2025 Lexus GX550 Review: The SUV Equivalent of Wearing R.M. Williams Boots With a Suit

More powerful than the Toyota Prado and loaded with luxury, the Lexus GX550 (from AUD$116,000 plus on-road costs) is a tempting Land Rover Defender alternative that sports genuine off-road credentials. We first spent time in the top-of-the-range Sports Luxury model a few months ago, but found it sat awkwardly between a luxury SUV and an authentic off-roader. However, more recently, we jumped behind the wheel of the Overtrail to see if it could better deliver on the brief as Lexus’s first authentic off-roader.

By its appearance alone, the Overtrail (from AUD$122,250 plus on-road costs) is a tough-looking thing that attracts plenty of eyeballs in town and out in the sticks. The 18-inch black alloy wheels with 32.6-inch Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres (vs. the 20–22-inch wheel choices) properly set off the Moon Desert Two Tone paint on our test vehicle, and when combined with the boxy design, it certainly looks the part.

Under the bonnet is the 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that produces 260 kW of power and 650 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm. It sends power to the ground through a 10-speed DirectShift automatic transmission with Full-time AWD with locking centre diff and low-range gearing. Compared to other models in the line-up, the Overtrail bolsters its off-road credentials with eKDSS (electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), and Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, Downhill Assist, and a rear locking differential.

It certainly has the makings of a serious off-roader that can go toe-to-toe with anything else on the market out of the box, but how does that translate to the real world? Let’s take a closer look in our review of the Lexus GX550 Overtrail.

Pricing and Grades

Here’s a complete list of prices for the 2025 Lexus GX550 line-up in Australia:

• GX 550 Luxury: from $116,000 plus on-road costs
• GX 550 Overtrail: from $122,250 plus on-road costs
• GX 550 Sports Luxury: from $128,200 plus on-road costs

Here’s how the model grades stack up in terms of equipment:

Lexus GX 550 Luxury

• 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine (260kW / 650Nm)
• 10-speed DirectShift automatic transmission
• Full-time AWD with locking centre diff & low range
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Seven-seat configuration with power-folding third row
• NuLuxe® synthetic leather trim
• Heated front and 2nd-row outboard seats
• Ventilated front seats
• 8-way power front seats with 2-way lumbar (driver’s seat memory)
• Three-zone climate control with nanoeX® air ionisation
• Smart entry and start
• Power back door with glass hatch
• Flat-type roof rails, body-colour handles, rear spoiler
• Power moonroof
• 14-inch multimedia display
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Colour Head-Up Display (HUD)
• 10-speaker audio system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay® / Wired Android Auto™
• Wireless phone charger
• 6 USB-C ports + 220V rear outlet
• Lexus Safety System+, which includes:
  • Pre-Collision System
  • Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
  • Lane Trace Assist
  • Panoramic View Monitor
  • Front & rear parking support brake
• Lexus Connected Services
• 3,500kg braked towing capacity
• Lexus Encore 3-year membership

Lexus GX550 Overtrail

• Five-seat configuration only
• 18-inch black alloy wheels with Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres
• eKDSS (electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System)
• Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
• Multi-Terrain Select with off-road modes
  • Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control, rear electronic locking differential
• Upgraded alternator for auxiliary accessories
• Multi-Terrain Monitor with underbody view
• Black exterior accents: door handles, mirrors, overfenders
• Unique front and rear off-road bumpers
• Optional two-tone black roof (select colours only)
• Olive green Ultrasuede® seat inserts and stitching
• Overtrail-specific interior ornamentation and trim
• Refrigerated cool box
• Slim credit-card smart key
• Maintains Lexus Safety System+, multimedia suite, HUD, and all standard tech features

