2002 Lexus LX 470

The House of Lexus brought new standards of quality, performance and luxury to the sport-ute world when it introduced the LX 470, a big, go-anywhere icon that Range Rover freely admits to using as a benchmark when designing its new mega-ute. More than anything, the LX 470 is a first-class means for going anywhere, with a level of comfort and luxury appropriate to Park Avenue apartments. It also provides seating for up to eight, maximum cargo space of 90.4 cubic feet and generous towing capacity, yet is nearly as nimble as most any sports sedan.

Form and function largely carry over from 2001. The main LX 470 revisions are under its skin.

The materials and build quality are reminiscent of the LS 430 sedan. Inside, the leather is softly gathered, including that which covers the folding third seat in back. The walnut trim is positively Jaguar-esque. Controls are well marked and large. So many features are power-controlled that you just know 42-volt electrical systems will find their first home here. Door windows have one-touch express controls, and even the extreme rear-quarter windows that barely crack open for ventilation are power-controlled from the dash.


All-new for the 2001 model year, the only changes to the 2002 LX 470 are enhancements to the onboard, DVD-based navigation system. A new computer doubles route calculation speeds and map scrolling. Improved Canadian coverage is found in the software. The seven-inch LCD screen also displays ventilation and audio controls, and allows for the showing of DVD movies when the transmission is set to Park and the parking brake is applied. Our tester also had the only significant option available, a mind-blowing, nine-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

For 2002, the Lexus Link's DVD-based navigation system calculates routes twice as fast as last year. The system will also play DVDs when the vehicle is in Park.

So yes, one can be fully coddled just sitting around in the LX 470, but what happens when you turn the key? You get a lot of technological support.


The steering is rack-and-pinion, which helps explain the LX 470's responsiveness. The front suspension is independent, using A-arms and torsion bars, while in back four trailing arms support a solid rear axle. Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) controls shock-absorber response depending on road conditions, acceleration, steering and braking inputs. An AVS center-console switch provides five ride settings that range from "comfort" to "sport." Navigating tertiary road straight-aways at near-triple-digit speeds is no sweat for this package.