Lexus got in on the luxury SUV market early when it launched the full-size LX in 1996. It was essentially a fancier version of the Toyota Land Cruiser, which was luxurious in its own right and known for its off-road abilities. Then, Lexus introduced the two-row midsize RX in 1998, which is considered the first purpose-built luxury SUV. That left the three-row midsize SUV class unattended, but Lexus filled it with the GX in 2003.
Like the Lexus LX, the GX was also based on an existing Toyota. In this case it was the 4Runner, which was wildly popular among outdoor enthusiasts. But unlike other corporate clones, the Lexus GX distinguished itself from the 4Runner with its own exterior styling and a much smarter interior. Since then, it has been a strong and reliable alternative to luxury SUVs with all-terrain abilities.
Those abilities came at the expense of comfort and handling, though. The GX doesn't ride as smoothly as more traditional luxury SUVs, nor does it corner with as much confidence. These drawbacks may be too much for buyers who aren’t planning off-road ventures, but for those who are, it's one of the more opulent choices.
In the luxury space, the GX competes against the more expensive Land Rover Discovery (which was also called the LR3 and LR4) and the newer Defender. They have more brand cachet but are also prone to mechanical issues and don't hold their value as well as the GX. With this in mind, the Lexus GX remains an excellent choice for adventure-bound buyers who also value luxury. For city-bound and family-oriented luxury shoppers seeking a Lexus three-row midsize SUV, the recently launched Lexus TX may be a better fit.
Lexus GX Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Lexus GX Pros and Cons
- Lexus GX Generations
- Third Generation (2024 - present)
- Second Generation (2010 - 2023)
- First Generation (2003 - 2009)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Lexus GX years are the best?
The latest Lexus GX is easily the best thanks to technological and engineering advances that make its predecessor look like a dinosaur by comparison. It's still a relatively new car, though, and with starting prices between roughly $90,000 and $115,000 including fees, it's out of reach for many buyers. The last few years of the second-generation GX brought plenty of new technology and safety features that kept it fresh in the face of newer rivals despite its age, and 2020 to 2023 models are much more affordable.
Which Lexus GX years are the worst?
By today's standards the first-generation GX will seem primitive, but it was excellent for its time. The second generation was an improvement but had some recurring recall issues. However, the most prevalent was the airbags, which were a problem for almost the entire industry at the time. That said, we'd be OK with those models as long as the issues have been addressed because Lexus has an excellent overall reputation for reliability, and the GX is relatively trouble-free when compared to rivals.
Is a used Lexus GX a good deal?
Pre-owned GXs hold their value better than other SUVs in their class, which means you'll have to pay a little more for a used example. Considering its reputation for reliability, it's worth it. And when it's your turn to sell, you'll likely make up the difference.
Lexus GX Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Impressive off-road capabilities
- Luxurious interior
- Reputation for reliability and durability
Cons:
- Off-road abilities compromise on-road comfort and handling
- Limited third-row passenger space
- Older models had a side-hinged tailgate
Lexus GX Generations
Third Generation (2024 - present)
The second-generation Lexus GX was well past its expiration date by the end of its 13-year production run, an eternity without a redesign. At long last, it was completely overhauled for the 2024 model year, and most were blown away by the new direction (in a good way).
The new look is a huge departure from previous GXs. The boxy shape and faceted body panels give it a more substantial appearance and represent a significant departure from the previous styling. This third-generation GX is longer and wider than its predecessor, creating more passenger and cargo space inside. The inconvenient side-hinged tailgate was replaced by a more conventional liftgate.
In Canada, the new Lexus GX 550 has six equipment packages available in total with varying degrees of luxury and all-terrain capabilities. Entry-level Signature is a seven-passenger model that includes 20-inch black alloy wheels, a power moonroof with a power sunshade, digital key access, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, ambient lighting, three-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker Lexus Display Audio system, and the typical suite of advanced safety and driver assistance features.
