I had a 2005 LX470 with stock size tires and VGRS light on, steering at low speed was not hard, felt the same as LC. No weird behavior. I don't know the condition of the actuator.In the one that came to me, with what I think is failure of the VGRS actuator (yet to be confirmed). I unplugged the actuator on a second test drive. Which made no difference, in the steering issue (violent-jerking to right) it is having.
From what I've read: "The actuator includes a brushless DC electric motor and a reduction gear mechanism that controls the speed of the steering rack" . This motor is locked, until power is added to it. So if disconnected my understanding is; It should lock to have normal HWY control, just like the LC steering. But steering at low speed would be hard, possibly harder than and LC IDK!