2026 Lexus GX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

For 2026, packages for Canadian Lexus GX models available on the base model include Premium, Overtrail, Luxury, Overtrail+, and Executive. These packages add between $8,738 and $25,834 to the GX 500’s base price of $89,595, including the $2,205 destination charge. Our GX 550 Overtrail test unit has a Canadian manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $99,945 including the destination charge, which means it comes just shy of triggering the federal luxury tax that applies to any portion of a vehicle’s purchase price above $100,000.

While Nori Green Pearl might not be our first choice, it's one of just two available colours that isn’t a shade of black, white, or grey (the other is Earth, a muddy brown hue). The green colour is appropriately outdoorsy, especially as applied to the GX 550 Overtrail, which along with the Overtrail+ has the most rugged appearance of any GX. Featuring grey wheel arch cladding, skid plates, ladder-type roof rails, knobby all-terrain tires, and exclusive grey wheels, it looks like it's ready to go anywhere.

Inside, our Overtrail test vehicle featured tan (Chateau) artificial leather with black bolsters and olive-green simulated suede trim. (Note: the test vehicle is in U.S. specification. Any interior colour other than black requires an upgrade to the Overtrail+ package in Canada.) The cabin isn’t luxurious in a traditional sense thanks to an emphasis on utility expressed through industrial design themes. However, it exudes quality and features technologically advanced digital driver and touchscreen infotainment displays.

Though it practically defines what a box on wheels might look like, the GX has a sense of style. The Lexus grille and triple-beam LED headlights with the L daytime running light signature lead the way, making the GX instantly identifiable. Hood blisters make it easy to see each front corner from the driver’s seat, fender bulges convey its capability, and tall windows aid visibility. At the back, a liftgate with a simple horizontal taillight appears recessed into the design above a substantial rear bumper.

Lexus equips every GX 550 with a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine making 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission, full-time 4WD system, and locking centre differential are standard. In contrast to many other luxury SUVs, the GX features rugged body-on-frame construction and shares the GA-F platform with the larger Lexus LX as well as the Toyota Land Cruiser.

The Overtrail builds on this with an electronic locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select off-road settings, hill descent control, and a low-speed cruise control system. It sits on 18-inch matte grey wheels wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain tires and features an aluminum front skid plate.

An Overtrail-standard adaptive variable suspension adds a 2.5-centimetre lift, and the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) disconnects the anti-roll bars for greater wheel articulation off-road. Approach, breakover, and departure angles see two or three-degree improvements over non-Overtrail models to 28, 26, and 24 degrees respectively.

We tested this SUV’s mettle under challenging conditions, and it exceeded our high expectations. We’ve experienced this model’s capability in the past, but every trail is different and even a familiar one can change over time.

This time around, fresh erosion producing deeper ruts created a few moments of concern, but the GX’s locking centre diff and impressive wheel articulation kept it moving forward. During a descent, loose soil caused the Lexus to slip and slide laterally. Fortunately, both the hill descent control and low-speed cruise control systems quickly arrested the undesirable movement.

The GX 550 Overtrail is equally enjoyable to drive on-road, and many of its hardware upgrades are useful during the daily grind. That adaptive suspension soaks up speed bumps and humps like they don’t exist, and the chunky tires stick out far enough that curbing a wheel isn’t a concern. Those tires are not well suited to spirited driving on twisty mountain roads, but that’s to be expected.

The twin-turbo V6 offers speedy acceleration, too, and Lexus’s claim of a 6.8-second 0 to 100 km/h time is credible. However, with an unimpressive drag coefficient of 0.39 and a curb weight of 2,570 kilograms (5,666 pounds), the GX guzzles premium gas like a university kid with a red Solo cup does beer from a keg.

Natural Resources Canada says the GX 550 will get 13.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined city and highway driving. On our fuel economy test route, we came close to that at 14.0 L/100 km. On the mountainous evaluation loop, we observed 14.7 L/100 km. Neither figure includes our off-roading session.

The GX is otherwise well suited to commuting and errand running. It towers over other vehicles, so drivers can see far ahead and anticipate traffic. Parking is a cinch, partly thanks to the impressive visibility and partly due to the available surround-view cameras. Those balloon-size tires and the adaptive suspension also pound poor pavement into submission, though we could still feel ripples and divots in the surface.

Tall and limber people won’t have much trouble getting into a GX 550 Overtrail equipped with the optional rock sliders, which can be had in place of the standard running boards. It takes a hop and some core strength, but it’s easily doable. Shorter people might curse the GX.

Once the driver and front passenger have clambered aboard, they’ll enjoy comfortable power-adjustable front seats featuring soft NuLuxe artificial leather upholstery and standard heating and ventilation. For real leather, upgrade to the GX 550 Luxury or Executive packages, which also include massaging front seats. (The latter feature is also part of the Overtrail+ package.) Most packages also offer heated outboard second-row seats, while only the Executive package adds second-row captain’s chairs. The Overtrail packages are the only GX models that don’t include a two-person third-row seat — it isn't even optional. But that’s OK given the third row’s lack of space.

Our GX 550 Overtrail’s second-row bench seat was wide enough to carry three full-size teenagers. However, the low and flat cushion reminded us of a park bench, and the backrest angle wasn’t great. The teens didn’t complain, but older and crankier adults weren’t as happy back there.

