2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+

The Lexus GX used to be the fancier version of the Toyota 4Runner, but this new generation shares its chassis and underpinnings with the current-gen Toyota Land Cruiser. Despite the change in architecture, the Lexus GX retains its body-on-frame format to make it more rigid for off-road driving, but that doesn’t mean it’s all business. The 2024 Lexus GX has plenty to offer in terms of interior refinement and driving engagement.

It's also a far better value than the Toyota Land Cruiser, given its price point. The 2024 GX starts at $65,285, while the Land Cruiser starts at $56,700. However, you get a lot more with the Lexus, so let’s take a closer look.

Interior

Step inside the Lexus GX, and you’ll likely be impressed with its spacious interior and lavish features, which include supple leather seats and soft-touch materials. Of course, you probably wouldn’t expect anything less from a Lexus, and the GX does not fail to deliver. From the driver’s seat, everything is well-placed and within easy reach, including the traditional shifter, infotainment screen, and all the buttons on the center console.

The visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent as well, given the car’s boxy shape, and its leather-wrapped steering wheel feels beefy but nice to the touch. My tester for the week was the top-trim Overtrail+, so it came with everything that Lexus has to offer.

That includes heated/ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and auto climate control to keep me warm in the freezing winter temps. The rear outboard seats are also heated, and there are a couple of USB-C charge ports back there to keep everyone’s phones juiced up. As an added plus, the front seats have a massage function, which works surprisingly well.

As far as seating room, there’s an abundance of headroom, thanks to the car being boxy, as well as plenty of legroom for the rear-seat passengers. One curious thing about the GX’s interior is that the cargo area has cupholders and vents as if there is a third row, but there isn’t. It turns out that a third row is only available in the middle Premium and Limited trim levels, which provide seating for up to seven, but not in the higher Overtrail trim levels.

However, I will say that the lack of a third row really opens up the cargo space, and the second-row bench flips forward when more space is needed.

Powertrain

I would hate to keep bringing up comparisons between the Lexus GX and the Toyota Land Cruiser, but it’s a fair assessment since some prospective buyers could be cross-shopping them. In that case, it’s worth noting that the Lexus GX comes equipped with a stronger engine in the form of a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 engine that produces 349 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Compared to the turbocharged four-cylinder found in the Land Cruiser, the added power is worth the extra coin. This new powertrain is also stronger than the outgoing V8 engine found in the last version.

When driving around town, the GX feels powerful. From a stop, the large SUV gets off the line quickly, and its 10-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly as the engine runs through the rev range. There’s also plenty of power at the top end, thanks to the dual turbos, and its steering is crisp. However, in terms of handling, the GX handles as well as you’d expect from a tall, boxy vehicle, but it doesn’t feel unwieldy, either.

One thing I noticed is that for such a large vehicle, it drives much smaller than it looks. The small steering wheel could have something to do with that perception, but there’s no doubt that Lexus took its time when engineering the car’s suspension. As such, the Overtrail+ trim’s suspension is adaptive, and there’s a skid plate to prevent any undercarriage damage when off-roading.

Speaking of which, I wasn’t able to take the Lexus GX off-road, but I’m sure it would do really well on rough terrain. For example, the transfer case allows for the low gear range to be selected without locking up the center differential, which allows for a tighter turning radius. Additionally, the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) can disconnect the front and rear stabilizer bars independently to improve stability when needed. There’s also a crawl control system to slow down those downhill escapades.

Otherwise, the Lexus GX feels smooth when driving around town and on the highway, but don’t expect it to drive like an LS sedan. While the GX won’t beat you up, its ride is a bit on the stiff side, and there is plenty of body roll in the corners. But that is to be expected from a car of its size and stature.

Just to note, the GX can also tow up to 6,500 pounds, which is a little higher than the Land Cruiser’s 6,000-pound rating.

Technology

The Lexus GX Overtrail+ has a lot of technology, starting with the large 14-inch infotainment display that sits in the middle of the dashboard. Its interface is the standard Toyota one, which is intuitive and simple to use. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, as is the optional Mark Levinson sound system, which, in my opinion, is worth the extra money.

There are also four USB-C ports up front and my tester was also equipped with the optional cool box in the center console to keep any drinks cool. The GX is also fitted with plenty of cameras to make parking easy and off-roading even easier, due to giving the driver the ability to see everything around the car while on a trail. 

Exterior

The Lexus GX has a brawny exterior look compared to the outgoing model. Its tall and boxy stance makes it look more utilitarian than before. There’s a large grille up front that doesn’t look too imposing, and it’s flanked by two angular LED headlights.

The bulges in the hood also give the GX a bold look, and the LED taillight bar in the rear is well-integrated. Additionally, the 18-inch dark gray wheels contrast well with the car’s body color, and the large all-terrain tires are very fitting as well. They were also surprisingly quiet when driving. Overall, the Lexus GX’s brawny but sleek look is a welcome departure from the last version.

Safety

As you can imagine, the Lexus GX is very safe—and not just because of its imposing size. Lexus equipped the GX with the Safety System+ 3.0, which includes driver-assist features like a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, lane-tracing assist, road-sign assist, and proactive driving assist. There’s also a blind-spot monitoring system for easier lane changing.

In their operation, the driver-assist features work well. The adaptive cruise control keeps the car at a safe distance from the vehicle in front, and the lane-keeping assist keeps it between the lines really well.

Summary

As stated, the Lexus GX has a starting price of around $65,000, but it can easily soar up to around $90,000 with all the option boxes ticked. My tester for the week came out to $84,575 (including the destination charge) with all of the options included. Compared with rivals like the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, and Genesis GV80, the Lexus is on par price-wise. Although the Genesis is far cheaper, it’s also less rugged.

Ultimately, although the Lexus GX is pricey, it’s still much cheaper than the last iteration, which had a starting price close to $100,000. Considering its price point, I think the GX is an overall good value, and it’s worth serious consideration for off-road enthusiasts who want a bit of luxury. It’s also a better value proposition than the Toyota Land Cruiser, considering everything it has to offer.