Leather seat comfort of lx470 vs GX470 vs gx460 (8 Viewers)

[Haschwalth]

Which Lexus has the most comfortable driver’s seat? LX470, GX470, Or GX460?

Background: I have lower back stiffness and chronic pain so a good driver seat is important to me. I have this theory that older Toyotas and Lexuses may have better quality seats (more comfortable and plush) than newer ones. I’ve noticed how a top of the line 2019 rav4 limited has cheap plastic synthetic seats whereas older rav4s from before 2012 had real leather.

I’ve test driven a new 2019 gx460 and lx570 and found that the lx570s seats are way way more comfortable than the gx460s. While the gx460s seats were ok the lx570s were sublime like sitting in a lazy boy recliner.

Now I’m not looking at an lx570 bc it’s way too big for me - it’s going to be a personal vehicle so the search is going to be between the lx470, GX470, and gx460. I have not driven the lx470 or GX470 yet. I am also under the impression that sub 2014 gx460 used a different quality leather than 2014+ Ones.

So what do you good folks think? I’ve also noticed that many lx470s’ driver seat leather is often noticeably damaged whereas gx470s are cleaner and also way way cheaper.

Questions:

1) How much more comfortable is the driver seat for LX470 vs GX470?

2) How does the GX470s’ seat compare to the GX460 if I can’t get an lx470 in good condition?

3) Older vs. newer gx460 - any difference in leather quality and comfort? I know they introduced A/C ventilated seats do not sure if it was/is less.


Thank you,
Hasch

 

[SF1911A1]

My Lx470 seat was torn up and just trashed when I bought the vehicle. Missing all the foam on the common left leg support area. Just last week I had it completely rebuilt, new foam and brand new leather. It is a 100% brand new seat built exactly as I asked them to (extra extra padding on the driver armrest.) I had both front seats done for $240 each and they are very comfortable. My point is that you should choose whichever vehicle suits your needs best, then adapt the seat if necessary to your exact specifications. A good Upholsery shop can make any driver seat a lazy boy experience. Good luck with your decision.

 

[planomateo]

I'm wondering if LS430 seats would work.

 

[Das Shtig]

My Lx470 seat was torn up and just trashed when I bought the vehicle. Missing all the foam on the common left leg support area. Just last week I had it completely rebuilt, new foam and brand new leather. It is a 100% brand new seat built exactly as I asked them to (extra extra padding on the driver armrest.) I had both front seats done for $240 each and they are very comfortable. My point is that you should choose whichever vehicle suits your needs best, then adapt the seat if necessary to your exact specifications. A good Upholsery shop can make any driver seat a lazy boy experience. Good luck with your decision. View attachment 1958264View attachment 1958266

Looks great—can we see a full interior shot?

 

[Das Shtig]

Also, FWIW, Volvo has the best seats in the biz. Orthopedically designed dontcha know. If you can find a set that fits you’ll be in business. However I find the LX470 seats to be supremely comfortable as is.

 

[SF1911A1]

Sure, this is my interior as of today.

Haha, I’m completely replacing the interior but as of now I basically have a cargo van. I will put up a thread about the work I have done when it’s show ready, but as of right now she ain’t too pretty.

 

[RootMeanSqr]

We're actually going through the same thing as well. My ranking of comfort would be LX, GX470, then the GX460. For most of the model years of the GX460, they seem to have very "boxy" seats with not much contour. The GX470 seemed to have a better fit/feel to them, but not to the level of the LX, or even our 2000 LC. Fast forward to earlier this year, I ended up with a 2019 GX460 as a rental. The seats in the 2019 seemed to be more contoured than previous years, but don't know if it's real, or because it was just newer / less time with a butt in the seat. Should be easy enough to find some different model years of the GX460, test drive them and see what fits the best. And I have to admit, the ventilated seats are a nice feature. Wish my 2000 LC had them.

 

[half k cruiser]

We have both 04 LX and 04 GX, the LX seats are a lot more comfortable for me. In fact they are comfortable for very long driving trips. The only seats I've had that are better are the 03 WRX units in my 80 series.

 

[sacmaster]

I have an 03 LC, and my wife drives a 12 4Runner limited, which I believe has the same seats as the GX460 minus the ventilated feature. There's absolutely no comparison. The 100 seats are way more comfortable. Softer, better leather, bigger.

 

[Das Shtig]

And I have to admit, the ventilated seats are a nice feature. Wish my 2000 LC had them.

I personally would NOT want to have ventilated seats in my Cruiser. Leather is perfect for an off road vehicle because it’s hardwearing and easy to clean. Poking a thousand tiny holes into it reduces its inherent integrity and imperviousness. Just imagine spilling a cup of coffee on a perforated leather seat! God forbid some milk or something gets down below the leather and into the padding. Yuck. Hard pass. Plus I stand on the seats sometimes to climb out the sunroof, etc. Not worth the reduction in durability for me. Not in a Land Cruiser anyway.

