Land Cruiser to GX 550 (2 Viewers)

[Angelitopstar27]

i purchased the LC 250 in July after going back and forth between the GX and the Land Cruiser. The price point on the LC with the premium package was 10k less than the GX. OT+, so I justified it despite having some reservations about the engine.

I own an LX 600, so I thought the LC 250 would make a good daily driver. I've since discovered other members of our household think so too. That car disappears more often than I would have thought.

So, I bought another daily driver, the GX 550 OT+, and I do notice a world of difference between the two vehicles. The GX is quieter, smoother and more responsive on the highways.

We've agreed to keep the LC for the kids, the GX for my daily, the LX for long road trips and the EV for my wife's business. The extra vehicle in my mind is really the LX, but I just love that truck, and I can't bring myself to sell it.

Interesting feedbaack here. If you can expand. Between the Lx600 and the Gx550 Overtrail, which one has a better ride quality, less vibrations? what a bout the rear axle comfort in speed bumps between the lc250, gx550 and lx 600?

 

[Angelitopstar27]

Battery pack on LC significantly impaired front legroom - something like ~10 inches less than GX. Deal killer once sat down.

Lol, they have the same rear leg room my friend. The same

 

[Angelitopstar27]

I’m counter to most on here. I find the Land Cruiser is so very solid & equal, if not exceeding the GX in some ways.

My perfect vehicle would have been a GX550 OT+ w/ V35A +Hybrid w/ 25-30gal fuel tank. That would be close to a LC300 GR, & that vehicle just hasn’t been brought to the USA as most of you know, & a LX700H is out of my price range. Made a deal & ordered a GX550. Waited 4 months w/ deposit @ Austin Lexus dealer who yanked our chain good, bumping the price $5K when it arrived. Directly told me they wanted our White Pearl GX550 OT+ because an online customer out of state (CA) was willing to pay obscene amount over sticker. Really disappointed in the experience. Some dealerships don’t deserve our business - just saying. We got our deposit & went back to looking.

Closer to home a CarMax had nice market-priced used 3K mile GX Premium Plus we drove over a weekend, but in a color we didn’t want & a had the realization of the tech dash really wasn’t what my wife liked. The GX is popular, as used it was still $20K more than a new loaded LC MSRP. Made the LC easy choice when a DFW Toyota dealer we’d bought a Tundra from offered us a loaded LC Premium in Underground. Total 180 degree on color, but wife loved the look & they worked a deal $2500 behind MSRP & no dealer adds.

Yep, it’s T24A-FTS 4cyl hybrid. Thank goodness. I can tell you it drives & tows as well as the V35A. If you’re arguing that point you specifically haven’t towed with both. The V35A engine issues don’t scare me a bit, as I know Toyota will be there if something happens. We traded a 25k mile ‘23 Sequoia that had that engine in on the LC, & we still have a ‘25 & ‘26 Tundra & both are doing fine w/ 3500 mile oil changes. The T24A power w/ twin scroll turbo is robust & the hybrid torque is seemless. Pulls our 21’ Centurion wakeboard boat just fine. Will say, WOT the V6 do sound better!

Pros - Our LC has real leather, sunroof, overhead HVAC vents, roof rack, AWD, locking center & rear diffs, solid stereo system (especially w/ Beats upgrade amp), digital rear view mirror, HUD, & the IP & entertainment controls are so much better than the GX - maybe Lexus went a little too far w/ the dual screens? My opinion the LC250 is easier to mod w/ world-wide sources for accessories.

LC250 is no poser, it stays in its lane for what it is as a real Land Cruiser. I’ve added Westcott F/R lift, skid plates, SLEE radiator reinforcement, 33” AT4W Wildpeaks on 20” rims, M&R hidden light bar, hot/cold charge pipes, billet throttle body intake, removed resonator & added dual exh. Get 18-20MPG city/rural & 23MPG is best we’ve ever got on highway, but you have to stay way south of 80mph to get it, & the LC likes to stretch & run faster.

So in the end an elitist buyer & bad Lexus dealer did us a favor in getting us back to a Land Cruiser @ really good Toyota dealership. We’d have been thrilled w/ a GX550, but it wasn’t meant to be. I do think the GX550 is confusing for consumers - it’s not soft like the prior GX460 many remember, looks like perfect soccer mom SUV, but it’s off road roots makes for a harsher ride than the outside GX styling presents. Helluva of a vehicle in my opinion - if I could just get it w/ Hybrid & bigger fuel tank…

