Most Reliable SUVs of 2023 Includes a Decade-Old Lexus
For many discerning drivers, the true heart of a luxury SUV is reliability. The ability to drive innumerable miles without much worry about breakdowns or unexpected service bills provides comfort and satisfaction of its own. Once in a while, typical luxury and the luxury of reliability find their way into the same vehicle. That blend appears to be the case with the 2023 Lexus GX – a model identified as one of the most reliable SUVs of 2023.
2023 Lexus GX Named Among Most Reliable SUVs
U.S. News and World Report revealed its list of most durable SUVs for 2023, and the Lexus GX is among them.
Most of the list consists of modern SUVs with new tech. But the 2023 GX is different.
It’s old. That is, it’s an old design. That’s what helps it to earn its reputation for reliability.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Lexus introduced the current generation GX in 2009 for the 2010 model year. Its 14-year run has seen light updates and appearance refreshes. But it’s never undergone a complete overhaul. It’s a page taken directly from the Toyota/Lexus durability playbook: refine a vehicle slowly with proven, durable technology to maximize reliability. Let the other brands do the future-forward legwork.
Is the Lexus GX as reliable as a Land Cruiser?
The 2023 Lexus GX uses the same platform as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado — a smaller version of the flagship Land Cruiser. Toyota famously overbuilds its Land Cruiser models for exceptional durability in even the worst road conditions. Drivers from Central and South America to Asia and Africa use the Land Cruiser Prado in tough conditions, earning the SUV a worldwide reputation for all-terrain performance and bullet-proof toughness. The Lexus GX carries the same qualities into the North American market.
Lexus constructs the GX with a traditional body-on-frame design. You’ll find the same structure under the skin of America’s most popular trucks. For power, the 2023 GX uses a decade-old V8. Some might call it underpowered by modern standards, but its simplicity favors reliability rather than sophistication. Parts are plentiful (the same engine has been in models like the Toyota Tundra and Lexus LX), and any Toyota mechanic can easily provide maintenance.
Less technology is a price to pay for durability
The Lexus SUV does show its age when comparing it against rivals’ technology. There’s no turbocharged engine or hybrid powertrain. It doesn’t have a ten-speed automatic transmission. The bells and whistles found in Land Rovers and BMWs aren’t present.
Instead of dressing up the GX in new, more complex features every year, Lexus has focused on keeping it as dependable as possible. That’s the price of admission if you want to rank among the most reliable new SUVs year after year.
The Toyota/Lexus corporate umbrella has leaned on slow change to build up its reputation for reliability. But time catches up to all vehicles. Models like the Tundra and LX 600 have already seen total redesigns in the last couple of years after decade-long runs. Now, models like the popular-yet-ancient Toyota 4Runner and the aging 2023 GX are on the docket. New technologies like turbocharged engines are on the horizon. Now is the time to snag an old-school Lexus or Toyota before the new generation again tests the brands’ reputations for reliability.
