Lexus GX 470 Hangs With Jeeps at Off-Road Park
Can this built GX be as good an off-roader as the iconic Jeep Wrangler?
Off-Road Test
As most Lexus enthusiasts already know, the GX is a capable off-road machine, even if most owners don't use it in such a way. One person that does, however, is Jalopnik's Rory Carroll, who recently took his GX 470 out to Drummond Island in Michigan to test its limits. Interestingly, however, the Lexus was accompanied by nothing but Jeeps, which would prove to be quite the test for the larger-bodied SUV.
Photos: Rory Carroll for Jalopnik
Mods
Carroll has done quite a bit of work to his GX thus far, including, most recently, adding a light bar, which wound up failing on this particular trip. He's also added a winch, which is neatly integrated into the factory bumper, and the SUV rides a bit higher than stock on some more aggressive rubber.
Photos: David Tracy for Jalopnik
Muddy Mess
After some heavy rain, the island was covered in deep mud puddles, but the GX conquered all of them without ingesting any water. The mud was a different story, however, and after seeing it swallow a Wrangler whole, Carroll opted for a different route.
Photos: David Tracy for Jalopnik
Too Big
Unfortunately, that route highlighted the GX's one big weakness - its size. The big SUV had trouble squeezing through the heavily wooded area, which is no surprise. Even the Wranglers accompanying it had a hard time making it through, which forced Carroll to take a muddier route.
Photos: Rory Carroll for Jalopnik
Recovery Effort
That alternative route turned out to be troublesome as well, as the GX found itself stuck sitting on its front skid plate with nowhere to go. A little winching solved that problem and highlighted the need for a bit more clearance on the Lexus' suspension.
Photos: David Tracy for Jalopnik
Conquering Obstacles
Soon, Carroll came to a rather steep cliff and decided to give it a shot. He managed to conquer that obstacle, but it also convinced him to order a set of rock sliders afterward. He then mastered a rocky downhill dubbed Mu's Revenge, an impressive feat given the fact that it's filled with broken Jeep parts.
Photos: Spencer Abbott for Jalopnik
Proving Its Worth
While he didn't necessarily build this GX to be the ultimate off-roader, Carroll admits that he's "been impressed with where this thing will go." Proving once again that the GX is an underrated off-roader, even if it is a bit too big for some trails.
Photos: David Tracy for Jalopnik
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