Lexus GX550 Sports Luxury

• 22-inch alloy wheels
• Semi-aniline leather-accented upholstery (wider interior colour choice)
• Massaging front seats
• 10-way power driver’s seat adjustment
• Heated steering wheel
• Ambient interior lighting with multi-colour selection
• Illuminated scuff plates
• Fixed panoramic roof with opaque dimming function
• Kick sensor for powered tailgate
• Automatic extending/folding side steps
• 21-speaker Mark Levinson® premium audio system
• Manual rear sunshades
• Credit card key (shared with Overtrail)
• Towing capacity reduced to 3,130kg due to equipment weight
• Does not include eKDSS, locking diff, or all-terrain tyres

If you don’t plan to take the Lexus GX550 off-road, then the entry-level GX550 Luxury represents the best value for money in the lineup.

Choose the Luxury, and you will miss out on some of the Sports Luxury’s high-end features like massage seats, heated steering wheel, automatic side mirrors, and 21-speaker Mark Levinson® premium audio system.

The biggest changes to the GX occur when you opt for the Overtrail. It has a completely reworked suspension system with eKDSS (electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), and that’s paired with Multi-Terrain Select with off-road modes that include Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control, and rear electronic locking differential. You also get a Multi-Terrain Monitor with underbody view to help you keep your shiny new Lexus scratch-free off-road. It’s certainly the most desirable model in the line-up and best suits the agenda of the GX.

Inside

The inside of the Lexus GX550 is exactly what you would expect to see inside a large SUV with a rugged meets luxury off-roader aesthetic. It doesn’t immediately blow you away with its design or equipment. However, when you dig a little deeper, there’s plenty of substance, and it’s a bit unfair to call it sparse when you look at its biggest competitor in the Land Rover Defender, which channels much of the same energy. Brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer more glamorous interiors for similar money, but the GX550 includes all of the creature comforts and tech you would expect to find on a vehicle at this price point.

Standard is a seven-seat layout (2+3+2), but the Overtrail model that we tested for this review has a 5-seat layout to preserve some boot space for camping duties. Boot capacity is 1,063 litres and expands to 2,000 litres with the back seats folded.

You’ll also find eight-way power-adjustable front seats that are heated and ventilated with second-row heating on the outboard seats. Having racked up more than 1,000km during our two-week test period, we can tell you that they’re very comfortable for long-distance travel.

Shared across all three model grades is three-zone climate control with rear zone controls, nanoeX® air ionisation for improved cabin air quality, smart entry and start, one-touch power windows with anti-pinch, and plenty of ports for charging your accessories, including a 220V accessory outlet in the luggage area, 6 USB-C ports (front and rear), and Wireless smartphone charging tray.

Where the GX550 Overtrail stands out from the entry-level model is with the refrigerated cool box in the front centre console (also available in Sports Luxury), but you’re mainly choosing this variant for its Ultrasuede® seat inserts with contrasting stitching and Overtrail-specific ornamentation and trim panels.

If this isn’t enough, we recommend the Sports Luxury model, which reverts to seven seats, and adds semi-aniline leather-accented upholstery with more luxurious colour options, 10-way adjustable front seats with massage, a heated steering wheel, multi-colour ambient lighting, and rear manual sunshades for second-row passengers.

Quite frankly, at no point during our two-week test period did we long for any more equipment. However, the 21-speaker Mark Levinson® premium surround sound system would be a nice addition, but the standard 10-speaker system is very good too, and we couldn’t justify the nearly $6,000 price increase for it.

There’s no missing the oversized 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (full-screen) sitting in the middle of the dashboard, and next to it is a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster for the driver that brings clear readouts. Most of the time, however, you’ll simply use the Head-Up Display (HUD) as it has all of your speed and alerts built in.

While the size of the screen can be a little overwhelming at first, it makes a difference off-road where you can use the Overtrail’s Multi-Terrain Monitor with underbody view to give you a clear view of both front wheels and a view underneath the body of the car, which is particularly useful when cresting hills and erosion mounds.

