Lexus GX: The Prado-Based Luxury SUV From 2002 to Today

The Lexus GX is a luxury SUV sold by Lexus, Toyota's luxury division, in North American and Eurasian markets. It is built on the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which gives it real off-road ability, and it has used body-on-frame construction through all three generations. The first GX 470 arrived in 2002 and the latest GX 550 in 2023.

What is the Lexus GX?

The GX is a mid-to-full-size luxury SUV whose name stands for Grand Crossover. Unlike the crossovers that dominate the market, it sits on a separate frame. The word crossover in its name refers to the car's position in the middle of the Lexus range rather than to its construction.

As of 2024 the GX sits between the larger LX or TX and the smaller RX. From 2015 to 2022 the RX was slightly longer and wider than the GX, which is why the GX was then considered the smaller car. Classifications differ by country: Australia calls it full-size, while the United States calls it mid-size.

A body-on-frame luxury SUV built on the Land Cruiser Prado, with a Tahara pedigree and a 2010 safety scare.

When did the first GX go on sale?

Showgoers first saw the GX 470 at the North American International Auto Show in January 2002, and it went on sale in November of that year as a 2003 model. It was the third SUV in the Lexus lineup. Development began in 1999, two years after Toyota launched the J120 Land Cruiser Prado in 1997, and design work by Shoichi Fujiyoshi finished in the first half of 2000.

The GX's suspension layout matched that of the Toyota 4Runner, including rear air suspension, with Adaptive Variable Suspension and Downhill Assist Control added on top. A full-time four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing was standard. The body was built on a frame, the classic arrangement for serious off-roaders.

What engine did the GX 470 use?

The GX 470 used the 4.7-litre 32-valve four-cam 2UZ-FE V8, the same unit as the larger LX 470. Its peak was 235 hp (175 kW), reached at 4,800 rpm, and its torque of 320 lb-ft (434 N-m) arrived at 3,400 rpm. For the 2003 model year the tow rating stood at 2,300 kg (5,000 lb).

Midway through the 2004 model year the towing rating rose to 2,900 kg (6,500 lb), after Lexus fitted a much stronger frame-bolted tubular hitch. The car offered 211 mm (8.3 in) of ground clearance, a 30-degree approach angle and a 29-degree departure angle when raised. The drag coefficient was 0.38.

How did the GX 470 seat its passengers?

Two rows of seats were standard, and an optional third row took the total to eight. Legroom in the folding third row was cramped at 630 mm (24.9 in). Buyers could add a Mark Levinson sound system or a rear seat entertainment setup, and the tailgate swung open to the side as standard.

Late in the 2004 model year the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System became optional. It freed the stabiliser bars for greater articulation off-road, then used hydraulic pressure-sensing valves to limit body roll on the road. The 2004 update also brought a roll-sensing feature for the side curtain airbags and a tyre pressure monitor.

What changed in the GX 470 years?

For the 2005 model year the engine gained VVT-i, lifting output by 26 kW (35 hp) to 201 kW (270 hp). That allowed the car to meet the Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II standard in the United States. A Sport model joined the range with smoked bezel headlamps, extra chrome and black birdseye maple wood.

For 2006 a change in SAE testing rules cut the stated V8 output to 196 kW (263 hp), and Lexus Link telematics arrived in North America. The 2007 model year brought a new navigation system, an auxiliary input for portable music players, and DVD playback while parked. The 2008 model year added a dark metallic grille, liquid graphite wheels and extra chrome.

The first GX collected awards. Four Wheeler Magazine named it Four Wheeler of the Year in 2003 and 2004, and Automobile Magazine picked it as an All-Star in the mid-size sport-utility class for 2003. J.D. Power ranked it the highest premium luxury SUV for initial quality in 2005, and Kelley Blue Book gave it a Best Resale Value award in 2006.

What was the second generation GX?

The second generation debuted in China at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition in November 2009, and it was badged GX 460. It kept body-on-frame construction, full-time four-wheel drive, an electronically controlled high-low transfer case and a Torsen centre differential. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System was standard.