Extremely well said.
We did order a J250 Land cruiser prado here and almost bought, but like you know last minute issues can happen and the deal fell. Few months passed and we had the chance to have a Gx550 Overtrail. Atomic SIlver.
Based on interior quality materials, having lived with the gx550 since march i can say, The land cruiser has better materials, having more manual switches makes it easier to use. Just the physical HVAC marks a big point to the Lc250.
We do not get the hybrid T24a-fts, we get the diesel 2.8 1GD-FTV over here and the 21 gal fuel tank instead of the 29 Gal ( land cruiser 250 aka prado).
In terms of interior space, they are the same. everything is the same.
Yes the V6 V35a-FTS is a power house that makes an effortless driving experience, is almost unnnecesary to redline this engine.... mid rpm range power is goood.
Fuel economy is bad in Modern day hybrid suvs... Mine gets 6.3 kms/L in city mix driving.... but not much less than my j150 2022 land cruiser prado diesel ... which gets 8.3 kms/L in same conditions.... a 30% increase ....
The ride quality in my opinion is where this vehicles have the biggest difference.....
J250 has passive dampers(lc250)
j252 gx550 has avs + ekdss
im not sure still, over 10,000 plus kilometers if my gx 550 rear shock are wrong. at low speed you can ddrive over anything and you do not feel anything.... once you grab speed lets say pver 15 mph, the rear axle is stiff and makes it a bumpy ride...
Yes its a bof, yesss you will feel the shivers... but the j250 land cruiser passive dampersss have them so dialed in that you do not feeel the shivers...
For me, even in comfort mode the gx550 suspension is not good, its not consistent, not sure if the valving is right... but a linear selenoid should give a very very plus ride.... and this suspension is not plush. I have been in a land cruiser 200 series, lexus lx570 land cruiser 150 and land cruiser 250 series.... all of them have soft riding rear suspension. but mine when i drive over a speed bump.... it feels that my spine crushed with how hard the suspension resists to compress..
no one seems to believe me in that matter, making my experience not as good.
Yes its a new ride.
Yes its a lexus
But its not comfortable.

 

[Sonny]

Extremely well said.
We did order a J250 Land cruiser prado here and almost bought, but like you know last minute issues can happen and the deal fell. Few months passed and we had the chance to have a Gx550 Overtrail. Atomic SIlver.
Based on interior quality materials, having lived with the gx550 since march i can say, The land cruiser has better materials, having more manual switches makes it easier to use. Just the physical HVAC marks a big point to the Lc250.
We do not get the hybrid T24a-fts, we get the diesel 2.8 1GD-FTV over here and the 21 gal fuel tank instead of the 29 Gal ( land cruiser 250 aka prado).
In terms of interior space, they are the same. everything is the same.
Yes the V6 V35a-FTS is a power house that makes an effortless driving experience, is almost unnnecesary to redline this engine.... mid rpm range power is goood.
Fuel economy is bad in Modern day hybrid suvs... Mine gets 6.3 kms/L in city mix driving.... but not much less than my j150 2022 land cruiser prado diesel ... which gets 8.3 kms/L in same conditions.... a 30% increase ....
The ride quality in my opinion is where this vehicles have the biggest difference.....
J250 has passive dampers(lc250)
j252 gx550 has avs + ekdss
im not sure still, over 10,000 plus kilometers if my gx 550 rear shock are wrong. at low speed you can ddrive over anything and you do not feel anything.... once you grab speed lets say pver 15 mph, the rear axle is stiff and makes it a bumpy ride...
Yes its a bof, yesss you will feel the shivers... but the j250 land cruiser passive dampersss have them so dialed in that you do not feeel the shivers...
For me, even in comfort mode the gx550 suspension is not good, its not consistent, not sure if the valving is right... but a linear selenoid should give a very very plus ride.... and this suspension is not plush. I have been in a land cruiser 200 series, lexus lx570 land cruiser 150 and land cruiser 250 series.... all of them have soft riding rear suspension. but mine when i drive over a speed bump.... it feels that my spine crushed with how hard the suspension resists to compress..
no one seems to believe me in that matter, making my experience not as good.
Yes its a new ride.
Yes its a lexus
But its not comfortable.

have had the opposite experience, mine feels great over bumps. Always surprised.

 

[Angelitopstar27]

have had the opposite experience, mine feels great over bumps. Always surprised.

Wish i could actually feel that way.
We have a lexus nx350h and a lexus ux250h and those 2 ride so much better.
I have a J150 prado and it rides better too... Doesn't make any sense.

 

[Emergencymed]

Being a 30+ year “LC guy” - I wanted a LC250 - but drove both - looked at features on both - and their just is NO comparison.

My recommendation to ANYone considering a Landcruiser 250 vs Lexus GX - JUST BUY THE GX Premium (base model) and invest in suspension and tires … Look up Munkeeboi’s GX Premium build - you will pay the same as a new LC250 and be MUCH happier!

 

[nevesxis]

Wish i could actually feel that way.
We have a lexus nx350h and a lexus ux250h and those 2 ride so much better.
I have a J150 prado and it rides better too... Doesn't make any sense.

My feeling is that there are two different "rides" on my OT+. At slow speeds it feels rough and "clunky" when I hit potholes or big irregularities in the pavement, which seems worse if this happens during a turn (like on a roundabout). At anything above 30mph the ride seems far better. Is it just me, or do other folks experience the same?

 

[GR8Santini]

Interesting feedbaack here. If you can expand. Between the Lx600 and the Gx550 Overtrail, which one has a better ride quality, less vibrations? what a bout the rear axle comfort in speed bumps between the lc250, gx550 and lx 600?

LX600 has a real Lexus tuned ride w/ all LX models having active vehicle suspension. Premium trim & up in also have Active Height Control.