The lower section of the screen is dedicated to climate controls. While they’re not physical buttons, the screen is so large that the buttons are easily pressed when travelling along even ground. They’re a little harder to press when off-road, but we’re not complaining too much. Physical buttons remain on the steering wheel where you can access cruise control.

Every GX model lets you control most of the vehicle’s functions from your phone, thanks to a DCM (data communication module).

Under the Bonnet

• Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbocharged V6
• Fuel type: 95 RON premium unleaded petrol
• Power: 260kW @ 4,800–5,200rpm
• Torque: 650Nm @ 2,000–3,600rpm
• Gearbox: 10-speed DirectShift automatic, 2-speed transfer case with low-range gearing
• Drive configuration: Full-time All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
• Towing: 3,500kg braked towing capacity

One of the main reasons to buy the Lexus GX550 over its Toyota Prado cousin is the 3.4-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which offers a significant step-up in power and produces 260 kW @ 4,800–5,200 rpm and 650 Nm @ 2,000–3,600 rpm.

It sends power to the ground through a 10-speed DirectShift automatic transmission with Full-time All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a two-speed transfer case with low-range gearing. When the going gets a little tougher, there’s a locking centre differential as standard, but the off-road-focused Overtrail also gains a locking rear differential.

The claimed 0-100km/h time for the GX 550 is 7.0 seconds, and it certainly feels that quick from behind the wheel. We’re not sure you’d want to go much quicker in a ladder-frame chassis SUV that weighs 2,515kg before anyone sits in the driver’s seat.

Expect a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid powertrain to arrive in Australia sometime soon, and that’s a good thing because this 3.4-litre twin-turbocharged V6 is very, very thirsty. You won’t get anywhere near the claimed 12.3-litre per 100km fuel consumption figure, and like every other person who’s reviewed this vehicle, we averaged over 16.0 litres per 100km during our test.

The problem with the fuel range of the GX550 is two-fold because it not only drinks the stuff like an old-school V8, but it only has an 80-litre fuel tank, which is simply not large enough (the Toyota Prado has a 110-litre tank). You would be lucky to get more than 500km to a tank in the GX550, and expect to spend a lot of time at petrol stations.

On-Road Drive

If you’ve spent any time behind the wheel of the GX’s platform-shared brothers – Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, Toyota Prado, and Lexus LX600 – then the on-road dynamics will be very familiar to you.

You would also know that the Lexus GX is not in the same conversation as the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7, or BMW X5 in terms of on-road refinement. In fact, if you’re cross-shopping the GX with those European models, you might as well write it off from the start because it’s a ladder-frame chassis vehicle, and fundamentally, that favours off-road capability over on-road dynamics.

That’s not to say that this isn’t approaching the pinnacle of handling for a ladder-frame vehicle. It’s far from a LandCruiser 79 Series with adaptive dampers and drive modes (Sport and Sport+) that firm up the suspension and steering to dispatch corners better than most. Still, you’ll find the limits of the GX550 closer to the speed limit.

The off-road-focused tires fitted to the Overtrail don’t help it out on the road either, and while they’re surprisingly quiet and grippy on damp tarmac, you certainly wouldn’t want to push it down a country road like you would an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz. Try, and you’ll be met by tire-squealing understeer fairly quickly.

Power is plentiful, and you’re never left wanting for more when overtaking on highways or fast-flowing back roads. Even around town, the engine and transmission go about their business without even lifting a finger.

Off-Road Drive

We’re not here to dismiss the Lexus GX as anything but a good vehicle on the road, but the competition is simply better in this regard, and it’s important that we make buyers aware of this fact. The European vehicles are not only more comfortable around town because of their air suspension systems and unibody designs, but also more composed. However, there’s no arguing that when the road turns into a dirt track, the GX550 starts to shine.

On our way back to Sydney from a long weekend in Canberra, we took the GX550 to Abercrombie River National Park in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales to search for some steep off-road tracks.

