Cmon Larry it isn’t. Rebadge is like the original LX 450. Literally just a badge swap and maybe grill change. The GX and J250 have completely different engines, interiors and front/rears. No 7 seat J250. Options are different too.
Rebadging
"In the
automotive industry,
rebadging is a form of
market segmentation used by
automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for
product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new "badge" or
trademark (brand, logo, or manufacturer's name/make/marque) to an existing product line."
"Rebadging is also known as
rebranding and
badge engineering; the latter is an intentionally ironic
misnomer, in that little or no actual engineering takes place. The term originated with the practice of replacing an automobile's emblems to create an ostensibly new model sold by a different maker.
Changes may be confined to swapping badges and emblems, or may encompass minor styling differences, as with cosmetic changes to headlights, taillights, front and rear fascias, and even outer body skins. More extreme examples involve differing engines and drivetrains."
What is Badge Engineering:
"Designing and manufacturing a completely new car is very costly for any manufacturer. Besides, it is even more difficult to establish a new brand in the market. It takes several years before the brand gets recognition & becomes successful. However, it is comparatively less expensive for the manufacturers to re-badge a product than to create a whole new model from scratch. This practice is known as “Badge Engineering”.
This term originated with an earlier practice of replacing a car’s badge or logo and give it a new identity. Manufacturers normally apply these modifications only to badges and emblems. At times, they even carry out some minor styling updates. This includes cosmetic changes to
head-lamps, tail-lamps or the fascias to give the car new look.
In some cases, they may also offer different mechanical components such as the engine, transmission and safety features etc."
At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with the new GX being a badge engineered Land Cruiser Prado (like previous generation GX models).