3rd Generation Lexus GX (GX 550, GX 550h) Megathread

[Motor]

2024 Lexus GX Overtrail First Drive Review: What You Won't Find on the Spec Sheet

Our resident Lexus GX off-road enthusiast got time with the all-new 2024 GX 550 and found that there is much more to this luxury SUV than meets the eye.

gearjunkie.com

2024 Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year Crowned

The Northwest Automotive Press Association has crowned the 2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail as the NW Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year at Mudfest 2024.

gearjunkie.com

“The Lexus GX has traditionally been a remarkable off-road vehicle, and this new generation proved itself with not only luxury features but also capability. The competition was extremely tight and some of the votes were very close, but overall, members of the Northwest Automotive Press Association chose the 2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail as the 2024 Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year,” said NWAPA President Nik Miles.

Otherwise, it’s really hard not to consider the new GX as an all-around, do-everything adventure machine. It’s comfortable, quiet, and spacious for on-road adventures with family and friends. And, straight off the showroom floor, it can easily tackle some serious off-road terrain.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Used GXs already

 

[Sulu]

Who sells a new car after driving it for only 70 miles? Is it buyer's remorse (but who makes such a decision after so short a trial period)? Is it being traded in for another trim level? Is it a case of "I need a car right now and better to buy than rent"?

Or is it something financially wicked and extra-legal?

 

[Gecko]

I think just wanting to exploit demand vs. supply and be greedy.

 

[jphcbpa]

another "deal" for the taking... LOL

 

[ssun30]

Who sells a new car after driving it for only 70 miles? Is it buyer's remorse (but who makes such a decision after so short a trial period)? Is it being traded in for another trim level? Is it a case of "I need a car right now and better to buy than rent"?

Or is it something financially wicked and extra-legal?

These are people flipping cars. Dealers will happily buy them back to push up prices even further. Essentially what they do is taking supplies off the market to create an artificial shortage. But they will pay the price eventually.

I've seen a flipper buying a GR Corolla for $60k when new and had to sell at a loss for $52k. The dealer who bought it back then had to sell it at a loss again for $43k.

 

[Kelvin2020]

Today, I went to our local dealership to test drive the new GX (Premium trim in Canada). I didn't drive it for too long, just around 10 mins in the city, but it was a great experience. The car handles exceptionally well, with plenty of power. I tried pushing it to 4000 RPM, and the turbo kicked in nicely, providing a good boost of power. The ride quality was good, it feels like a nimble large boat and it ride better than my 2020 RX, Surprisingly, the engine sound was also better than I expected, and the 10-speed gearbox felt silky smooth. I think the fit and finish of the interior is also the highlights of the car, very solid. Some people might feel that this car may not have the same quality as the previous generation, or maybe not as good as the RX, but as last gen RX owner I think this new GX interior is way better. The GX is definitely a good car, and it has invested too much production cost in areas unseen by the user. I just hope I can get mine very soon, told at least Fall 2025🥲

 

[RAL]

Today, I went to our local dealership to test drive the new GX (Premium trim in Canada). I didn't drive it for too long, just around 10 mins in the city, but it was a great experience. The car handles exceptionally well, with plenty of power. I tried pushing it to 4000 RPM, and the turbo kicked in nicely, providing a good boost of power. The ride quality was good, it feels like a nimble large boat and it ride better than my 2020 RX, Surprisingly, the engine sound was also better than I expected, and the 10-speed gearbox felt silky smooth. I think the fit and finish of the interior is also the highlights of the car, very solid. Some people might feel that this car may not have the same quality as the previous generation, or maybe not as good as the RX, but as last gen RX owner I think this new GX interior is way better. The GX is definitely a good car, and it has invested too much production cost in areas unseen by the user. I just hope I can get mine very soon, told at least Fall 2025🥲
View attachment 9158

Thanks for your feedback ... you checked all my boxes! ... Fall 25 ... hmmmm

 

[F1 Silver Arrows]

Today, I went to our local dealership to test drive the new GX (Premium trim in Canada). I didn't drive it for too long, just around 10 mins in the city, but it was a great experience. The car handles exceptionally well, with plenty of power. I tried pushing it to 4000 RPM, and the turbo kicked in nicely, providing a good boost of power. The ride quality was good, it feels like a nimble large boat and it ride better than my 2020 RX, Surprisingly, the engine sound was also better than I expected, and the 10-speed gearbox felt silky smooth. I think the fit and finish of the interior is also the highlights of the car, very solid. Some people might feel that this car may not have the same quality as the previous generation, or maybe not as good as the RX, but as last gen RX owner I think this new GX interior is way better. The GX is definitely a good car, and it has invested too much production cost in areas unseen by the user. I just hope I can get mine very soon, told at least Fall 2025🥲
View attachment 9158

I saw this exact car (white exterior, black interior, Luxury trim) and we were quite blown away by it. Let's just say that when we asked our dealer for an ETA they said it would be a 3 year waiting list for these. 🤣🤣

 

[CRSKTN]

I drove one.

