The Lexus GX, a more luxurious twin to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, is due in Australia in mid-2024 and will be offered in three variants.
These comprise the more road-focused seven-seat GX 550 Luxury and flagship GX 550 Sports Luxury, as well as the off-road oriented five-seat GX 550 Overtrail.
All Lexus GX 550 variants are powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre petrol V6 engine, which produces a claimed 260kW of power and 650Nm of torque – representing increases of 110kW and 150Nm over the upcoming Prado’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with 48V mild-hybrid assistance.
Drive is sent to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission, which features low-range gearing and a locking centre differential.
While the Lexus GX 550 Luxury and Overtrail boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity, the Sports Luxury has a reduced capacity of 3130kg.
Standard features for the ‘entry-level’ Lexus GX 550 Luxury include:
- 20-inch alloy wheels (with a full-size spare)
- Self-levelling LED headlights
- Rear privacy glass
- Rear spoiler
- Flush roof rails
- Eight-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated outboard rear seats with 60:40 split folding
- Push-button folding third-row seats
- Tri-zone climate control
- Head-up display
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 14-inch infotainment screen
- Wireless and wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- 10-speaker sound system
- Wireless phone charger
- Five USB-C ports
- 12-volt front and 220-volt rear outlets
- Power tailgate with fold-out glass hatch
- Nine airbags
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- 360-degree camera
The off-road focused Lexus GX 550 Overtrail loses its third row seats but adds a number of features, such as:
- Black 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres
- Wheel arch mouldings
- Unique bumpers
- Black trim highlights
- Bridge-type roof rails
- Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
- Locking rear differential
- Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (eKDSS)
- Multi-Terrain Select off-road traction control system
- Multi-Terrain Monitor
- Downhill assist control
- ‘Multi-stage’ Crawl Control
- Olive green Ultrasuede front seat accents and stitching (with stiffer bases and softer bolstering)
- ‘Unique door ornamentation’
- Smart key
- Refrigerated cool box
In addition to the standard features of the GX 550 Luxury, the Lexus GX 550 Sports Luxury includes:
- 22-inch alloy wheels
- Adaptive high-beam
- Power-extending side steps
- Panoramic glass roof
- Adaptive variable suspension
- 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Massage function for both front seats
- Semi-aniline leather-accented trimmed seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Digital rear-view mirror
- 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Refrigerated coolbox
Australian pricing for the Lexus GX is yet to be confirmed, though expect it to exceed $100,000 drive-away, given the outgoing – and lesser-equipped Toyota Prado – tops out at $87,468 plus on-road costs in Kakadu guise.
MORE: Everything Lexus GX