2024 Lexus GX 550 Premium+ 4WD – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

Capable of towing a Howitzer canon!

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL

With the re-introduction of the completely revamped 2024 GX 550, Lexus now offers a bewildering array of heavyweight, 3-row SUVs. The least expensive of the bunch is the new TX 350, a family friendly model which carries a base price of $53,700, and a top tag of $76,700. At the other end of the spectrum is the most expensive SUV you can buy from Lexus, the LX 600, which is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. This behemoth is powered by a 409hp twin turbo V6, and priced from $92,565 to $133,140. Between those polarities lies the subject of this test, the reconceived GX 550.

Lexus offers 6 different grades of the GX, all powered by the same gas-fed, twin turbocharged, 3.4 liter V6 making 349hp and a whopping 479lb.-ft. of torque. Available GX models are the Premium ($65,285), Premium+ ($69,750), Overtrail ($72,930), Overtrail+ ($80.395), Luxury ($77,750), and Luxury+ ($81,750). Our test Premium+ version priced out at $71,455, which included $900 for a Head-Up Display, $200 for a Cold Area Package, $110 for a Tonneau Cover, $375 for a Digital Key with Smart Access Card Key, $620 for Traffic Jam Assist, and $1,350 for Dealer Preparation.

Lexus emphasizes the off-road competence of the GX 550, referring to its propulsion system as 4WD rather than AWD. Off-road bragging rights belong to the Overtrail models which utilize a soaring ride height of 9.84 inches to clear obstacles. That's 1 inch taller than all other GX variants. But make no mistake, the GX 550 Premium+ we drove isn't exactly sagging low in the saddle, since it requires a decisive high step up onto the running boards before gaining access to the cabin. All GX models share the exact same "GA-F" lightweight ladder frame platform that underpins the more expensive Lexus LX 600/Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs.

If there's any doubt about the GX's go-anywhere credentials, just feast your eyes on the multiple terrain control buttons encircling the 10-speed automatic's gear shift lever. Off to one side sits the large Drive Mode knob with Sport, Normal and Economy settings. Just aft of that control is the toggle switch for 4-wheel drive High and Low ranges. To the right of the shifter you find the "Tow/Haul" selector, which allows you to tailor the GX to the trailer load you're hauling. Allowable Trailer Weight is an astronomical 9,063lbs, a load the super torquey turbo V6 vanquishes with ease. This Lexus gets to 60 from zero in just 6.2 seconds.

When it comes to back road rambles, there's virtually no terrain the GX can't conquer in 4WD Low Range with Crawl Control activated. A locking Torsen limited-slip center differential seals the deal on precise traction management. GX 550-specific 20-in. x 7.5-in. alloy rims are shod with 265/55R20 Yokohama Geolander X-CV extra load radial rubber (TW 360). The wheels look fetching with their six black and bright machined finish spokes. To keep an eye on how your Lexus is coping with the trail surface, Lexus has equipped the GX with a Panoramic View Monitor System (PVM) that projects images from 4 multi-terrain cameras onto a 14-inch wide dashboard display monitor. Using this information, an intrepid off-roader can check on obstacle clearance and road conditions from the driver's seat and make intelligent decisions before trouble strikes.

Since you won't be buying this brute of an SUV for its off-road prowess alone, let me note that it makes a surprisingly amenable companion for everyday driving. Sitting tall in the supportive GX saddle confers better sightlines in traffic than lesser SUVs can provide. Although you can't see the front or rear corners of the GX from the driver's seat, Intuitive Parking Assist with Auto Braking and Rear Pedestrian Detection pinch hits well for those missing sightlines. The interior of the Premium + level GX is luxurious and comforting in an understated way. There's nothing showy about this interior - no fancy stitching or suede inserts - but most everything you need is right there, either in button form, or touchscreen form. One irritant we noted was that switching from one touch screen to another automatically loses (or gains) the icons controlling the seat and steering wheel heaters. Having icons appear and disappear with unpredictable random frequency is not only disconcerting but also dangerous to your driving concentration.

This brute of a box cab reminded me of a 1/43 scale Dinky Toy military truck I collected back in the 1960s. Called the Leyland Military Artillery Tractor, it looked every bit as ferocious as this new Lexus. Helping confirm the illusion was the fact that my test GX 550 was finished in a foreboding khaki called Nori Green Pearl, a shade that made it a dead ringer for that olive drab Dinky Toy. And with its tow capacity exceeding 4 tons, the newest Lexus could certainly tow a 7.2 inch howitzer without breaking a sweat.

2024 LEXUS GX 550 PREMIUM+ 4WD

ENGINE: 3.4 liter V6, 24-valve DOHC, turbocharged and intercooled, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
• TORQUE: 479lb.-ft.@ 2000rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 15MPG City/21MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $71,455

HYPES: Boxy is Beautiful

GRIPES: Tiny Third Row Seats

STAR RATING: 9 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman