Is the 2023 Lexus GX a New Toyota Land Cruiser in Disguise?
The Lexus GX is a full-size SUV with the DNA of some of Toyota’s most notable nameplates. The GX may be a luxury vehicle but it shares many traits with older Toyota off-road SUVs. Is the 2023 Lexus GX just a new Toyota Land Cruiser with luxurious features?
The 2023 Lexus GX is its own SUV
The Lexus GX may bear a strong resemblance to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, but it has evolved into its own SUV with its own unique qualities. Car and Driver calls the 2023 Lexus GX a “Toyota 4Runner with luxury appointments and a V8.” That’s a pretty accurate summary of the GX, but it brings a lot to the table that is exclusive to its nameplate.
The 2023 Lexus GX starts at $56,425. It uses a 4.6-liter V8 to make 301 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque. The GX gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 19 miles per gallon on the highway. It comes in four trim levels, the 460, 460 Premium, 460 Luxury, and the 460 Black Line Special Edition.
The luxury full-size SUV comes standard with NuLuxe interior trim, a remote touchpad, and dynamic voice command. It features heated power outside mirrors, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control.
How does the Lexus GX compare to the Toyota Land Cruiser?
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a full-size SUV nameplate that Toyota recently discontinued. The Land Cruiser is one of the most long-lasting vehicles ever made. When well-maintained, it can easily last for over 250,000 miles or over 17 years of ownership.
The Land Cruiser is well-known because of its off-roading prowess. The full-size SUV can conquer gnarly terrain and face obstacles other SUVs wouldn’t bode well against.
The Lexus GX’s design language is similar to the Land Cruiser’s, and it also has off-roading prowess. That being said, there’s only one Land Cruiser. The world may never experience another SUV like the Toyota Land Cruiser again following its discontinuation. Today, the average new vehicle ownership period is only about 8.4 years, and drivers favor more fuel-efficient vehicles over powerful gas guzzlers.
Toyota’s full-size SUV, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia, is the closest consumers can get to a new Land Cruiser. The redesigned 2023 Toyota Sequoia starts at $58,365. It uses a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine and an electric motor to make 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The full-size SUV gets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway. The Toyota Sequoia is a reliable and rugged full-size SUV that embodies many of the characteristics that put Toyota’s large SUVs on the map.
Should you get a 2023 Lexus GX?
The Lexus GX isn’t one of the best large luxury SUVs. Its vehicle segment is dominated by models like the 2023 Lincoln Navigator, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade, and the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover.
The 2023 Lexus GX isn’t an ideal daily driver because it only gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 19 miles per gallon on the highway. It’s affordable compared to many vehicles in its segment, but the Toyota Sequoia offers better fuel economy and more power if you can forego the GX’s creature comforts.
