Ah, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. There’s perhaps no better way to keep your calm than in the oasis provided by the Lexus GX. An SUV that for the first time ever comes as a Black Line Special Edition.
That’s not the only thing new for 2022. This year, the entire GX lineup adds standard Intuitive Parking Assist, navigation and power folding and heated mirrors. Tech gets a boost as well with the new 10.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, available in the GX Black Line Special Edition I’m driving this week, which is based on the Premium Grade.
Exterior
In Black Onyx, the GX Black Line Edition looks like it deserves a spot in a spy thriller with its blacked-out exterior accents. Features that set it apart include a special fog lamp garnish, a large dark chrome finish grille and 18-inch gloss black split-six spoke wheels.
Additional Black Line details include unique lower front and rear bumper valance design, scarlet tail lamps, black roof rails and body-colored door handles. Triple-Beam LED headlamps are superb and standard on all GX models.
Powertrain
The GX is amply powered thanks to a 4.6-liter V8 that produces 301-horsepower and 329 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a 6-speed transmission and all-wheel drive is standard across the lineup. All this said, as you might imagine, the GX doesn’t deliver stellar fuel economy, at just 16 mpg combined. Add to that it recommends premium fuel.
Interior
The GX’s interior impresses with its premium comfort, luxury and craftsmanship. It’s a cushiony oasis of soft-touch materials that make sitting in traffic much less of a chore. The Black Line Edition’s matte open pore Black Ash Wood trim looks terrific. The package also includes Black and gray Nuluxe-trimmed 10-way power seats with gray-colored bolster inserts and stitching and a black headliner.
A wide center stack and console houses dual-zone climate, the leather-wrapped gear shift knob, a hidden area for storage, heated and ventilated seat controls, two covered cup holders and Lexus’ Remote Touch system. It’s missing a wireless charger.
Rear seat passengers enjoy their own digital A/C controls and upper air vents, as well as a drop down center armrest with covered cupholders when not in use. The sliding and reclining 2nd-row seats deliver optimum comfort, too.
The GX technically seats seven. While the GX is roomy in the 2nd row, the fold-flat third row is really just suitable for kids. You also lose a lot of your cargo space with the third-row seats up. Power 2nd- and 3rd-row seats would make things easier in the event you do use the third row.
The GX is unique in that it doesn’t sport a traditional power liftgate (something I must admit I forgot initially when doing a curbside pickup). It has a manual side-hinged rear door in back that opens up easily to a nice amount of cargo space with the 3rd-row down. A cargo net keeps things from rolling out. The rear door also has a separate glass window that opens.
Technology
The GX is available with a new, responsive, 10.3-inch multimedia split touchscreen with navigation. (Note: It’s not as large as the new 12.3-inch screen in the 2022 RX.) The surprise for me was that the backup camera size was small in comparison to the size of the multimedia screen.
The multimedia system operates several ways, including the Remote Touch system on the center console. Another way is to use Lexus’ very impressive Dynamic Voice Command, one of my favorites in the industry. Connectivity includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa.
The GX offers a premium 9 speaker sound system that sounds good, but it’s not Lexus’ largest.
A 4.2-inch digital driver display is a bit small for today’s standards.
Ride and Drive
The Lexus GX feels great on city roads and on the highway thanks to a smooth suspension. It delivers confident braking as well. It’s also nicely sized and not so big to cause a lot of parking hassles. The GX is also an enjoyably quiet ride and its V8 engine is surprisingly quiet. My vehicle is not equipped with available Adaptive Variable Suspension.
Utility
The GX delivers an impressive 6,500-pound towing capacity. It also offers off-road capability for those so inclined and comes with a variety of off-road features to help out on trails and inclines. However, Lexus’ Multi-Terrain Monitor and Panoramic View cameras are only available as part of a Off-Road Package on the Luxury grade.
Safety
The GX is equipped with standard Lexus Safety System+ that includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert, Intelligent High Beams and High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. Rear seat reminder, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic alert are also standard across the lineup.
Intuitive Parking Assist is newly standard across the lineup for 2022, but the GX does not have semi-autonomous highway driving features.
What You’ll Pay
The Black Line Edition package adds $3,835 to the MSRP. Black Line cross bars add another $405, and other options include a Tow Hitch ball mount ($655), headlamp washers ($100), exhaust tip ($130) and a glass breakage sensor ($335). At just over $60,000, I consider it a great value for a luxury SUV especially given Lexus’ dependability and reliability.
Verdict
I’m a big fan of the GX 460 for a lot of reasons: its polished looks, craftsmanship, comfort and luxury as well as its ride and drive. I’d love to see even more tech updates but more than that, a powertrain update to increase fuel economy.
- What I Liked Most: Exterior, overall cabin comfort and quality, and the ride and drive.
- What I would change: Add wireless charger and a larger backup camera view that better fits the new touchscreen.
- MSRP: Base: $55,425; as equipped $61,960
- Fuel Economy: 15 city/ 19 highway/16 combined.
- Odometer reading when tested: 271 miles.
- Weight: Curb: 5,126 pounds/GVWR: 6,600 lbs.
- Spare Tire: Full-size underneath..
- Length-Width-Height: 192.1” long/74.2” wide/74.2” tall.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 23 gallons with the filler on the driver’s side.
- Official Color: Black Onyx.
- Towing Capacity: 6,500 pounds.
- 2022 GX Black Line an in a few words: A well-equipped, stylish special edition that would look perfect in my driveway permanently.
- Warranty: 48 months/50,000 miles Basic Warranty; 72 months/70,000 miles powertrain.
- Final Assembly Location: Tahara, Aichi, Japan.
- Manufacturer's website: Lexus
