2024 Lexus GX Review and Test Drive
After its first redesign since 2010, the GX is more stylish, efficient, and user friendly than ever — but it's not perfect.
Alex Kwanten
After I tried it on an off-road obstacle course, I knew the 2024 Lexus GX 550 would breeze down most of the trails I'd planned. But a 20-minute obstacle course can't tell you everything you need to know about an off-roader, so I took the SUV deep into the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Mountains on forest service roads and rocky trails.
It didn't skip a beat, and like the previous-generation GX, it felt just as comfy sailing home on the highway as it had crunching over the rocks. It also got 16.1 mpg that day, which — in my experience — would have been unlikely in the old GX.
I mention the old GX because 2024 marks this SUV's first major redesign in 14 years. Despite its age and limitless appetite for fuel, the last-generation GX was a fan favorite. Its sales actually rose over the years as interest in off-roading and posh SUVs increased. But time waits for no truck, and Lexus eventually had to respond to more modern rivals such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Land Rover Defender, and Mercedes-Benz G-class.
For 2024, Lexus has radically repackaged this genteel giant with a squared-off look, a modern infotainment system, a new off-road-specific Overtrail trim, and a twin-turbocharged V6 heart that's more powerful and efficient than the old vehicle's V8. From what I saw, this redesign doesn't sacrifice anything people liked about the old GX, but it does make the new GX altogether more functional and user friendly.
Not every new feature is perfect, though, and the latest U.S.-market Toyota Land Cruiser, on which Lexus bases the GX, offers a similar package for less money.
Alex Kwanten
The New GX Is Spendy but Value Packed
The 2024 Lexus GX comes in Premium, Premium+, Overtrail, Overtrail+, Luxury, and Luxury+ trim levels. Base prices range from the mid-$60,000s to the low $80,000s, including the destination charge for shipping the SUV from the Tahara, Japan, factory that builds it to your local dealership.
For this GX review, I spent a week driving the GX Overtrail in Washington State on familiar routes through Seattle and the Cascade Mountains. Highlights from the options list included a head-up display, a cool box, and traffic jam assist.
The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the test vehicle came to $71,270, including the $1,350 destination charge. Lexus provided the vehicle for this GX review.
In addition to my regular testing, I also put the GX test unit through autocross and off-road obstacle courses at a group vehicle test event held by the Northwest Automotive Press Association.
Alex Kwanten
Lexus Goes Angular With the 2024 GX
In place of the old GX's soft, anodyne shape, the new model is angular and distinctive, like a Mercedes G-Class. The Lexus spindle grille remains, but it's better proportioned than on the automaker's other large SUVs. The GX is tall but looks muscular and sleek, thanks to a high beltline and flared fenders. The net effect is handsome, though the GX's bluff front end and steep windshield gather bug splatter like few other vehicles I've driven.
Lexus has remade the GX's interior as well, with sharp angles and flat surfaces. It's a clean design that emphasizes simplicity over visual opulence, and there are many vast expanses of black plastic. The materials felt high quality, but the interior overall struck me as austere.
The dashboard features a 12.3-inch digital driver's display and a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. As with the rest of the interior, the screen isn't easy to keep clean, quickly drawing fingerprints, but the controls are straightforward.
Alex Kwanten
The GX Is Comfortable up Front but Cramped in Back
The GX's seats are soft and supportive and come with standard heating and ventilation. There's plenty of room even for tall drivers, and visibility is outstanding. While the side bolstering isn't very aggressive, it's enough to keep you secure if the SUV rocks around on a trail. The armrests are well placed, and the materials feel pleasant to the touch, even if they look plain.
The back bench seat is comfy, though the seatback feels a little hard. There's also not as much rear legroom as you might expect, partly because Lexus reserves some space for the GX's optional third row. Tall rear passengers probably won't feel squeezed, but they'll have little room to stretch out.
Having seen the GX's optional third-row seat in other trims, I can tell you it's strictly for little kids and kills cargo room.
Alex Kwanten
The 2024 GX Offers Better Access and More Space
In previous years, the GX had a side-hinged tailgate that swung open to the right, blocking access from the curb when the SUV was parked on the right-hand side of the road. That's gone now, replaced by a conventional top-hinged power hands-free liftgate.
Inside, the cargo area isn't very deep but is quite tall. There are 45.6 cubic-feet of space behind the second row and 90.5 cut-ft (up from 64.7 in the old GX) with the second row folded. That was more than enough for me to take a bunch of old chairs and other bulky items to the thrift store. Opt for the third row, and you'll have just 10.3 cu-ft of cargo room when that row is in use.
Alex Kwanten
The GX's Infotainment Is Good but Not Great
The GX's 14.0-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard. Its graphics are decent, and it uses Lexus software, which features a helpful voice assistant, navigation, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It doesn't have a conventional home screen, which would be beneficial, but it isn't too hard to navigate and features multiple easy-access options for adjusting vehicle settings.