It was here that we found the true calling for the GX550 as the underpinnings shared with the LandCruiser 300 Series became known. The eKDSS (electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) is excellent with great wheel travel up front, especially for an IFS vehicle. Meanwhile, the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) starts to show its worth over corrugations and erosion mounds with a compliant ride and plenty of control.

The Defender is more comfortable on firetrails because of its independent suspension set-up, but when these trails turn into low-speed crawls, the GX shines with Multi-Terrain Select (Mud, Sand, Rock, Dirt, and Snow) offering a drive mode suitable to the occasion alongside Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control, and rear electronic locking differential.

We found some very steep tracks, and this showcased the performance of the 3.4-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which never struggled for power even when the two-speed transfer case wasn’t involved. Downhill and locked into first or second, the engine had plenty of engine braking and never seemed to run away, which is unusual for a petrol engine. Very impressive!

Safety and Assistance

The Lexus GX550 is unrated by ANCAP or EuroNCAP. However, its platform-shared brother, the Toyota Prado, is rated 5 stars by ANCAP.

Here’s a list of safety features in the Lexus GX550:

• Adaptive High-Beam System (AHS) – Sports Luxury only
• Automatic Collision Notification
• Automatic High Beam (AHB)
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)
• Crawl Control – Overtrail only
• Downhill Assist Control – Overtrail only
• Driver’s Knee Airbag
• Emergency Steering Assist
• Front Airbags
• Front Passenger Cushion Airbag
• GA-F Ladder Frame Chassis
• Lane Trace Assist (LTA)
• Lexus Connected Services
• Multi-Terrain Monitor – Overtrail only
• Panoramic View Monitor
• Parking Support Brake (Front and Rear)
• Pre-Collision Safety System
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
• Rear Curtain Airbags
• Rear Electronic Locking Differential – Overtrail only
• Rear Occupant Reminder System (ROMS)
• Remote Vehicle Management via Lexus App
• Road Sign Assist (RSA)
• Safe Exit Assist
• Side Airbags (front row)
• SOS Emergency Call Button
• Vehicle Locator

Ownership and Value

Like all Lexus models, the GX550 is covered by a 5-year / Unlimited kilometre warranty.

Buyers also get access to the Lexus Encore after-sales program (3-year complimentary), which includes:

• 24/7 Lexus DriveCare roadside assistance
• Invitations to exclusive events
• Hotel partner VIP benefits
• Movie and fuel discounts (Ampol Premium Fuels – 5c/L off)

You can also step up to the Encore Elevate program ($1,899 for a 12-month membership), which includes:

• Access to the Lexus On Demand vehicle fleet
• Valet parking at select shopping centres
• Access to premium airline lounges globally
• Loan car delivery to your home or office, and vehicle pick-up for servicing

Services for the GX550 are capped price and cost $595 per service ($1,190 per year to service) and are scheduled every 6 months / 10,000 km. This is valid for 5 years or 100,000 km (whichever occurs first).

Verdict

The Lexus GX550 Overtrail is a heavy-duty off-roader with the luxury appointments and appeal of a European SUV.

It won’t give you the on-road performance of the European competitors because of its ladder-frame chassis. However, it makes up for it with near-unmatched off-road performance in this class.

Doesn’t that mean it does exactly what the Land Rover Defender promises? Well, that’s true, but the Defender is an acquired taste, and is priced higher than the Lexus in the HSE model grade (from $127,541 plus on-road costs) with similar standard kit. The same could be said for the Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport, which now starts from $146,160 plus on-road costs.

So, who’s the GX550 for exactly? If you like wearing R.M. Williams boots but never venture beyond the Blue Mountains, then you might be on the right track. You’re willing to sacrifice on-road dynamics and fuel efficiency compared to the European options, but love the appeal of always-on ruggedness. You’re a concrete cowboy who will venture to his mate’s family farm every once in a while, and that’s okay!