2024 Lexus GX review
This machine is one of the best all-round vehicles on sale, except for one annoying feature.
If you forget the name of Lexus’ new four-wheel-drive, remember that it has a thirsty petrol engine and might visit service stations twice as often as its Toyota cousin.
Tell yourself “Gee, that’s expensive to run” and you’ll be damn close to the badge on the back of the Lexus GX.
This is a new type of car from Toyota’s luxury cousin. In the same way that Lexus’ LX is a luxury LandCruiser, the GX is a posh Prado that deletes the Toyota’s HiLux-derived diesel engine in favour of a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6.
The engine is an asset and liability.
It’s smoother, quieter, and far punchier than its cheaper four-cylinder cousin.
Overtaking on long steep hills is effortless thanks to peak outputs of 260kW and 650Nm that result in V8-rivalling thrust, helped by a sophisticated 10-speed automatic transmission keeping the engine in its sweet spot.
But you also get V8-rivalling thirst.
Our test car returned 18L/100km fuel figures in urban running, which settled down to 16.5L/100km after a couple of hours on the highway.
That's not great.
Brim the tank with premium unleaded and you’ll be greeted by a fuel gauge that shows less than 450 kilometres of range – a number that falls further if you fill it with people or hitch something to the tow ball.
I’ve seen numbers approaching triple that distance on a twin-tank Prado.
Prospective owners should seek counselling for range anxiety from their Tesla-owning mates, developing strategies (fill up early and often) and coping mechanisms (hide the fuel consumption page on the digital dash) to cope with their new ride.
The Lexus is a close relative of Toyota’s next four-wheel-drive, but you won’t confuse the two when signing for the bill.
Priced from $128,000 drive-away, the GX is significantly more expensive than its working class cousin.
Step up to the rugged Overtrail model with adaptive suspension and you’ll spend about $135,000 drive-away, while the range-topping Sports Luxury is about $141,000 drive-away.
You don’t really need to spend more than the standard car, which is loaded with an impressive level of equipment.
Naturally, it has the full array of modern safety gear including nine airbags, auto emergency braking and active cruise control.
Front occupants get faux leather seats with heating, cooling and electric adjustment, though only the outer seats in the second row are heated.
Three-zone climate control is standard, and there are air vents (as well as cup holders and power outlets) within reach of all seven seats.
We put six people in the car and had no complaints from the third row, which benefits from electric folding tech that makes it easy to set the car up for a crowd.
Another point on the practicality front is a rear window that opens independently of the tailgate, which can be handy when the car is fully loaded. Other toys include a 12.3-inch digital dashboard and oversized 14-inch central touchscreen with smartphone mirroring and wireless phone charging.
The GX does a great job of bridging the best of Toyota and Lexus interiors.
It’s practical, built like a bank vault, trimmed in quality material and does without Lexus’ less attractive qualities.
We spent a couple of weeks in the Lexus RX 500 F Sport last Christmas and couldn’t wait to give it back – little things such as a wooden-feeling brake pedal, overly bolstered seats, thoughtless touch pads on the steering wheel and fiddly switchlike electric doorhandles conspired against it.
Thankfully, none of those are present in the GX. The steering wheel has conventional buttons and the seats are among the most comfortable I’ve experienced for long trips. And the door handles do not require you to offer passengers a pre-flight briefing like a flight attendant lecturing folks in exit row seats.
Better still, the GX is great to drive.
It’s quiet, has power to burn and feels composed in the bends. Or handles light off-roading with ease, and colleagues who pushed the car out of their comfort zone report that it is immensely capable on rough tracks.
Back on tar, responses to control inputs feel natural, resulting in the sort of relaxed driving experience where nothing niggles or annoys.
Until the fuel light comes on, something that happens a little too frequently for my liking.
LEXUS GX 500
PRICE: From about $128,000 drive-away
ENGINE: 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo, 260kW and 650Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICE: 5-yr/u’ltd km, TBC
SAFETY: 9 airbags
THIRST: 12.3L/100km
SPARE: Full size
CARGO: 292 litres
Verdict
4 Stars
The Lexus GX is a great car. Polished to drive and beautifully built, it nails the brief for a Lexus four-wheel-drive. This is an easy car to recommend - as long as you can cope with the fuel use.
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