2003 Lexus LX 470

Review

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

Just like the destiny of the giant reptiles that once ruled the Earth, the days of the full-size SUV are numbered.

And while the fate of the dinosaurs is still the subject of heated debate - with theories ranging from the ice age, to a giant meteor shower, and even hungry aliens - the demise of the big sport-ute can be foretold thanks to two irrefutably simple facts: the rising cost of gas, and the appearance of so-called crossover SUVs.

The list of the latter grows with each passing model year, with Porsche (the Cayenne), and Infiniti (the FX35 and FX45) joining BMW, Acura and Mercedes in a class that purports to be all things to all people, namely an SUV that drives like a car.

The popularity of this trend continues to gather momentum, particularly with increasing uncertainty about the worlds oil supply, and this does not bode well for vehicles like the 2003 Lexus LX470.

Like the doomed dinosaur, the LX 470 is at the top of the food chain in terms of quality of construction, refined engine performance and elegant luxury styling both inside and out. All of which wont do the full-size SUV a bit of good when the grim reaper comes calling. According to the buzz, the LX 470 will disappear from the Lexus lineup in 2005.

At first glance it seems the Japanese auto-maker sees more of a future with its 2004 RX 330 crossover than with the eight-passenger behemoth, but the truth is the LX 470 will be replaced with an LX 475, based on the Toyota Sequoia platform. With Infiniti about to ante into the full-size market with its Pathfinder Armada based QX56, theres no doubt it will happen.

Until then the LX 470 continues on. It is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser platform, the venerable four-wheel-drive off-roader that competes with the Land Rover in the icon category. Lexus shares a number of features with the Land Cruiser, including engine, transmission, antiskid/traction control, antilock four-wheel disc brakes, all-wheel-drive with low-range gearing, and 3-row, 8-passenger seating.

Essentially, the LX470 is a dressed-up Land Cruiser, though the Lexus does come with a pretty tricky feature not available on the Toyota SUV. The Adaptive Variable Suspension feature allows the driver, with just the push of a toggle switch on the centre console, to raise and lower the ride height of the vehicle depending on the road, and load.

Still, you have to wonder why anyone would pay nearly $65K for a vehicle like this. Such is the allure of the Lexus badge, I suppose.

The LX 470 receives a number of improvements and refinements for 2003. The V8 engine gets five additional horsepower from 230 to 235, a rear seat DVD player is available for the first time, standard 18-inch wheels replace the too-small 16-inchers, plus the front and rear fascias as well as the headlamps and taillights have undergone some styling tweaks, as have some of the inside gauges and controls. Also, two new options are available for 2003. Lexus Link is an on-board system much like GMs OnStar that allows the driver to connect with a Lexus representative with the push of a button, and Night View, a night vision system utilizing light sensors and a nighttime camera to project a black and white image on the windshield.

The performance and drivability of the LX470 is Lexus solid, with the 320 lb-ft of torque much appreciated with a full load of passengers and luggage.

I would give this vehicle a four out of five rating, but when factoring in the price, gas consumption and the sheer size of the thing, its closer to a three than a four.

But if you really like the Lexus LX 470, you better get down to a Lexus dealer before the big SUV goes the way of the, well, you know what.