Lexus' voice assistant recognized commands well and understood most of my navigation inputs. In my experience, voice assistants from BMW and Mercedes seem sharper, but they also back more complex systems that I've found more frustrating to operate manually.
The GX's standard 10-speaker audio system sounded great; buyers can also choose a 21-speaker Mark Levinson setup.
Alex Kwanten
Cameras Aid Low-Speed Maneuvering
Overtrail GX models come equipped with off-road menus, a surround-view camera system, and an underfloor-view camera. These features help navigate rugged terrain or tight trails, but there are two flaws: The resolution could be a little better, and the live camera view annoyingly shuts off above 7 mph. While the GX's cameras are for low-speed maneuvering, I think a higher-speed cutoff would be much more helpful.
My test truck also had an optional head-up display, alleviating the need to take one's eyes off the road. I found it discreet and easily customized.
Alex Kwanten
The Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 Is Easy to Use
Unlike some of its rivals, Lexus includes almost all its best driver-assistance gear as standard equipment. The 2024 GX includes Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which installs automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition, and evasive steering assist.
One notable omission is traffic jam assist, which is optional instead of standard. The technology allows for limited hands-free operation in restricted areas and provides automated lane changes.
The adaptive cruise control worked well, unobtrusively keeping up with traffic and keeping the GX in the center of its lane. The warnings, especially about pedestrians in downtown Seattle, worked well, too.
The GX Overtrail has some off-road assistance features, including hill-descent control (to limit the SUV's speed on dangerous declines) and Crawl Control, an off-road low-speed cruise control for maintaining momentum. They worked well for me and will likely be familiar to any Lexus or Toyota off-road fan.
Alex Kwanten
For 2024, the GX Gets a V6
All 2024 Lexus GX models use a standard twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 making 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. That's up from 310 horsepower and 329 lb-ft with the old GX's 4.6-liter V8 — though the new GX is about 300 pounds heavier than the old one. The new V6 delivers power to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Overtrail models get 33-inch all-terrain tires on 18-inch rims instead of the other trims' 20- or 22-inch wheels.
Alex Kwanten
Driving Is Smooth on the Road and Trail
The GX's new V6 roars to life with more treble than the old V8's bass, but it feels strong and can motivate this big machine to 60 mph in a little more than 6 seconds. The autocross course also provided a chance to measure the GX's stopping power against other 2024 SUVs. This 5,675-pound beast stopped at about the same distance as a 4,500-pound Hyundai Santa Fe and a 4,100-pound Kia Sorento, both of which I drove back to back with the GX. The Overtrail also tows up to 9,096 pounds.
Throughout my time with it, the GX averaged 16.8 mpg, a little shy of its 17-mpg EPA rating in combined driving (15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway). In 2021, I saw a previous-generation GX get just 13 mpg over a week of driving. Better fuel economy is coming soon. Lexus confirmed that a GX Hybrid is on the way.
Despite its heft and high center of gravity, the GX was pretty stable on twisty roads and didn't ever feel sloppy on the autocross course. Luxury+ and Overtrail models get an adaptive suspension that feels firmer in Sport mode and softer in Comfort mode. The steering is relatively heavy, and this SUV is not nimble, but the GX is a respectable on-road performer. It rides smoothly and quietly, soaking up the bumps.
Alex Kwanten
It also makes short work of light trails. Four-wheel drive with a low range is standard, and multiple terrain modes exist. The Electronic-Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) can independently disable the front or rear anti-roll bars for optimal wheel articulation. The GX's center differential allows you to choose whether it's locked or unlocked in 4Lo.
These systems enable a smoother ride in the rough and tighter turns on narrow trails. The Overtrail's 18-inch wheels and grippy all-terrains are, in my opinion, much better suited to real off-roading than the standard 20s. Over big muddy hills and loose rocks and logs, it never felt like it might get stuck, and it absorbed big bumps and dips without jostling the occupants around.
Alex Kwanten
The GX Is Ready for Country Club or Backcountry
With this redesign, Lexus has taken the fight to the Land Rover Defender and high-trim Jeep Grand Cherokee models.
The new 2024 GX isn't perfect. Its interior is a little drab, gas mileage is still mediocre, and the infotainment still needs work. But, in general, it's a polished machine that laughs off most off-road challenges. It's also likely to last, as the outgoing GX had a reputation for rock-solid reliability.
However, that raises the question: What about the new Toyota Land Cruiser? The Toyota is a close relative, and it comes with hybrid power for less cash. The Toyota isn't as powerful or posh, though, and those things matter to luxury buyers — as will the GX's rugged design, which conveys the same image of brawn as the far pricier Mercedes G-Class.
Overall, Lexus buyers should like the GX even more now.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Alex KwantenAlex Kwanten has worked in automotive media for 15 years and reported on buying, selling, and servicing cars for many outlets. He helps make car buying less intimidating for ordinary folks, but he also loves telling the stories of the people and cultural forces behind new and classic vehicles. A lifelong automotive enthusiast, he's owned scores of cars from more than a dozen countries.
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