Keep GX, new 4Runner or LX (4 Viewers)

[gowyn]

Presently driving a 2017 GX460, love it! I actually traded a 2021 4Runner for it, didn't care for PT 4WD, engine/transmission.

Just came back from a 3000 mile trip with spousal unit and daughter. Excellent except with fridge, daughter and "stuff" in there it was a little too small, plus rear door really shows it's weaknesses on such a trip.

Got me thinking what about an LX. Rare as hens teeth and might take a while to find one. Probably a 2013-2017 based on price. Would fix the space issue and I really like the tailgate. However, means selling my GX and will cost me more to "upgrade!"

Out of curiosity went to look at the new 4Runner Offroad. Really was impressed. More rear cargo room, new vehicle, new tech (good or bad,) warranty and rear tail gate, not as nice as the LX but better than the GX. The bad, cost. I actually put a deposit down and ordered one but that's four months away.,

So question is:

1. keep GX, live with its "limitations," update head unit for CarPlay (Hamilton) and cost me hardly anything. It's a known, reliability and I LOVE it?
2. Continue the search for an LX, hope it's as reliable and predictable as my GX but will cost me some moola?
3. Get the 4Runner. New car but four banger and cost me money?

 

[MeefZah]

Having gotten rid of a few vehicles I "loved" over the years, and then been filled with regret to the point of buying them back, I would advocate keeping the GX if you really do love it. That adage about loving something and letting it go is boosheet!!

What's the issue with the rear door? I've really started to like the barn door actually.... Table, wind break, bathroom wall, with the window opened and the door locked open it makes a shooting rest....

 

[PoindAxster]

I was on the hunt for an LX, and then the right GX came along. No regrets after realizing how much more nimble and how many more places the GX can get into. If I weren't in the land of tight trees (East Coast) or weren't offroading as much, the LX would be more desirable. My family of 5 is making the GX work

 

[WTITW]

Hyundai palisade. More room. FT AWD. All the ladies in the drop off line turn to check you out… Because they think it’s their car.

 

[xychromosome]

The new 4runner has more rear cargo room than the GX? Have you considered removing the 3rd row of your GX to free up more space?

 

[Seavs]

I used to have a Q7 which our family absolutely loved (totaled in a stupid move by me). We'd stuff my wife and I and our 3 young ones in with two dogs. A Yakima roof box helped SO much. All our bags went up there (each person got a soft-sided bug-out style bag) and we still had room for a small cooler and snack bag. of course the kids all had a pillow, blankets, stuffies, etc with them. We now have a Yukon XL which leads us into finding problems to solve...with space. However thinking of how we'd travel as a family in the GX I'm pretty heavily drawn to a hitch mounted carrier for a large sealed box or two. Try to keep things off the roof as much as we can (though we still can use the Yakima roof box if needed). When my wife was looking at Yukons I was trying to get her to lean towards the non-XL version, as you carry that vehicle everywhere, and can't make it smaller but we can add more storage room. She got what she wanted in the end, but just something to think about.

 

[r2m]

If you're looking at the new 4R, then you might as well shimmy over to Lexus and look at the new GX550 as well. It too is larger.
Also, regarding interior room on the GX460, I feel your pain. We just came back from seven days camping with family in the Sierra's, and agree space is tight.
My daughter and family (husband and two little girls) were in their big 'ol Nissan van while my wife and I packed it all in our GX. Albeit, we like comfortable tailgate camping, hence so much gear. Being the parents, we brought most of the food and other ancillary distractions for the girls, but it really helps having a roof top tent and a Trash-a-Roo for carrying the double size sleeping bag.
So on that note, have you considered a top rack carrier or one of those receiver hitch carriers? Even the Trash-a-Roo can hang out over the rear door and carry soft items like duffle bags, sleeping bags, etc. Don't be duped that it's only for "trash". In seven years, I've never used it for trash.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Keep the GX. You'll regret getting rid of it down the line.

 

[23GXOR]

Keep the GX. Like you said, late model well cared for LXes just don't see the car lots very often, the people who bought LX570s mostly knew what they were getting and intended it to be a 10+ year decision.

I haven't looked at the current gen 4runner, but I'm sure it's similar to the current gen GX, and I have doubts that these vehicles will retain their value the way older gen Toyota/Lexus trucks did. Don't think I'd be interested in buying any of them new.

 

[WTITW]

Ive been obsessing over moving from a 460 to either:

A: 570 - don’t want to invest in a dated platform.
B: 600 - a bit concerned about turbo
C: 550 - pretty much the same thing as a 600 but looks better and gets slightly worse mpg’s

I was only considering this due to towing a 5k lb trailer. I LOVE my 460 and get chills thinking about how much work Id have to do to get the next one to where the GX is now. Im just going to suffer through 45mph pass climbs for now. I think 550/600 are what Id go once I can get a used one for cheap. 570/600 have s*** approach angles so probably 550 for me. Id prefer 600 for ahc and slightly more hp’s but that nose won’t viper cut too easy and I don’t want bumpers.

 

[Rednexus]

Put a cargo box on the roof of the GX. They barely affect MPG and (if you get a good one), will make almost no wind noise. You can easily put all sorts of light, bulky stuff up there (i.e, clothes, shoes, pillows, sleeping bags, folding camp chairs) and free up tons of room inside. I've done week-long camping trips with a buddy - all of his crap went up in the box, all of mine stayed in the rig, and we were not cramped driving around.