While the GX’s interior looks utilitarian, the storage space wasn’t as impressive as we expected. Each door armrest has a small tray, but the lower bins aren’t very wide or accommodating. The dashboard could use an extra shelf or a covered cubby directly in front of the passenger. Otherwise, centre console storage is adequate.

Since the Overtrail doesn’t have a third-row seat, it offers the most cargo space. Behind the back seat, this model has 1,291 litres of volume compared to 1,138 litres for the three-row packages. Maximum capacity measures 2,548 litres in the Overtrail, while the three row versions max out at 2,178 litres.

The load height is relatively high, and the GX’s bumper protrudes quite a bit. That makes it perfect to step on while strapping stuff to the roof or as a place to sit when removing muddy hiking shoes or a wetsuit. However, it can also soil pristine clothes when reaching over it to load or unload items, especially in the winter.

Every GX has a 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument cluster. In line with this SUV’s off-roading and trailering capabilities, the available data panels provide helpful information such as pitch and roll, trailer braking, engine and transmission oil temperature, and the like. They can also display the average fuel economy.

In the middle of the dashboard, Lexus deftly integrates a large 14-inch touchscreen. The Lexus Interface infotainment system is simple to use, though in the daytime illumination mode we found the delicate font created too low a contrast against the bright background. Our preference was to run it in night mode 24/7.

More problematic is the inability to display information from more than one menu at a time. If the navigation map is up, that’s all drivers see except for the strip of integrated climate controls at the bottom of the display (flanked by two large and satisfying temperature knobs). That lower section of the screen also has a shortcut menu that provides quick access to commonly adjusted features, a helpful detail that makes living with the GX easier.

The Lexus Interface includes complimentary trial subscriptions to several connected services plans. The three buyers are most likely to want include Safety Connect (free for 10 years), Remote Connect (free for three years), and Drive Connect (free for three years).

Drive Connect includes a cloud-based navigation system and a conversational digital assistant (Intelligent Assistant). Just say, “Hey Lexus,” and the assistant asks how it can help. During testing, as it has in other Lexus models we’ve reviewed, it did a great job of quickly and accurately responding to most commands. The one exception trips up nearly all voice recognition systems: “I want to listen to reggae music.”

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Unlike the Lexus Interface, these allow drivers to see a navigation map and what they’re listening to simultaneously. The helpful 10.7-inch head-up display is included in most packages in Canada but is not part of the Overtrail package.

Appropriately, the GX 550 Overtrail also has a standard panoramic view monitor and a multi-terrain monitor. These offer seemingly endless camera views of the exterior and would have come in really handy out on the trail if the view activation button hadn’t been totally obscured by the steering wheel. It should be on the centre console with the other off-road systems and settings, not tucked down low on the dashboard.

A long list of driver assistance systems is standard on the 2026 Lexus GX. Most are bundled together in the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0) package.

The highlights of LSS+ 3.0 include high beam assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centring assist, and Proactive Driving Assist (PDA), which automatically adds subtle braking and steering inputs while driving for an extra layer of safety.

In addition to LSS+ 3.0, the GX has standard blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors with automatic low-speed braking. As long as the Drive Connect plan is active, drivers can also use Traffic Jam Assist — a hands-free low-speed driving aid.

During testing, the PDA system proved helpful and seemed less prone to unnecessary braking than we’ve experienced in other Lexus models. However, we still prefer to leave this feature turned off because the automated braking can come in waves, which is uncomfortable for occupants and can catch other drivers off guard.

While using the lane-centring assist feature (which Lexus calls Lane Tracing Assist), we experienced some unnatural steering inputs in curves. They proved easy enough to manually override and correct, and more importantly, doing so did not unsettle the GX. However, the lack of a touch-sensing steering wheel means drivers have to regularly add small steering inputs to signal that they’re still holding it.

In moderate traffic while using the adaptive cruise control, the automated braking was not as smooth and seamless as expected when other vehicles cut into the gap ahead. Neither the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had released safety ratings for the GX at the time of writing.

A Lexus GX 550 is similar to a Toyota Land Cruiser but different enough to justify the upgrade. The Lexus is more powerful, tows more, and is available with a third-row seat, all while offering similar off-road capability — especially in Overtrail form. But the GX is also thirstier than the Land Cruiser, which comes standard with a hybrid powertrain, and the Lexus badge carries a major price premium.

The closest rival from outside the Toyota family is the Land Rover Defender 110. It doesn’t have the same track record for reliability as the Lexus, but the Defender is dripping in attitude, character, and personality. Land Rovers are easier to personalize, too, and with a substantial budget, V8 power is available. However, once optioned up, it seems like less of a deal than the Lexus.

Buyers could always trade refinement for savings by choosing a Ford Bronco or a Jeep Wrangler, but we don’t see someone shopping for a Lexus doing that. For 2027, an upscale Ford Bronco Filson goes on sale, though, and that could prove worthy of consideration as an alternative.

For those who plan to explore the wilderness as well as the cities and suburbs where most GXs spend their time — and who don’t mind spending 25 cents or more per litre on gas — a Lexus GX is a fun, practical, and satisfying SUV, especially in Overtrail trim.