The engine was a new 4.6-litre 1UR-FE V8 producing 224 kW (301 hp) and 446 N-m (329 lb-ft), paired with a six-speed automatic. Towing reached 2,950 kg (6,500 lb), and the drag coefficient fell to 0.35. The rear wiper hid beneath the spoiler, and a flip-up glass panel sat in the side-opening tailgate.

The third row was now a power-folding, two-passenger bench that folded flat, which raised the capacity to seven. Cargo room fell because the row could no longer be removed and took more space. A toggle switch replaced the floor-mounted transfer lever, and the gauge cluster gained a steering-angle display for off-road work.

Air suspension with Adaptive Variable Suspension, Hill-start Assist Control and Downhill Assist Control were all offered, and the Torsen differential split torque 40:60 front to rear in normal driving. Ten airbags were fitted, including front knee airbags, and optional safety kit included a Pre-Collision System, a Driver Monitoring System and a lane departure warning.

Why did Consumer Reports warn against the GX 460?

On 13 April 2010 Consumer Reports told US buyers not to buy the 2010 GX 460, giving it a Do not buy, Safety Risk label. The magazine had tested it for lift-off oversteer. In the test the SUV was turned quickly with no throttle input, slid sideways, and only then did stability control bring it to a stop.

Consumer Reports argued that the stability system acted too slowly, and that a wheel catching a kerb could cause a rollover. The Toyota 4Runner, built on the same platform, had passed the same test. Toyota expressed concern, thanked the magazine and suspended GX 460 sales, though it confirmed that its own testing had reproduced the results.

A voluntary recall followed on 19 April 2010 for a software update to the stability control, covering the GX 460 and the left-hand-drive Land Cruiser Prado. Sales resumed on 29 April, and the label was lifted on 7 May 2010. Wheels magazine had earlier criticised slow stability-control response on other Toyota models.

How did the GX 400 and the facelifts change the range?

In China the GX 460 gave way to the GX 400 in May 2012, with a 4.0-litre 1GR-FE V6 producing 202 kW (271 hp) and a five-speed automatic. The GX 400 needed 9.8 seconds to reach 100 km/h. It was discontinued in Chinese markets in November 2017.

The September 2013 facelift brought the Lexus spindle grille, new LED headlamps and LED daytime running lights, and the US price fell by $4,750. For 2017 the second row gained captain's chairs with the luxury package. For the 2020 model year came a second facelift with a more angular grille, triple-beam LED headlamps and an Off-Road package.

The Off-Road package included a 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor, a Multi-Terrain Monitor with four cameras, a transmission cooler and a fuel tank protector, plus Lexus's Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select. A Rioja Red interior colour and Lexus Safety System+ also arrived. For 2022 the GX gained Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and in 2023 the GX 460 was offered in Eminent White Pearl.

What is the third generation GX?

The third generation, marketed as the GX 550 and GX 550h, was revealed in prototype form on 8 June 2023. It is built on the GA-F platform shared with the J250 Land Cruiser Prado, and it has a squarer design. Production began in November 2023, and it became the first GX officially sold in Japan and Australia.

The new car is wider by 95 mm (3.74 in), with a wheelbase 60 mm (2.36 in) longer and a body 70 mm (2.75 in) longer overall. The V35A-FTS 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 delivers 349 hp (260 kW) and 479 lb-ft (649 N-m). Towing reaches 3,600 kg (8,000 lb), and a hybrid version was promised for later.

In the United States the GX 550 comes in six grades: Premium, Premium+, Luxury, Luxury+, and the off-road Overtrail and Overtrail+. The Overtrail uses 33-inch all-terrain tyres and 18-inch wheels, and every model has a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen and Lexus Safety System+ 3.0. In Japan, sales began on 3 April 2025 with two grades, Overtrail+ and Version L, and a Modellista styling kit was available.

Where is the GX built?

All GX production has taken place at Toyota's Tahara plant in Japan. The Land Cruiser Prado and the export-minded Toyota 4Runner are also built there, which keeps the GX close to its Prado heritage and its body-on-frame engineering.

What are the Lexus GX specifications?