I have a family of 4 (7 and 10 year old kids). The GX was plenty of big for us to take a 4,800 mile road trip this summer, pulling our camper. And small enough to wheel. BUT, my wife's Highlander is bigger - inside and out. It's better for haling around more than 2 kids. Other than that the GX has plenty of room.

From having seen a number of the 6th gen T4Rs in person, I'm not impressed. They have pretty poor approach and departure angles and it seems like more low-hanging stuff underneath. Their ground clearance is also not impressive. I really think that in 10 years they'll be considered a significant downgrade from the older platform in many areas. I would certainly not pick one over a GX460.

I would consider a GX550 over a GX460 (for the power when towing), but am also pretty unimpressed with the ground clearance, approach/departure angle, and low-hanging items.

 

[Hiluxforever]

Get rid of the third row, that gives you quite a bit of space, as someone else mentioned.

Once you delete the third row there isnt near as much volume difference between it and its competition, while still getting a nice V8, a good transmission and KDSS.

The GX is in a nice sweet spot of being just a bit smaller than a full size. Might be time for customization and making it your own.

I keep up with sports cars going down mountain passes after upgrading my brakes. Best truck I have ever driven . It can drift sideways at 70 mph and rock crawl.

 

[r2m]

Put a cargo box on the roof of the GX. They barely affect MPG and (if you get a good one), will make almost no wind noise. You can easily put all sorts of light, bulky stuff up there (i.e, clothes, shoes, pillows, sleeping bags, folding camp chairs) and free up tons of room inside. I've done week-long camping trips with a buddy - all of his crap went up in the box, all of mine stayed in the rig, and we were not cramped driving around.

I have a family of 4 (7 and 10 year old kids). The GX was plenty of big for us to take a 4,800 mile road trip this summer, pulling our camper. And small enough to wheel. BUT, my wife's Highlander is bigger - inside and out. It's better for haling around more than 2 kids. Other than that the GX has plenty of room.

From having seen a number of the 6th gen T4Rs in person, I'm not impressed. They have pretty poor approach and departure angles and it seems like more low-hanging stuff underneath. Their ground clearance is also not impressive. I really think that in 10 years they'll be considered a significant downgrade from the older platform in many areas. I would certainly not pick one over a GX460.

I would consider a GX550 over a GX460 (for the power when towing), but am also pretty unimpressed with the ground clearance, approach/departure angle, and low-hanging items.

I don't think the cargo box will cut it. Having overlanded with Jake, I know his family has become very comfortable with trailer camping. He used to have a pretty good set of totes he'd pack on top of his rack for camping, before the trailer.

Ive been obsessing over moving from a 460 to either:

A: 570 - don’t want to invest in a dated platform.
B: 600 - a bit concerned about turbo
C: 550 - pretty much the same thing as a 600 but looks better and gets slightly worse mpg’s

I was only considering this due to towing a 5k lb trailer. I LOVE my 460 and get chills thinking about how much work Id have to do to get the next one to where the GX is now. Im just going to suffer through 45mph pass climbs for now. I think 550/600 are what Id go once I can get a used one for cheap. 570/600 have s*** approach angles so probably 550 for me. Id prefer 600 for ahc and slightly more hp’s but that nose won’t viper cut too easy and I don’t want bumpers.

Correct, the new LX is not much larger than the new GX's, BUT also the GX is touted as being off road capable, where the LX isn't. Another point, is there will probably be a lot more aftermarket GX550 mods than for the LX600's.

You may be getting "chills" now, but think about ALL the new mod's on your GX550 (if you get one) you'll be able to post on Wasting Time in the Woods YouTube videos you'll be making!

 

[Hehena]

The shine fades fast, but the payments last.

 

[Hiluxforever]

The shine fades fast, but the payments last.

Thats why I buy my beaters with the shine removed.

 

[Rednexus]

I don't think the cargo box will cut it. Having overlanded with Jake, I know his family has become very comfortable with trailer camping. He used to have a pretty good set of totes he'd pack on top of his rack for camping, before the trailer.

I was referring to the O.P. . For family camping it is hard to beat a trailer - certainly love ours and being able to keep the inside of the rig un-cluttered with crap. If it's just me or me and one other person, we bring hardly anything and rough it (but I was a backpacker/bikepacker before getting a GX ).

 

[LC Lurker]

I vote to keep the GX460. Save your money and buy a roof storage system of some kind instead of a bigger vehicle.

If you do get a new vehicle, I’ve heard the new 4Runner is really great in general. People (including my dad who has one) keep saying that it feels very solid on the road, more so than the GX550 even. I just don’t think it’s worth buying vs keeping your 460.

 

[r2m]

I was referring to the O.P. . For family camping it is hard to beat a trailer - certainly love ours and being able to keep the inside of the rig un-cluttered with crap. If it's just me or me and one other person, we bring hardly anything and rough it (but I was a backpacker/bikepacker before getting a GX ).

Sorry for the miss-post Rednexus.
Another great thing about a trailer is that everything is already packed, e.g. pillows, sleeping bags/blankets/sheets, etc., ALL cooking supplies including fridge, camp chairs, and any other ancillary is already packed in the trailer, nothing to load!
The only thing needed to pack are clothes and food!