Competes with: Audi Q5, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus RX 350L, Mercedes-Benz GLE
Looks like: A more refined GX 460; the Toyota 4Runner; the Lexus LX 570 shrunk in the wash
Drivetrain: 4.6-liter V-8 producing 301 horsepower and 329 pounds-feet of torque; six-speed automatic transmission
Hits dealerships: TBD, though likely late 2019
Lexus has given its mid-size, off-road-capable GX 460 SUV a light facelift for 2020, as well as standard active safety features and some extra off-road tech. The stalwart body-on-frame SUV gets an updated spindle grille that eschews the horizontal bars and lower opening for a faux mesh pattern more in line with the rest of the Lexus lineup.
Related: 2019 Lexus GX 460 Review: An Aged Model Earns Its Keep for the Wrong Reasons
Speaking of being in line with the rest of the Lexus lineup, the 2020 GX 460 is the last Lexus model to gain standard Lexus Safety System Plus, completing the brand’s goal of offering standard active safety features on every model.
Exterior
There’s not much to say beyond the changes to the GX’s grille. It’s still a boxy, trucklike SUV in a world of swooping car-based designs. Fortunately, as Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder pointed out in his review of the 2019 model, that boxy design does give it a headroom advantage, particularly in the third row, when compared to its more coupelike competitors.
Interior
Changes to the interior are also minimal. There’s a new Rioja Red leather seat color, plus some updates to the multimedia system — though Wiesenfelder found the 2019 model’s older design preferable to current Lexus systems in many ways. One year of Lexus Enform Remote service is included with ownership, giving owners the ability to control some basic features of the car via smartphone, smartwatch or other smart device with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
Under the Hood
Same old, same old here, as power still comes from a 4.6-liter V-8 paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s also still the available Crawl Control, a sort of off-road cruise control found on other Lexus and Toyota models. New for 2020 is an Off-Road Package for Luxury trim models that combines multiple camera systems to help plot your course through off-road obstacles, a transmission cooler, fuel tank protection, and the Multi-Terrain Select system that manages throttle and brake response for specific types of terrain.
Safety
Lexus made it a goal to have all of its models equipped with standard active safety features, and the 2020 GX is the last vehicle on its roster to gain standard Lexus Safety System Plus, which has automatic forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, intelligent high-beam headlights and adaptive cruise control.
Pricing and on-sale information should follow soon, but expect the 2020 Lexus GX 460 to cost a little more than a comparable 2019 model and to be available toward the latter end of 2019.
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