When I arrived in Tucson, Arizona for the first drive of the 2024 Lexus GX 550 it had been raining all day.
Water was flowing down the streets; cars were splashing through puddles and I had the windshield wipers on full as I pulled up to the hotel. It rained so hard that the off-road course Lexus had planned for us was washed out, leaving the organizers to scramble for something, anything, that could show off the new SUV’s off-road chops.
Yeah, y’all, that didn’t happen. The dirt course we got was akin to a groomed fire road.
I’m happy to bring you a review of the GX 550, and I will certainly talk about the off-road specs of the third-generation, but the only driving impressions will be those I formed on the pavement. However, that gives OVR the perfect excuse to get a GX and test it on our own terms, so we’re not even mad.
At any rate, the previous GX had a good run for some 14 years, but it’s high time it got the makeover it deserves. Lexus has its sights set squarely on the Land Rover Defender with this new boxy silhouette.
At first, I felt the long hood was a bit disproportionate, but after a day with the rig it definitely grew on me. The LED headlamps are still sharp, but the design is much tighter. There are vestiges of the old spindle grille, but like the headlights it’s been distilled to something that is much sleeker. An upright windshield and trapezoidal wheel arches add to the straight-line motif and I’m digging the horizontal LED light bar in the rear.
Speaking of, Lexus says that due to customer demand the rear gate now opens up instead of swinging out so it’s a bit easier to access in crowded spaces. Fortunately, the rear window can still be lifted up on its own by pressing a release button in the lower left-hand corner.
The old V8 has been nixed in favor of a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Although we’ll get a hybrid version at a later date, the only option at launch is full ICE with 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. That powerplant is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, putting the power down to all four wheels.
Off the line there is plenty of oomph here and the new transmission is a dream. While behind the wheel I almost forget I’m supposed to be paying attention to the transmission, as it does its job in the background. I never feel like the SUV is in the wrong gear and the power delivery is smooth and linear. Coming from the slow-shifting six-speed in the previous generation, this new transmission might be the best improvement on the new GX.
Electric power steering is here for the first time and it’s pretty good. Nothing feels vague and it’s nicely weighted. Getting into some turns, I can feel the 5,550 pounds or so of the GX rolling through the twisties, but it’s not bad. If you want an SUV that is also a corner carver, go get yourself a Mercedes-AMG GLE. If you’re satisfied with acceptable back road pavement performance, you’ll be happy with the GX.
The only bummer here is the fuel economy. The old GX with the 4.8-liter V8 powerplant returned 16 miles per gallon combined. With the smaller displacement, forced induction and two fewer cylinders I expect more from the 2024 GX than the Lexus-estimated 17 mpg combined.
The interior has been streamlined with fewer buttons and a horizontal design aesthetic. Like the Defender there is a little shelf for smaller items that runs along the passenger side of the dash, which is a very good thing as other interior storage is hard to find. Lexus could have put a cubby in the console in front of the cup holders but instead the entire space is taken up by a 12-volt outlet with its own cover. What exactly does that 12-volt need to hide?
Toyota drivers will recognize the 14-inch infotainment screen, a welcome advance over the terrible system in last year’s GX. It’s not quite as intuitive as what you’d find in Jeep or Ram products, but it’s much better than the Defender’s confusing setup. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and there is also a 12.3-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster. However, the process to change it up is a bit confusing. It takes me a while to figure out which steering wheel buttons do what.
There are plenty of available luxury touches. The front seats are heated and cooled across the board and heated second row seats are standard on most trims. I dig the available cool box in the center console for those times you just can’t be bothered to bust out your Dometic fridge and hey if you’re a little stressed, the GX can be optioned with massaging seats.
The GX is offered in Premium, Premium+ as well as Luxury and Luxury+, but if you know you’ll be taking your GX off-road, go for the Overtrail or Overtrail+. These delete the third row for over 45 cubic feet of cargo space behind that second row. You’ll want the extra room for your 1,235 pounds of payload. A GX can handle a dynamic roof load capacity of 165 pounds and a static load capacity of nearly 600 pounds.
Now, those numbers aren’t quite as good as the Defender, but the GX trounces the Land Rover when it comes to towing. The Overtrail can drag nearly 9,100 pounds behind it, besting even the V8 Defender by nearly 1,400 pounds.
Although I didn’t really get to push the Overtrail in the dirt– the mostly flat dirt road could have been traversed in the proverbial Honda Civic– I can’t deny that the specs all point to plenty of capability. While all trims get full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case and a locking Torsen center differential, the Overtrails also get a driver-selected rear locker. Also on tap is the Multi-Terrain Select system with Dirt, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow and Auto when in 4H and Sand, Mud, Rock and Auto in 4L.
And don’t worry Toyota nerds, KDSS is here as well, although now it’s electronically operated and Lexus says it can detect terrain, steering angle and speed and lock or unlock the stabilizer bars accordingly. With 24 inches of articulation the Overtrail should have plenty of off-road traction and performance.
Off road geometry here has gotten a bit better. Approach angle is at 26 degrees, departure angle sits at 21 degrees and the breakover angle is 23 degrees. The GX can ford nearly 28 inches of water and while the transfer case is tucked up a bit higher, overall ground clearance is at less than nine inches. Those numbers don’t really come close to the Land Rover Defender with its air suspension– but then again, the Defender might get you there, but it’s often not great at getting you back home.
The Overtrails also come with 33-inch Toyo Open Country tires wrapped around 18-inch wheels. Keep in mind that off-road tires that come from the factory often have been designed specifically for a new vehicle, with road noise and fuel economy optimized. Many times, this comes at the expense of tread depth and sidewall strength. A set of Open Country tires bought from a retailer will likely perform much better in the rough stuff.
While the 2024 Lexus GX starts at under $64,500 including destination, the Overtrail can be had for $69,250 and the Overtrail+ goes for $77,250. For all that extra coin the Overtrail+ gets niceties like heated second row seats, the front massaging seats, ambient lighting, power rear lift gate, puddle lamps and a few tech options. Frankly, it’s not enough to justify the price bump, but if you want the best of the best, have at it.
Overall, the 2024 Lexus GX 550 is a much better SUV to live with on the daily. The powertrain offers smooth, linear power, the ride is comfortable and there are plenty of luxury options to satisfy your bougie side. We can’t wait to get it really, really dirty.
Access More Great Stories!
This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 08. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.
No comments yet