The Good:

• Looks great from the outside.
• Good visibility and seating position.
• Audio system was decent.
• Pano sunroof is pretty slick, driving assists work quite well, brakes work well

The Cons:

• The motor isn't enough, in my opinion, and it's not sufficiently responsive. It's not confidence inspiring and the turbo lag caused a few moments where I had to abandon a lane change or seizing a gap. The NX350 F Sport I was using previously to haul stuff felt a LOT livelier.
• Inside didn't live up to the pricing of the vehicle. The top of the door panels are HARD PLASTIC! The part you rest your arm on! That's absolutely nuts to me! Paying that sort of money for a Lexus, you shouldn't feel like there's corner cutting happening. The door panels and dash are nice, but quite simple (or comes across that way). Maybe lighter colors would help more, but overall it doesn't feel like you're sitting in a vehicle that expensive.
• You don't get many options for colors, and the interiors are all pretty boring given they're mostly black.
• Orange peel in the paint is still an issue, I was a bit shocked that this is still happening.
• Constant annoying reminders to look ahead - Like literally you'd look down at the cup holder or the infotainment to do something and after a few seconds you'd start getting annoying warnings to look ahead - It wasn't clear how to disable this (you cannot drive with a hand at 12, unless you can disable it)
• THE CAR ASKS TO RECORD YOU - It seriously asked me if it could record me as I was using the traffic jam assist / driver's assistance systems. This makes it even more noticeable that you have a camera staring you in the face. I'm not delicate about this stuff, but that still felt creepy.
• Didn't feel like a substantial vehicle, unfortunately, and some NVH issues.
  • THIS IS WITH BEING TOLD THE CAR HAD ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING!
  • That said, grain of salt, the sales guy also said it had the active variable suspension but the car only had the standard 3 drive modes & no comfort, which doesn't seem to line up but I may be wrong.
• You get a lot of the road feel in the car even on slightly bumpy roads.
• No digital rear view mirror no matter how much you spend (It's on lower models like the NX, and it's quite handy if you fill up the back up the SUV or need a slightly different angle).

Also they're pricing residuals at like 50% after only a couple of years. The majority (2/3rds) of a lease quote is the implied depreciation. That's absolutely nuts. It feels like they're banking on lease owners thinking these will be worth more used than is being priced in or something to justify it.

I think there's a lot of hype around this vehicle, but as reality starts to settle in and people are stuck with $2k/mo payments and they start thinking critically about the experience they're getting, those wait times are going to fall off a cliff. I'm sure it'll do fine, but everything does fine in this world that has some positioning or clout with the masses. There's enough concentration of wealth where these companies can stop caring, unfortunately.

 

[NomadDan]

I saw my first GX550 in person today. It was Incognito and looked fantastic. Toyota/Lexus did an amazing job on the exterior design. The only thing I didn’t like was the wheels. This one had the 22” wheels, and it just looked really out of place on an otherwise boxy vehicle.

 

[Motor]

 

[NomadDan]

GX with 2” lift. Looks good!

 

[Kelvin2020]

His channel is really engaging and enjoyable to watch.

 

[Gecko]

The Cons:

• The motor isn't enough, in my opinion, and it's not sufficiently responsive. It's not confidence inspiring and the turbo lag caused a few moments where I had to abandon a lane change or seizing a gap. The NX350 F Sport I was using previously to haul stuff felt a LOT livelier.

Sounds consistent with my experience driving the V35A in the LS 500 and Tundra. I was hoping the smaller turbos on the GX’s tune might spool up a bit faster, or there might be more optimization of the drivetrain and inputs to reduce lag and that “flat footed” feeling when you ask for quick power and it’s not there.

It is a stunning looking vehicle, so I’m hopeful they keep iterating on the powertrain and make it better over time. I’m sure Toyota has a mid-life update slated for some point in the lifecycle - maybe that’ll be the time to buy one?

