2024 Lexus GX550 Review
2024 Lexus GX550
Price as tested: $71,455 as tested
3.4 Liter Twin Turbo V6
349 HP / 479 TQ
17 MPG as tested in mixed driving
— Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi —
The Lexus GX series has been with us since 2002 with it’s last full redesign dating all the way back to 2009! That’s a long time folks. In that time the industry moved itself away from body on frames, V8s and prioritized efficiency and comfort rather than offroad utility. But, since Lexus knows it’s customers, it wasn’t like the GX sat on dealer lots gathering dust. It sold and sold well! Last year selling 31,090 units alone! That’s a lot.
So what is Lexus to do with the new generation? The easy answer would be grab the TGNA-K platform that underpins the TX and well everything else that is transverse mounted in ToMoCo’s entire lineup, raise the ride height and slap some off-roady looking stuff to the body and call it day. In other words, make a slightly larger and burlier RX. If Lexus was any other company…trust me that would have happened. But, thankfully…that did not happen.
Lexus grabbed the TNGA-F platform instead, the same platform that underpins the LX, Tundra, Sequoia and wait for it…the new Land Cruiser. So do you want a Land Cruiser but is turned off by the 4 cylinder, ordinary interior and like to tell people who own a Lexus? The GX is your answer
Right off the bat, the new GX doesn’t hide it’s roots, if anything it leans into it. The rear 3/4 view is all J80 inspired. The Rear is J100 inspired and the front recalls the GX’s previous generation. In other words, this thing looks spectacular.
Don’t take my word for it either! Look at the following picture:
That was taken at the Mitty historic race at Road Atlanta. This new GX gathered a crowd everywhere it went! Scores of smiling faces, ‘wow’ expressions and after offering the crowd the chance to poke around it…deposits were ordered on cellphones!
It wasn’t the Mitty either. Every. Single. Time. I stopped the GX was admired and swooned over.
Is all of this enthusiasm warranted? It’s find out:
The Great
Styling: I’ll go ahead and say it…this is the best looking Lexus SUV ever made. It brilliantly echoes past models and blends that with modern styling. From it’s headlights to tail lights…there isn’t a bad angle.
Drivetrain: The last generation GX had a 4.6 Liter V8, which sounds awesome until you look at the power it made. 301 HP and 329 TQ and lugging a 5200 pound behemoth made it sluggish and inefficient. Making it worst was it paired to an ancient 6 speed auto whose ratios were as long as the equator, making the already paltry power…even worst. i
This new generation solves all of that. Making 349 HP and an outstanding 479 TQ, then bolting that to a quick 10 speed auto, the GX moves with authority around town and actually has passing power on the highway to boot!
All while delivering a frankly astonishing 17 MPG in mixed driving.
Buttons: Oh ToMoCo, I love thee for your persistent non conformity. Standing in stark contrast to the rest of the automotive industry, the GX is graced with large and easy to find and use buttons. From the HVAC to the drive control…all controlled by a physical switch. How woulda thunkit?
The Good
Ride Quality: The ride quality is a mix bag and I’ll explain that below. Regardless, the suspension tuning is fantastic. Around town is smooth, on the highway it’s supple, off-roading it soaks up rocks, branches and embankments with nary a head flop. Caveat: The tires suck (look below). I have tested enough vehicles to tell when a suspension system is dialed versus when a set of tires ruins all that dialing in.
Sightlines: The forward visibility is the best in it’s class. The front A pillars are tall and thin and the hood is flat. All around visibility is second to none in it’s class.
Refinement: The interior is festooned with rich materials and exacting fitment. There is substance behind every switch and behind every soft touch panel. It’s a Lexus afterall and it shows through and through
The Bad
Transmission: Bear in mind that we had a Prototype test unit but first to second engagement from a cold start goes from shuddering all the way to clunkytown
The Ugly
Tires: Our unit had a set of Yokohama Geolander X-CV tires and they sucked. Their sidewalls felt like they were made out of cement or cast iron, causing the GX to crash over everything around town. The poor suspension did it’s best to cushion the blows but it can only do so much when your only contact patch to the road are the tires. In other words, the brilliant suspension tuning is frankly ruined by the crap tires.
Wheels: Wrapped around those tires are a set of wheels that can only be described as…ugly. They are so ugly that they remind me of a set of Konig Unknowns AKA the ugliest aftermarket wheels ever created. See below:
I present to you…the ugliest wheel ever made. Konig Unknown
The Overall
So does Lexus have a hit on their hands? Absolutely.
