Many sport utility vehicles behave with robot-like movements: calculated, but jerky. The Lexus LX 470 has no behavior problems – unless you like your SUV to sound like a Mack truck and handle like a tractor plowing a field. Much of the performance spark behind the LX 470 relates to a 230 horsepower 4.7-liter V8 engine dispensing energy to a vehicle with a nearly balanced weight distribution (front is 51.4 percent/rear is 48.6 percent). With LX 470’s Vehicle Skid Control (VSC), staying on course gets handling help via torque intervention and/or individual wheel braking. Like the VSC, anti-lock brakes are standard equipment. Although many drivers seem almost reluctant to take a luxury SUV off-road, LX 470’s minimum ground clearance is 9.8 inches. A pneumatic adjustable height control lets the driver raise or lower the vehicle, which means off-road trekking becomes a breeze, and vehicle entry/exit doesn’t require a ladder.

The 2001 vehicle makes a wood/leather wrapped steering wheel standard (was optional), and adds a digital compass to the automatic-dimming rearview mirror. A new option for the 2001 model year is a navigation system that utilizes a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) changer located in the center console. That means only one disc (instead of several CDs) to provide navigation maps for the 48 states. As an added bonus when the vehicle is in park, driver and passengers can view a DVD movie from the navigation display zone. Standard fare on the LX 470 includes power/heated front seats, power tilt/slide moonroof, cruise control, heated power side mirrors, tool kit, and first aid kit. Four wheel drive, four-speed automatic transmission LX 470 gets fuel per gallon ratings of 13 city/16 highway. MSRP of the LX 470 is $61,405.
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