but that is mostly because I think it is too big for my needs and I don't really like the look of it (but that is just my take, I can see how others will like it). I also think I would be a little disappointed with the fit and finish - esp if I paid a premium for it. It feels more like a top of the line Toyota - like the last gen Avalon but not the sibling ES.
It's funny how my opinion of the thing is completely opposite from you. I currently own a 2022 GX460. I sat in both the base and Luxury model but I also didnt get to drive it. The materials are good and feels premium to the touch. The fit and finish is above the GX460. The vehicle is higher than the 460 and only feels slightly bigger on the inside, although I had imagined it would have been bigger. Perhaps the reduced space front and second row is due to the wider middle console and the hump in the middle of the second row. Outside design elements like wiper placements...it is what it is and why arent you opening the whole hatch if you are carrying something heavy and want it to put inside the car? Why would you try to life it up high and shove it through that smallish opening?
One thing I was surprised by is the amount of orange peel on the paint vs my 460. However, I will chalk that up to being early production vehicles.
6.5 seconds 0-60 with 479lb/ft of torque, something isn't right there. All this complicated complex computer software crap.
Torque is great for everything accept for acceleration. Certainly helps to get the vehicle moving. HP is what ultimately get's you better acceleration numbers and with only 349 hp and a heavier vehicle to boot with the aerodynamics of a house, its not surprising the 0-60 time didnt improve as dramatically as one would hope.
Torque is great for everything accept for acceleration. Certainly helps to get the vehicle moving. HP is what ultimately get's you better acceleration numbers and with only 349 hp and a heavier vehicle to boot with the aerodynamics of a house, its not surprising the 0-60 time didnt improve as dramatically as one would hope.
Torque is great for acceleration, if not necessarily performance numbers except a few. How much do these weigh? I mean that's almost 500 ft/lbs of torque. 6.5 seconds is way too slow.
The old saying "it's HP that sells the car but torque that actually you feel" or something like that.
It's funny how my opinion of the thing is completely opposite from you. ... Why would you try to life it up high and shove it through that smallish opening?
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One thing I was surprised by is the amount of orange peel on the paint vs my 460. However, I will chalk that up to being early production vehicles.
I didn't think the interior was super big, but the exterior is several inches wider and longer than my '13 and I already am cutting it close in my garage when the storms come (gotten watch out for the hail down here in TX).
I use the window hatch often - but you could be right. I was just thinking how I use it an noticed that the window wiper mechanism is located right where it is likely to get hit often - but of course I don't know how it will hold up - hopefully (I don't want it to be a problem) it isn't something anyone has an issue with.
As I said, I can see why someone would want to buy this, and I don't think it is overall crappy - but for me it felt more like the Toyota Avalon - which was nice (I considered getting one) but not quite as nice as the Lexus ES at the time. And to be fair, I really only had 4 or 5 things stand out as being of lower quality than I would expect. Nor do I think the GX460 is free of cheap feeling textures / materials - the silver plastic surround of the head unit is cheap city.
Anyway - if you are a new owner I am sure you will enjoy it. I don't mean to buzzkill your new ride.
I didn't think the interior was super big, but the exterior is several inches wider and longer than my '13 and I already am cutting it close in my garage when the storms come (gotten watch out for the hail down here in TX).
I use the window hatch often - but you could be right. I was just thinking how I use it an noticed that the window wiper mechanism is located right where it is likely to get hit often - but of course I don't know how it will hold up - hopefully (I don't want it to be a problem) it isn't something anyone has an issue with.
As I said, I can see why someone would want to buy this, and I don't think it is overall crappy - but for me it felt more like the Toyota Avalon - which was nice (I considered getting one) but not quite as nice as the Lexus ES at the time. And to be fair, I really only had 4 or 5 things stand out as being of lower quality than I would expect. Nor do I think the GX460 is free of cheap feeling textures / materials - the silver plastic surround of the head unit is cheap city.
Anyway - if you are a new owner I am sure you will enjoy it. I don't mean to buzzkill your new ride.
No not a new owner and highly unlike I will trade my GX460 for it. It's hard to say yes or no to something without test driving it. After test driving the GX460, I couldnt stop obsessing over it. Maybe I will have the same feeling or not, once I test drive the 550.
Torque is great for acceleration, if not necessarily performance numbers except a few. How much do these weigh? I mean that's almost 500 ft/lbs of torque. 6.5 seconds is way too slow.