 

[Haschwalth]

I personally would NOT want to have ventilated seats in my Cruiser. Leather is perfect for an off road vehicle because it’s hardwearing and easy to clean. Poking a thousand tiny holes into it reduces its inherent integrity and imperviousness. Just imagine spilling a cup of coffee on a perforated leather seat! God forbid some milk or something gets down below the leather and into the padding. Yuck. Hard pass. Plus I stand on the seats sometimes to climb out the sunroof, etc. Not worth the reduction in durability for me. Not in a Land Cruiser anyway.

These were my thoughts/sentiments. I'd rather have the AC seats on a sedan. I think I'm leaning towards the GX470 non-nav sports edition, or the LX470. Trouble with the LX470 is it's hard to find ones in good condition and the ones that are really clean are fetching over $20k on car guru whereas I can get a clean GX470 non-nav (so I can replace with apple CarPlay) for like $14k.

The things I like about the GX470 are its low end torque compared to the GX460, what appears to be better seats, and the non-nav 'feature' so I can replace it. Also the engine is the LX470 engine whereas the GX460 is a different one and seems to have been plagued with secondary air pump issues more than the GX470.

The GX460 has slightly improved MPG, but it's so small, and the car costs so much more than the GX470 that I wouldn't really be saving much as I intend to keep the SUV for maybe 4-8 years.

The LX470 otoh might be the best one of them all as it might not depreciate as much as the others when it comes time to sell it.

 

[abuck99]

We’ve got a 2016 GX460 Lux and 2005 LC-

The GX seats in our Lux spec are full leather- supple to the touch but could benefit from a deeper or thicker seat cushion. GX seats lack some padding in the seat cushion, but the backrest is nicely contoured and the bolsters fit well- kind of a mixed bag. We drove a 2016 LX just for a back to back comparison and night and day difference in seat comfort.

Never been in a GX470 so I cant compare that, but the seat bottom in my 05 LC have more cushion than the GX460, but the contour of the back rest isnt as nice.

On the topic of ventilated seats: Ive had them 5yrs in my pick up and L I K E em’ alot. Never had a spill issue- but Im careful. Standard in our GX and they sure work great. I dont notice them as less durable either. In the swampy south, its a nice feature to have. If I ever recover my LC seats, Ill go for a perforated leather.

 

[scooterp7]

You can check out the Scheel-Mann seats with adapters for any vehicle you have mentioned. Not inexpensive, but compared to back pain, no question.

 

[FxFormat]

LX seats are more comfortable than my brother's GX seats for me. However, the most comfortable seats my butt has ever grazed were from my 2013 LS460, it's like sitting bare ass on a cloud.

 

[MidlifecrisisLX]

Sure, this is my interior as of today. View attachment 1958302

Haha, I’m completely replacing the interior but as of now I basically have a cargo van. I will put up a thread about the work I have done when it’s show ready, but as of right now she ain’t too pretty.

View attachment 1958301

Hi there. Do you have any interior shots of the rear quarter panel/back side panel areas of your LX with the panels removed? I want to know what's behind the plastic panels so I can plan to mount my air compressor somewhere back there. Thanks.

 

[phatdragon]

I have a similar situation. My wife's GX460 has really nice seats (perforated and cooled), but the hundo seems to be a bit better for me on long hauls.

 

[nsaladin]

I have a similar situation. My wife's GX460 has really nice seats (perforated and cooled), but the hundo seems to be a bit better for me on long hauls.

Yeah, wife has GX 460 also. Cruiser is better for the 5+ hour drives.

 

[95Fantasma80]

You can check out the Scheel-Mann seats with adapters for any vehicle you have mentioned. Not inexpensive, but compared to back pain, no question.

Where would you get adapters?

 

[phatdragon]

You can check out the Scheel-Mann seats with adapters for any vehicle you have mentioned. Not inexpensive, but compared to back pain, no question.

I have heard good things about these.

 

[jlm43]

Sometimes for back issues, it isn’t about just the seat itself. A good contoured seat definitely helps, but there are other factors that come into play.
My back prefers a seat bottom that is higher off of the floor than most cars. In fact, the newer Tacoma’s and 4Runners are to “low” for me.
Also, if your leg is twisted at the hip while driving, that can aggravate the back issue. Our Subaru had this odd foot position where the gas pedal was and inch or two to the right from where your heel would rest. Causing my leg to twist at the hip. Doesn’t sound like much but after 2+ hours of driving, it was a noticeable discomfort.
With that being said, my 2005 LC seats are by far the best for my back on long trips. My wife is looking for a replacement for the Subaru and we won’t be buying anything without a 2 hour test drive.