Good question. I just handed the 2008 LC200 keys to our adult son and began driving GX550 Lux+ a few weeks ago. After 700 miles I think I can partially respond to your question. First, with your LC200 if you intend on having if for 200,000 more miles, watch the latest long YouTube video by Car Care Nut about caring for that V8. We just had ACC garage overhaul a number of mechanical maintenance issues on our 210,000 LC engine and we are confident it will keep rolling for the next 210,000 miles with appropriate services.
Now, about the GXā¦ unlike all hype āoff roadā videos I have a particular weird primary requirement for my daily driverā¦ life-safety. I do not see this vehicle as a mythical St. Bernard mountain rescue unitā¦ you can call these body on frame trucks āpavement princessesā or āgrocery-retrieval unitsā my aspiration is to get home safely in a city driving context. Āæ Can a stolen bank truck T-bone me at a downtown intersection and will my vehicleās size, passenger position, and safety features largely decrease the risk of life-altering injuries for those inside? If Lexus marketed to me it would be all āsafety & long-haul reliability.ā I get the fantasy of safari ruggedness but Iām simply giving you my personal matrix for this truck.
Ugly first:
Gas mileage is probably the worst in the land. Tow hitch receiver cover is bamboon butt ugly. The on road body roll is awesomely appropriate for exactly what the GX is: body on frame truckā¦ if you want tight handling get a BMW X7 or Macan. Those are funā¦ but long haul reliabilityā¦ not so muchā¦
Favorite 3 things:
1) driver position and safety sense technology's feedback and attention features. User interface difference from 2008 LC200 to 2024 GX550 is enormous and if you are the kind of person that appreciates feedback and alerts the new features are wisely welcomed. Our world is perpetually distracted and donāt lie to yourself, I need user interface to keep my attention where it belongs.
2) engine pickup and braking and steering. If you waste this much gasoline you better experience the upsideā¦ and the engine, torque and stopping are solid. It is a giant step forward from LC200
3) video rear view camera, heads up display, lane keeping, traffic self-driving features are great things from 20 years ago that will help keep the GX driver experience somewhat current.
We bought the 7 passenger GX because we have grandchildren and sometime we may let their parents ride in āthe way backā to dinner with us (and the VIP grands)ā¦.
Letās be clear, the GX is marketed as a mountain conqueror but the truth is you can go buy many vehicles that you can climb mountains with that are not safe in a congested, complex driving environment.
This is a machine for moving in mundane ways among many equally or more distracted drivers. I am extraordinarily happy with what this vehicle does but it is costly and will be costly to operate, Lord willing, for the next 14 yearsā¦