Other packages include Premium, Luxury, Executive, Overtrail, and Overtrail+. The first three add optional features such as 22-inch wheels, a power-adjustable steering column, heated second-row outboard seats, a driver’s seat memory system, a head-up display, a kick-activated power rear liftgate, multi-colour ambient lighting, semi-aniline leather, second-row captain’s chairs, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, among other features.
The Overtrail grade adds off-road ready features such as the brand’s electronic adaptive suspension with five driving modes, 18-inch alloy wheels with 33-inch all-terrain tires, Lexus’s multi-terrain monitor and panoramic view monitor systems, aluminum roof rails, and skid plates. Overtrail+ adds these features plus many of the luxury-focused features above.
By default, the GX is able to fit up to seven passengers with the second-row bench and dual third-row seats. The available second-row captain's chairs reduced that capacity to six, and the off-road-focused Overtrail trims eliminate the third row for only a five-passenger capacity.
As for the drivetrain, all models adopt the GX 550 name and are powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 with 349 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive are also included. The more powerful engine gets the new GX to 100 km/h in roughly 6.5 seconds, which is about a second quicker than the previous generation. However, it drives similarly with an emphasis on comfort over sporty handling, so it can feel soft and top-heavy on a winding road. Curiously, the related Toyota 4Runner received a hybrid powertrain option with its redesign, but the GX didn’t.
Inside, there’s ample space for passengers in the first two rows, but some rivals offer more room for the middle row. The third-row seats are less accommodating due to the limited space and low cushion height, making them suitable for kids only. Interior materials are up to Lexus standards with plenty of soft-touch surfaces and attractive graining. It's right up there with other entry-level luxury brands but comes up a little short against, say, premium German car manufacturers.
For its 2025 follow-up, the GX added 2.5 centimetres of ground clearance to Overtrail models for improved off-roading. All trims also gained driver’s seat memory functions and a power-adjusting steering column.
Fuel economy barely improved at all for this GX generation, with a Natural Resources Canada-estimated 13.5 litres per 100 kilometres combined. While that's not terrible for a car of this size with some off-road chops, it’s higher than what you'd expect from a traditional luxury SUV. The third-generation Lexus GX has not yet been evaluated by either the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and no recalls had been issued at the time of writing.
The Land Rover Discovery remains a strong rival to the Lexus GX and was joined by a new Defender in 2020. The Ford Bronco was revived for the 2021 model year and is an absolute beast over rough terrain, but it isn’t considered luxurious by any standards.
As of this writing, the third-generation Lexus GX is too new to evaluate prices and value retention on the used vehicle market.
Second Generation (2010 - 2023)
The first full GX redesign was implemented for the 2010 model year. While it was all-new, the styling and proportions were very similar to its predecessor. It was also renamed to GX 460 to reflect its slightly smaller engine, a 4.6-litre V8, which generated 301 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque.
As with many of its contemporaries, the second-generation GX added a lot of safety features. These included lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, and automatic high beams. The third-row seats were standardized and received a power-folding function. A new off-road mode called crawl control also debuted. It was essentially a low-speed cruise control that allowed the driver to pay more attention to vehicle placement and operated below 6 km/h.
The 2010 Lexus GX 460 was offered in two trim levels: Premium and Ultra Premium. The base Premium featured heated and ventilated front seats, a power flat folding-third row seat, automatic high-beams and automatic headlamp levellers, a front and rear clearance sonar, a rear-view camera, a hard drive-based navigation system, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound audio system. The Ultra Premium adds a pre-collision system with driver monitor camera, lane departure alert system, a heated wood-trim steering wheel, semi-aniline leather, a four-camera around-view monitor, a rear air suspension with auto leveling system, crawl control, and an off-road package.
The second-generation GX received only minor cosmetic changes in the first few years of production. It got a significant makeover in 2014 with an all-new styling direction that incorporated the spindle grille, which defined Lexus models of the time. Inside, a new eight-inch infotainment touchscreen and NuLuxe synthetic leather upholstery were made standard. It also gained a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert as an option.
A couple of technology features were added to the mix for 2015. Siri Eyes Free was a precursor to Apple CarPlay and used an iPhone's voice activation to send and receive text messages, make phone calls, control the music, and find directions. The Lexus Enform app was also upgraded to control and monitor more features.
