The Lexus GX is a midsize, luxury SUV that probably qualifies for the “dream car” list for soccer moms all across the country. We had one of those soccer moms as one of our team of test drivers, and she certainly loved this vehicle. The rest of the team was pretty happy with it as well. And what’s not to like? It’s big and comfortable and loaded with the modern luxuries we all love in our new cars.

But it’s also a traditional SUV with body-on-frame construction, a standard V8 engine, a 4WD system and advanced dynamic control technologies. So if you’re looking for a luxury vehicle that can do more than pick up the kids and groceries, the GX offers an excellent option.

Exterior

We’re big fans of the more aggressive designs we’ve been seeing from Lexus and we like the new spindle grille, though it’s very pronounced on the GX. The bold lines and edges will appeal to some and perhaps turn off others. Still, we liked the overall look of the vehicle and it’s an improvement over previous models.

Interior

The interior was upgraded for the 2015 model and has all the comforts you would expect. With room for up to seven passengers it’s a great vehicle for families.

Standard features include 10-way power-adjustable, front seats, automatic dual-zone climate control, steering wheel audio controls and power moonroof. Our Luxury package included the 17-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound Audio system with 330-watts output at less than 0.1 percent Total Harmonic Distortion, Automatic Sound Levelizer and 7.1 channel architecture. It sounded great.

The Driver Support Package includes Pre-Collision System with Driver Attention Monitor and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert, and the Wide-view Front and Side Camera designed to enhance visibility in tight settings. It also includes Intuitive Parking Assist which helps the driver detect obstacles at the front, rear or corners of the vehicle and helps with parking.

Performance

The driving experience is very comfortable and smooth, but you also get the sensation of being in a real SUV which many consumers prefer. It’s a big vehicle and you sit high on the road.

The GX features a 301-horsepower, 4.6-liter V8 engine that generates 329 lb.-ft. of peak torque. We didn’t test the GX 460 for towing but it provides a 6,500-lb. trailer capacity. You won’t get this with a luxury CUV. The Lexus GX 460 also offers true, full-time 4-wheel drive with a variety of sophisticated features like Downhill Assist Control, Hill-start Assist Control, Active Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control and available Crawl Control.

Overview

The Lexus GX 460 is a very versatile luxury vehicle that should be very popular with households looking for different driving experiences. It offers the comfort and luxury most want for suburban driving along with the chops to handle towing or off-road experiences. That flexibility will make it attractive to a large number of consumers in the luxury segment.