The question I am asked most often is: "If money were no object, what vehicle would you buy?"
Here it is. The 2002 Lexus LX 470 (base price $61,855 plus $575 transportation) is the first one I would pick, although even its Toyota counterpart, the Land Cruiser ($52,595 plus transportation), would do.
Given my affinity for off-road driving, my personal fondness for sport utility vehicles, and my knowledge of what vehicles hold up well for the long run, it's easy for me to choose the LX 470/Land Cruiser as my personal favorite of all the vehicles out there.
That doesn't translate into my actually owning one, however. Can't afford it.
The question was, though, which vehicle would I buy if money were no object, and if I could afford an LX 470 or Land Cruiser, needed a vehicle and was of a mind to buy one, that probably would be it. That's true even though the 2002 LX 470 isn't really as capable off-road as the previous model, the LX 450, was. But even with its minor off-road shortcomings in comparison with the vehicle it replaced, the LX 470 is a humdinger of a vehicle.
This particular Lexus didn't start out as one. In the mid-1990s when Toyota needed a sport utility vehicle to add to the line of Lexus luxury cars, the company merely adapted its own Land Cruiser to the job. Lexus called that model the LX 450, and it was merely a gussied-up version of the Land Cruiser.
I have mentioned before that some Lexus customers were a bit disappointed with the LX 450 because of several factors, including its inline six-cylinder engine, which some buyers found to be a bit anemic for a two-and-a-half-ton truck. The biggest competitor, the British Range Rover, had V-8 power.
Among the other problems were the tight middle seat, which wasn't as comfortable as it should have been; and a truly tight fit in the third seat, which was best left to no more than two small- or medium-size kids. Additionally, the LX 450's ride was a bit harsh for a vehicle in the over-$50,000 luxury class.
For 2000, though, Lexus fixed most of those problems with the brand-new LX 470, which was still a clone of the also-redesigned Land Cruiser.
Only two components were carried over: the four-speed automatic transmission and the two-speed transfer case for low-range gearing in off-road situations.
The six-cylinder engine was replaced in the LX 470 and Land Cruiser by a 4.7-liter V-8 engine based on the 4.0-liter V-8 used in the 1999 and 2000 Lexus LS 400 luxury sedan. Horsepower increased to 230 from 212, and torque improved to 320 foot-pounds from 275.
With the improved power, the LX 470 can go from zero to 60 mph in just 10 seconds, which is impressive in the full-size SUV class. It's not class-leading power, though — the Cadillac Escalade is the clear winner there.
Although this still is a rather heavy truck, Toyota engineers have made significant improvements to the ride of the LX 470.
Two high-tech features were added.
One is an adjustable height control that sets the body at one of three different levels from "high" for the best off-road clearance to "low" for the best road-hugging performance. This really doesn't improve the ground clearance much; it just raises or lowers the body on the frame. At the lowest point, the vehicle is low enough to the ground for easy entry and exit. The highest level works only below 18 mph and is intended for off-road use.
The other is an adaptive variable suspension, which includes a computer-controlled variable shock absorber system. It has driver-selectable ranges that control a computerized shock absorber setup that can choose from among 64 different settings, from extra cushy for bumpy roads to extra firm for interstate cruising.
The third seat, though, is less-spacious than before, so it is still best left to the kids. It is easier to fold down or remove than before — it comes in two pieces, each of which can be removed separately.
I mentioned earlier that the new version of the LX isn't quite as off-road capable as before. In the previous generation, the Land Cruiser and LX 450 were arguably the best stock-equipped off-road vehicles on the market, primarily because of the suspension system that allowed for extra leaning (and therefore better agility over rocks and logs), and a better four-wheel-drive system.
On those vehicles, the full-time four-wheel drive system was available with locking front and rear differentials, which can make a difference between getting stuck or keeping going in the muck. The LX 470 still has the locking center differential, which forces power to both front and rear when locked; but no locking front differential is offered, and the locking rear differential is available only on the Land Cruiser version.
With the LX 470, there is only a limited-slip rear differential, which isn't as effective in sand and mud as a locking mechanism.
For most people, none of this matters. Toyota made these changes to accommodate the people who buy vehicles in this class, and few of them would ever take an LX 470 into serious off-road conditions. (This fall, yet another Lexus SUV goes on sale — the midsize GX 470, which is basically the same vehicle as the redesigned 2003 Toyota 4Runner, but with more luxury appointments. You can bet that this one will have serious off-road attributes like its big brother, the LX 470.)
As befitting a Lexus with a price this high, luxury abounds in the LX 470. Included are such amenities as walnut interior trim, leather seats, a DVD-based dash-mounted navigation system, separate front and rear automatic climate control with smog sensor and air filter, premium 250-watt AM/FM/cassette stereo with seven speakers and a six-disc CD player.
Safety features include dual front air bags and four-wheel antilock brakes, which also work in low-range gear mode. There is a computerized control that decreases anti-lock braking effort at off-road speeds for better driver control on steep slopes; however; this was almost a requirement to keep the LX 470 up to off-road standards.
Our test model came with just three options: a Mark Levinson audio system ($1,280), a cargo mat ($74) and a roof rack ($621), which is nice to have for long trips and carrying dirty sports equipment.
EPA fuel-economy estimates are 13 miles per gallon in city and 16 mpg on the highway.
E-MAIL: chambers@express-news.net