Thanks for the thorough review!

 

[NomadDan]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the GX gets the 389hp tune at some point, but that probably won’t happen until the LX gets the iForce Max powertrain.

I’d be curious to see if the LC250 has the same lag feel considering it has the electric motor.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

https://www.carsdirect.com/deals-articles/2024-lexus-gx-deals-non-existent-at-launch

2024 Lexus GX Deals Non-Existent At Launch​

Lexus is launching the all-new GX luxury SUV with no incentives whatsoever. Based on dealer incentive bulletins, our analysis found that 2024 Lexus GX incentives are non-existent for buying and leasing. This could make bringing home the redesigned Lexus GX a very costly prospect, at least for now.

Even though the 2024 Lexus GX is hitting dealer lots, you won't find any lease incentives or financing deals. Meanwhile, the 2025 Lexus NX is another recent arrival and already has $1,500 in lease cash on the East Coast plus an offer for current lessees to waive 6 months of their remaining payments.

Lexus doesn't appear to believe the new GX needs incentives to sell. They might be right. Listing data indicates dealers are already marking up the GX by as much as $12,500 over MSRP. If you've had your eye on the redesigned luxury SUV, these could be good reasons to wait, at least until the prices begin to cool.

Having said that, there may be some hope for lessees. We found that recently published residual values for the 2024 GX are the highest out of any Lexus model. In the case of the entry-level 2024 Lexus GX Premium, the 24-month residual value can be as high as 75% based on a 10,000-mile-per-year lease contract.

But is the 2024 GX really a good deal? Probably not. Financing at standard rates could be extremely expensive, especially when factoring in potential dealer markups. Even though GX prices start at $64,250 including destination, current inventory data shows just 1 listing for the GX Premium in the entire U.S.

https://www.carsdirect.com/automotive-news/industry-news/2024-lexus-gx-already-has-a-12-000-markup

2024 Lexus GX Already Has A $12,000 Markup​

After 13 model years, Lexus finally introduced a fully redesigned GX for 2024. The 2024 Lexus GX represents a massive leap in technology, luxury, and off-roading capability, though it comes with a hefty price increase of $4,225 over the previous generation. With a starting price tag of $64,250, the 2024 GX isn’t cheap, but shoppers heading to Lexus dealerships in the hopes of purchasing a GX will find that the SUV has some hefty markups.

We did some research on the national inventory of 2024 Lexus GX SUVs and found some extreme markups on the redesigned vehicle. Based on our analysis, the largest markups are for $12,500 over MSRP. We found $12,500 markups on the 2024 GX Overtrail+ and Luxury+ trims, pushing their price tags up to $98,000.

On average, we’re seeing dealer markups of $11,000 over MSRP with markups ranging from $5,000 to $12,500. The large markups are on well-equipped “+” models like the Luxury+ and the rugged Overtrail+. Compared to non-“+” trims, “+” models come with extra luxury features.

With the Overtrail, the Overtrail+ comes with features that include massaging front seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated second-row seats, and a hands-free liftgate. With the Luxury+, shoppers are getting adaptive dampers, a glass sunroof with adjustable tint, power running boards, a digital rearview mirror, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

We’re not surprised to see a markup on the GX, but we are shocked by how high the markup is. At $98,000, the GX doesn’t make a lot of sense for shoppers to purchase, as that’s full-size luxury territory. Additionally, shoppers wanting to get into a luxury off-roader will find that at $100,000, the Land Rover Defender offers substantially more engine performance and has a more diverse lineup. Having six figures to spend on a vehicle also opens more doors for larger, more luxurious SUVs.

The GX is a legendary off-roader that holds its value incredibly well on the used market. Shoppers and fans of the GX have been waiting years for Lexus to come out with a fully redesigned model and now that it’s here, Lexus dealers want to get as much money out of the SUV as possible. As we’ve seen with other markups, automakers can’t or don’t do anything to stop markups being placed on vehicles by the dealers. And the sad part is that some shoppers out there will pay an extra $12,500 to be able to be among the first shoppers to get the GX. Does it make sense? Not at all, but that’s how dealers and wealthy shoppers have made the car-buying process after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2024 Lexus GX debuted without any incentives, but our analysis found that the GX has the brand’s highest residual values and could, eventually, be a good vehicle to lease. As for right now, we think shoppers should look around for a dealership that doesn’t have a markup on the GX or wait to purchase a model.