The original Japanese luxury car brand is updating and expanding its SUV portfolio with two models, a completely redesigned GX550 and all-new TX. Both have three rows of seats. Both have all wheel drive. Both wear a version of Lexus’ spindle grille, but that’s where the similarities end.
Off The Beaten Path
The 2024 Lexus GX550 continues as one of just a handful of mid-size traditional body-on-frame SUVs. Sharing the GA-F platform with its larger sibling, the LX600, and its cousins the Toyota Sequoia, Tundra, and 4Runner, the GX adds more capability to a vehicle that already delivered well beyond the demands of most owners. And it goes even further with a new, off-road focused, Overtrail grade.
The new GX is longer, wider and slightly taller than the aging model it replaces. Launched in 2002 and last significantly updated in 2009, everything about the old GX felt, well… old. The creaky suspension, under stressed and over thirsty V8, tech straight out of ‘90s Sci-fi, and a version of luxury that went out with velour track suits. It all worked, but when compared to new offerings from Land Rover, BMW and others, it was long past time to refresh the GX or retire it.
Based on what I saw tonight at a reveal event in Austin, Texas, I’m glad they didn’t decide for the latter option.
With TX handling the mid-size three-row street duties, GX is free now to focus fully on its mission as an adventure vehicle. For starters, the GX looks more rugged. It’s more upright, more chiseled, and bulkier giving a strong sense of athleticism. Unlike Defender which tries to translate a classic design into modern parlance, the GX feels like it’s of the moment with just subtle nods to the past. You can see hints of Land Cruiser FJ40 in the A-pillars and windshield, the 80-series in the side panels, and the most recent GX in the roofline, but it’s not a caricature of those vehicles. It stands proudly on its own.
Available in 6 trim levels: Premium, Premium+, Luxury, Luxury+, and all-new for Lexus, Overtrail and Overtrail+, GX wears the Lexus spindle grill better than any of their current SUVs. It’s a more subtle iteration and one that hopefully is a preview of more to come. This new GX is longer, wider and a bit taller than the model it replaces, yet it has a shorter overhangs improving approach and departure angles.
Gone is the venerable, bullet-proof, but underpowered 4.6L V8 and in its place you’ll find a twin turbo V6 that makes 349 HP and a whopping 469 lb.-ft. of torque. Towing capacity increases from 6,500 to 8,000 pounds, and mileage improves as well. And the four wheel drive system includes a Torsen limited slip center differential with a locking feature. Overtrail grades get a locking rear differential for when the going gets really tough.
The suspension is upgraded as well, with a double wishbone layout up front and multilink for the rear axle. The electronic kinetic dynamic suspension system enhances handling and ride comfort by helping to keep the vehicle level in both on and off-road conditions. On uneven surfaces, one compressed cylinder causes fluid to flow to the other cylinder, helping the vehicle to keep all four wheels on the ground. The standard premium grade GX rides on 20-inch wheels with all-season tires. Move up to the Overtrail and the wheels shrink a couple of inches, but you get beefy 33-inch all-terrain tires.
Open the chiseled door and you’re welcomed into the 21st century with a modern, comfortable, tech forward cabin. Lexus new user interface is prominently featured in a well-integrated 14-inch touchscreen. This thing is massive, but in a whiff still doesn’t have split screen capability. With that much real estate it’s baffling that Lexus wouldn’t allow you to have both a map and your media or any other function up at the same time. The instrument panel has been modernized and lowered improving driver visibility. There’s plenty of room in the first and second rows, but the third row in this truck is really more for show – or the little ones. No one over 6-feet tall is going to want to climb back there.
The big news for GX550 is the Overtrail edition. Originally a concept car unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier in the year, Overtrail is a new grade signifying Lexus’ ultimate off-road capability. It includes the aforementioned wheel, tire, 4WD, and suspension upgrades as well as fender flares, and skid plates for when you’re climbing mountains in your GX. Combine that with the high end interior and GX 550 overtrail is a ground up reimagining of the luxo-trail concept. This is glamping on four wheels.
A No Brainer
The TX is all new (for Lexus). Essentially it’s a Toyota Grand Highlander with more elegant sheet metal, nicer wheels, better seats, additional sound insulation, and a retuned suspension. This isn’t a bad thing. TX fills a gaping hole in Lexus’ lineup that they tried to remedy unsuccessfully with RX 350L. TX is a paved road crossover with a real third row and room for luggage even when those seats are occupied. It’s a station wagon for our era.
TX the first true family hauler for the Lexus brand. It seats up to seven passengers. It offers two-electrified powertrain options, a 3.5L V6 plug-in hybrid and a high-performance 2.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged hybrid. It will be available with both front- and all-wheel drive, and it will be the first Lexus vehicle to be assembled in the United States.
While Lexus has added some signature touches to the design, including what they’re calling the “unified spindle grille,” there’s no escaping the similarities in profile and stance to the Grand Highlander. Get inside however, and it’s all Lexus. Beautiful upholstery, well designed interfaces, and modern technology are highlights. As is the room. at 6’3″ I have not trouble getting into and getting comfortable in the third row seats. Even more remarkable is the 20.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front row.
While the TX doesn’t have the personality of the GX, it has twice the practicality. If you’re never planning on leaving the pavement, this is the option for you. For that reason and the fact that it comes with Lexus’ reputation for quality, the TX should be the home run, slam dunk, and perfect 10 the company could have built five years ago. Better late than never.