The blind-spot monitor was moved to the standard features column in 2019, ahead of another refresh for 2020. The GX emerged with sharper styling all around, including a massive new grille. The Lexus Safety System+ suite of advanced was also standardized for all models and included frontal collision mitigation, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.
Newly available off-road features debuted that same year, including surround-view cameras, a fuel tank skid plate, a transmission cooler, crawl control, and the multi-terrain select system that optimizes traction for different conditions. These changes helped keep the GX in buyers' minds, but after 10 years, this generation was showing its age against newer rivals.
For 2022, a new Black Line Special Edition package introduced a darker aesthetic inside and out, while a larger 10.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was standard.
Fuel economy improved only slightly for the second-generation GXs, as Natural Resources Canada estimated it would return 13.9 litres per 100 kilometres combined. In 2017, the estimate was raised to 14.6 L/100 km combined and later decreased slightly to 14.5 L/100 km combined for 2020 through the end of production.
Crash tests were finally conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2023 model year, where the GX received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, five stars for side impact protection, and three stars in frontal crash and rollover tests. The 2010 model year had a recall for the stability control system as well as for its airbags. The airbags remained an issue until the 2017 model year. Fuel pump recalls also occurred for the 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019 GXs. The 2020 and later second-generation models were recall-free.
Pre-owned GX prices range from around $22,000 for an early model with a high odometer reading to more than $70,000 for low-kilometre 2023 models. Over the same model years, the Land Rover LR4 and Discovery are valued between $10,000 and nearly $70,000.
First Generation (2003 - 2009)
The Lexus GX first went on sale as the 2003 GX 470 model and shared a lot with the fourth-generation Toyota 4Runner that debuted the same year. It had its own style to distinguish it from the 4Runner with a bulkier and more upright appearance.
Inside, the GX was much more luxurious with better materials and a few more features, including a third row of seats. Those rearmost seats were cramped, though, and best left to small children. The Lexus also had a side-hinged tailgate instead of the 4Runner's liftgate, which made it less convenient in some parking situations.
Like the 4Runner, the new Lexus was a body-on-frame vehicle similar to a pickup truck, and they both shared some underpinnings with the Toyota Tacoma of the time. This type of construction is more adept at off-roading, towing, and hauling than unibody vehicles but typically results in a bumpier ride and poorer on-road handling.
The GX received a standard 4.7-litre V8 with specs of 235 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, while a five-speed automatic transmission sent power to all four wheels through a two-speed transfer case. Towing capacity was initially rated at 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) but later increased to 2,950 kilograms (6,500 pounds) after a stronger hitch receiver replaced the original. The GX drove similarly to the Toyota 4Runner, but its adaptive variable suspension improved ride comfort and cornering abilities.
In 2004, the Lexus GX added a few features, the most notable being the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS). With the touch of a button, the suspension stabilizer bars are disconnected, allowing for significantly more wheel travel and articulation when off-roading. This was a novel addition as other off-roaders required you to crawl under the vehicle with tools to achieve the same effect. Further additions included a tire pressure monitoring system and a rearview camera.
Upgrades for the 2005 model year included a power increase to 270 hp, a fresh navigation system, and Bluetooth. In 2006, the horsepower rating was changed to 263 hp, but not because it lost any power. That year, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) altered its reporting standard, which had a similar effect on many vehicles. There was a styling update in 2008 but not much else, and nothing new for 2009.
Throughout its first generation, the Lexus GX 470 was estimated by Natural Resources Canada at a fuel economy of 15.4 litres per 100 kilometres combined.
Neither the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted crash tests on Lexus GX models of this vintage. According to NHTSA, the 2003 GX had only one recall for the rear seat latches. From 2004 to 2006, there was another recall for possible unexpected side airbag deployment. Otherwise, the first-generation GX models were trouble-free.
Due to their age, first-generation Lexus GX models are now rare on the used vehicle market in Canada. If you can find one within reach, expect to pay between $13,000 and $26,000 depending on model year, features, odometer reading, and condition.
