Introduced more than two decades ago, the Lexus GX mid-size luxury SUV is sold in North America, Europe, or Asia as the more upscale variant of the light-duty Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
However, there's no chance of mistaking one for the other, even though they share the same off-road capabilities. Luckily, Lexus always wanted to position the GX separately from the Land Cruiser Prado; thus, the design is quite different. It easily allows the luxury Japanese carmaker to ask much more for the GX than Toyota does for the equivalent Land Cruiser.
We are pretty sure the tendency will remain the same in North America, where the GX 550 is available with a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 mill that's good for 349 horsepower starting in early 2024. On the other hand, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser will arrive next spring with a 326-hp inline-four electrified i-Force Max powertrain under the hood.
Introduced in 2002, the Lexus GX quickly gained a next-generation model in 2009, but from then on, both Toyota and Lexus slacked, and that's why the J150 evolution remained on the market until 2023. Now, though, we are about to welcome into the fold the J250-based, all-new TNGA-F Lexus GX 550 with eagerly-anticipated Premium, Premium+, Luxury, Luxury+, and first-ever Overtrail and Overtrail+ grades.
Engine, Platform, and Suspension
Lexus promises two powertrain options for the new GX series. The first to arrive is the GX 550, equipped with the 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6, a ten-speed Direct Shift Automatic Transmission, and 349 hp (instead of 301 for the previous generation's V8) plus 479 lb.-ft. With the standard tow hitch, towing capacity for the Premium, Premium+, and Overtrail grades has now surged to 8,000 lbs. The company promises a hybrid powertrain will also become available in the US – though it doesn't exactly say when.
The 2024 GX shares the TNGA-F platform with all the latest rugged releases from Toyota and Lexus: J300 Land Cruiser, J310 Lexus LX 600, J250 Land Cruiser (Prado or 250), XK80 Sequoia, N400 Tacoma, or XK70 Tundra. The robust frame allows Lexus to offer a vast catalog of essentials through the Associated Accessory Parts (AAP) program; a new double-wishbone front suspension is mixed with the multi-link rear suspension, and there's also an optional Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) plus standard Electronic Power Steering (EPS).
Overtrail and Off-Road Performance
The all-new Overtrail and Overtrail+ grades are part of the brand's "Overtrail Project," an initiative announced at the 2023 Tokyo Outdoor Show to "inspire customers around the world to explore nature through refined adventures." Naturally, full-time 4WD is the standard available on all GX trims and includes a Torsen limited-slip locking center differential.
The Overtrail and Overtrail+ models also have an electronically controlled locking rear differential and a standard Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) with locking front and rear stabilizer bars. The performance of the off-roader is up to a 26-degree approach, 24-degree breakover, and 21-degree departure angles. MTS - Multi-Terrain Select – returns on the new generation and switching between high and low range is much faster than before. Additionally, the low range has four modes - Auto, Sand, Mud, and Rock while the high range has five - Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, and Deep Snow.
The Multi-Terrain Monitor is also present with MTS and "offers underfloor, both-side, front and rear underfloor views to allow the driver to check conditions, blind spots and distance between obstacles." Overtrail grades are more comprehensive than standard trims, and they also get exclusive dual-tone paint jobs like Atomic Silver/Black Roof, Incognito/Black Roof, Nori Green Pearl/Black Roof, and Lexus-first Earth/Black Roof. The other exterior colors are Eminent White Pearl, Nebula Gray Pearl, Atomic Silver, GX-first Incognito, Caviar, Nori Green Pearl, and Nightfall Mica.
Technology
Inspired by the cockpit of the all-new RX, the interior of the GX has an "all-new, lower, horizontal instrument panel design" with a cleaner interface arrangement of the digital 12.3 Multi-Information Display (MID), available Head-Up Display (HUD), and the standard 14-inch Multimedia Touchscreen Display with Lexus Interface. Some folks will be happy to hear that Lexus has not abandoned physical controls for AC or audio volume, while all off-road controls are located near the gear shifter.
There is seating for up to seven people on board, standard wireless Apple CarPlay integration and Android Auto compatibility, a 60:40 split-folding bench or captain's chairs configuration for the second row, heated and ventilated front seats plus heated second-row seats, a powered or manual third row, and "earth-tone focused interior color design:" semi-aniline leather and NuLuxe trim in Black, Dapple Gray, or Saddle Tan plus Black NuLuxe with Olive Ultrasuede accents or Chateau NuLuxe with Olive Ultrasuede accents and black ornamentation for the Overtrail models.
A ten-speaker premium sound system is standard, or a 21-speaker Mark Levinson Surround Sound comes from the list of extras; there are also six illuminated charging ports, a 120V AC inverter, Digital Key with SmartAccess Card Key, Cool Box, or Cold Area Package and Tonneau Cover among the list of additional features. The infotainment system includes perks such as Cloud Navigation, an Intelligent Assistant, Traffic Jam Assist, or the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0.
Pricing and grades
With a starting MSRP of $64,250 (including delivery), the 2024 Lexus GX 550 is over $4k more expensive than its GX 460 predecessor - but also a lot better, promises Lexus. The base Premium model has seven exterior colors, three interior trim choices, 20-inch Dark Gray wheels, and five packages and options. The accessories are mostly the same across grades with few exceptions – there's also a staggering amount of items: 96!
Next comes the 2024 GX 550 Premium+ from $69,250, which adds the Panoramic View Monitor, a power rear door with kick sensor, LED fog lamps, heated second-row outer seats, and more. The GX Overtrail has the same starting MSRP but is exclusively offered with seating for five, an Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS), Crawl Control with Turn Assist, a Panoramic View Monitor with Multi-Terrain Monitor, and 33-inch all-terrain tires, among others.
The GX Overtrail+ costs $77,250 and adds Intuitive Parking Assist with Auto Braking and Rear Pedestrian Detection, the Power Rear Door with Kick Sensor, and even some creature comforts like front massaging seats. The same MSRP is valid for the Luxury trim, which has stuff like a ten-way heated and ventilated power driver's seat, 22-inch wheels instead of 20-inch or 18-inch on Premium and Overtrail, respectively, a semi-aniline leather-trimmed interior, and front massaging seats – but the towing capacity decreases to 7,145 lbs.
Last but not least arrives the 2024 Lexus GX 550 Luxury+ from $81,250, and you're pretty much set with all the aforementioned perks and stuff like the 1,800-watt Mark Levinson system, adaptive variable suspension, digital rearview mirror, and an even lower towing capacity of 'just' 6,955 lbs if you want to do some nitpicking.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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