2002 Lexus LX 470 Luxury and off-road capability. By Mitch McCullough, Editor-in-Chief, New Car Test Drive .com

The Lexus LX 470 has been the benchmark for first-class luxury and ultimate off-road capability.

The big Lexus now faces a totally new Range Rover engineered by BMW and a less expensive but powerful Cadillac Escalade, and its bland exterior design is beginning to show its age.

However, this remains a wonderfully luxurious and highly capable vehicle. LX 470 is powered by one of the best V8s in the business and offers crisp handling, as well as a luxurious ride. The interior is elegant, well equipped, and the kind of environment you wish your house had.

It also comes from Lexus, which boasts the best quality, durability and reliability in the business, along with retailers dedicated to customer satisfaction.

One model is available, which retails for $61,855.

For 2002, the LX 470 gets a significant upgrade in its standard equipment: A DVD-based navigation now comes on every LX470. The system is updated with a faster computerized control unit that cuts route calculation time in half. The system covers both the United States and Canada, has detailed destination information on Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and the Whistler resort area, and offers voice guidance in English or French. This system previously was available only as part of a $4,280 option package that included a Mark Levinson audio system. The Levinson equipment remains available as a $1,280 stand-alone option.