The old saying "it's HP that sells the car but torque that actually you feel" or something like that.
Not an apples to apples comparison, but if torque is everything, then Diesels should destroy everything in its path with its massive torque output and relatively low hp numbers. The 550 also has a lot more gears to go through while accelerating. So perhaps 0-60 times isnt the best and only indication of its performance?
Not an apples to apples comparison, but if torque is everything, then Diesels should destroy everything in its path with its massive torque output and relatively low hp numbers. The 550 also has a lot more gears to go through while accelerating. So perhaps 0-60 times isnt the best and only indication of its performance?
Okay sure, let’s do passing tests which are a GREAT indicator of real world driving performance
LX570 with the ancient V8 beats this GX in both 30-50 and especially 50-70. I’m on my phone and can’t post the articles but this is all accurate. So yeah, flooring it onto the interstate will be slower in the new one.
Also its street start 5-60 is better, and a better indication of real world
acceleration than 0-60
Bring back the V8. If it were 479lb/ft from a NA motor I think it would be muchhhh quicker.
No not a new owner and highly unlike I will trade my GX460 for it. It's hard to say yes or no to something without test driving it. After test driving the GX460, I couldnt stop obsessing over it. Maybe I will have the same feeling or not, once I test drive the 550.
I guess it is also possible the '13 may have nicer fit and finish than the '22/'23 models even if it has much (much much much ) worse tech? I personally much prefer the original GX460 steering wheel and shifter pre the '20 update, the '22/'23 placement of the radio/stereo controls below and recessed from the offroad controls is bad design, and the updated touch screen looks like an afterthought (which of course it was).
Okay sure, let’s do passing tests which are a GREAT indicator of real world driving performance
LX570 with the ancient V8 beats this GX in both 30-50 and especially 50-70. I’m on my phone and can’t post the articles but this is all accurate. So yeah, flooring it onto the interstate will be slower in the new one.
Also its street start 5-60 is better, and a better indication of real world
acceleration than 0-60
Bring back the V8. If it were 479lb/ft from a NA motor I think it would be muchhhh quicker.
Your LX has the 6 speed instead of the 8 speed correct? Your model with that 6 speed is just much quicker with different gearing than even the later models with the same engine and 8 speed, which many feels was a bit sluggish and definitely slower accelerating. So might be better to compare the 550 to the 8 speed version of the LX570.
I guess it is also possible the '13 may have nicer fit and finish than the '22/'23 models even if it has much (much much much ) worse tech? I personally much prefer the original GX460 steering wheel and shifter pre the '20 update, the '22/'23 placement of the radio/stereo controls below and recessed from the offroad controls is bad design, and the updated touch screen looks like an afterthought (which of course it was).
Your LX has the 6 speed instead of the 8 speed correct? Your model with that 6 speed is just much quicker with different gearing than even the later models with the same engine and 8 speed, which many feels was a bit sluggish and definitely slower accelerating. So might be better to compare the 550 to the 8 speed version of the LX570.
Yeah that was a disaster move, we'd like a late late 570 but I don't want that transmission....ever. I've said this before but Toyota made them spunky feeling on purpose for fun. Then Uncle Sam stepped in and literally ruined it all. (If you like trucks, you'd love a 6 speed LX/LC and the way they feel, huge V8, very aggressive transmission) Zero real world difference in fuel economy with that 8speed that slows it down, I guarantee it.
Huh - I wonder if the seats quality is not the same in the Prem+ vs the Overland+
This screen grab from The Tophers vid below shows seats in Overland+ that are way more robust than the Prem+ I was in - maybe the demo GX that the dealer had was a preproduction? If preproduction that would explain how cheap the interior felt to me. If not, then I would for sure shy away from the Prem models.
I just sat in and touched, pulled, and tugged on everything I could think of inside of a new Premium Plus model and felt like the fit and finish was GREATLY improved compared to the Overtrail model that I first checked out at my local autoshow. (It was a pre production build) That being said, there is a definite shift from luxury to utilitarian on these. Lot's of black hard touch plastic with some nicer materials mixed in. It's nice inside and I get the idea behind making it more rugged (for the OT trims at least) but if you're wanting a luxurious interior more akin to an Audi or BMW product (or even a previous gen Lexus) you may be disappointed.
05-12-24, 06:04 PM
