GX 470 is an authentic, mid-size SUV, with serious off-road capability based on traditional truck engineering: body-on-frame construction, a rugged four-wheel-drive system, and a live rear axle. But it's also a Lexus: roomy and quiet inside, with a luxurious cabin swathed in leather and bird's-eye maple. Its 4.7-liter overhead-cam V8 and smoothly responsive five-speed automatic transmission provide ample power and performance, whether towing, trail-bashing, or carving corners on a coastal highway. The switchgear is a study in ergonomic excellence, and all controls are right where you expect them to be.