Time to say Goodbye GX550 Lux+ (1 Viewer)

[GR8Santini]

Blame it on Covid. Consumers who never shopped on-line learned how to, & most probably continue to do it today. Remember early on the news we heard that the car industry thought COVID would kill their business, & instead it turned into all time sales rates. Car on-line shopping went crazy during those CV19 years.

People shop, convince themselves a vehicle fits their needs, now factor low inventory levels, requirements to order, & a lot of people purchased products they never drove. Bet it’s still going on today.

Short version is we are victims of advertising.

 

[ATDGUY]

This is not just about Lexus. Many people buy vehicles with very little knowledge of what they are buying. It’s like they show up at a dealership and say”hey, sell me something”.

I don’t buy anything without thoroughly researching what it is. The GX550 is clearly an off road vehicle, regardless of trim, that will handle the highway great FOR WHAT IT IS. Anyone buying any 550 for on road luxury performance didn’t understand what they were buying. That’s not Lexus’ fault.

Hahahaha. What an obnoxious and pompous comment.

Let me get this straight….

If you buy a Lexus SUV, after owning several Lexus SUVs, you should not have any expectations of what you are buying regarding the newer version of the Lexus SUVs? Rather, you might want to assume the Lexus brand has completely gone rouge and is no longer a luxury brand that assumes “smooth, quiet comfort.”? But, rather, Lexus has suddenly veered over the ledge to sell you a vehicle that some people will consider “less comfortable than their 2018 Ford F150”. Got it.

Do you sell Lexus?

Funny that so many people are unsatisfied with the Premimum and Lux+. They must all be stupid who walk in and say “sell me something.”

 

[280driver]

Are there really “so many people unsatisfied with the Premium and Lux+”? Where are you getting that from?

 

[bronco21]

Hahahaha. What an obnoxious and pompous comment.

Let me get this straight….

If you buy a Lexus SUV, after owning several Lexus SUVs, you should not have any expectations of what you are buying regarding the newer version of the Lexus SUVs? Rather, you might want to assume the Lexus brand has completely gone rouge and is no longer a luxury brand that assumes “smooth, quiet comfort.”? But, rather, Lexus has suddenly veered over the ledge to sell you a vehicle that some people will consider “less comfortable than their 2018 Ford F150”. Got it.

Do you sell Lexus?

Funny that so many people are unsatisfied with the Premimum and Lux+. They must all be stupid who walk in and say “sell me something.”

Not pompous. Informed. Sorry you weren't. Would have saved you a lot of angst.
To think every Lexus is the same is as silly as thinking every Ford is the same.
Hope you are happy with your next purchase. Really.

 

[ATDGUY]

Blame it on Covid. Consumers who never shopped on-line learned how to, & most probably continue to do it today. Remember early on the news we heard that the car industry thought COVID would kill their business, & instead it turned into all time sales rates. Car on-line shopping went crazy during those CV19 years.

People shop, convince themselves a vehicle fits their needs, now factor low inventory levels, requirements to order, & a lot of people purchased products they never drove. Bet it’s still going on today.

Short version is we are victims of advertising.

Wait? What?

A brand that is about “quiet and comfortable” gets a pass because of Covid?

I appreciate that so many folks love the GX - that is awesome. And I’m amazed at the effort put into “tweaking” and $80k vehicles for even better off-roading. But please don’t blame the clear issues that are well documented thought this forum on Covid and changes in BUYING behavior?

 

[ATDGUY]

Not pompous. Informed. Sorry you weren't. Would have saved you a lot of angst.
Hope you are happy with your next purchase. Really.

Again. Pompous.

Informed is owning 4 prior Lexus vehicles and assuming their brand holds true for the fifth. (There should be no better way to be informed.) It clearly did not (for many people.) I guess they are all just uninformed.?

At some point the marketing behind this will meet reality. I think Lexus is making bank and creating a “shortage” to drive up prices.

I for one made out great with my trade. I was simply trying to give an honest perspective on owning a Lux+. There is not one thing I said that was not preciously called out in this forum. These are known issues.

Actually, maybe I’m just trying to help people be “informed” ?

 

[bronco21]

Again. Pompous.

Informed is owning 4 prior Lexus vehicles and assuming their brand holds true for the fifth. (There should be no better way to be informed.) It clearly did not (for many people.) I guess they are all just uninformed.?

At some point the marketing behind this will meet reality. I think Lexus is making bank and creating a “shortage” to drive up prices.

I for one made out great with my trade. I was simply trying to give an honest perspective on owning a Lux+. There is not one thing I said that was not preciously called out in this forum. These are known issues.

Actually, maybe I’m just trying to help people be “informed” ?

Hopefully you are helping others to be informed.
It's a refined off road vehicle. That's all it was billed as and all it turned out to be. Add to that low profile tires to add more road feel and it is no surprise it's not a cushy ride.
As I said, I really do hope you are happy with the next one. No need to drive something you don't like.

 

[GR8Santini]

Wait? What?

A brand that is about “quiet and comfortable” gets a pass because of Covid?

I appreciate that so many folks love the GX - that is awesome. And I’m amazed at the effort put into “tweaking” and $80k vehicles for even better off-roading. But please don’t blame the clear issues that are well documented thought this forum on Covid and changes in BUYING behavior?

Whoa - Please don’t put words in my mouth.
That’s not at all what I was trying to say - I’m saying no pass at all.

It’s consumers being lazy. It’s being that victim of advertising instead of having situational awareness of the marketplace & having basic understanding of vehicles.

The whining over the un-luxury on GX is ridiculous. Had a ‘luxury’ GX460 & it rode like a marshmallow - lots of pitch, lean, dive & total lack of road feel in steering. 4.6L was a joke for power. I was embarrassed by how passive it was, so was my wife. I’m so glad GX isn’t a clone of the 460/Prada Lexus monstrosity gone wrong. 460 Owners griped about the sideways tailgate, then the 550 comes out & now folks gripe about opening height. Lexus adds a crappy foot wand sensor to assist, & surprise, surprise when that sensor underneath the vehicle gets dirty & sometimes doesn’t work. If that’s the worst thing in your day you’re are some kind of blessed. Guess the monthly car wash subscription doesn’t quite clean it correctly for you. Geez…

2 of the top vehicles being traded in early are Teslas & Jeep Wranglers. Trade cycle is like under 3 years after buying one. Directly due to majority of owners never knowing what they’re getting into w/ the ownership. Tesla owners want the cool technology & then find out the woes & struggles on EV charging. Wranglers w/ nav, leather, removable tops, big tires & atrocious driveline & owners actually complain about rattles & rough ride. Sounds like some GX owners are right up there with them. It is a twin turbo 3.4L Billy Goat. You bought a saltine box, w/ full time 4x4, leather & Lexus badge & complain of wind noise. It’s a Land Cruiser w/ significant luxury upgrades, better driveline & a L badge - but it’s still a Land Cruiser chassis. I’m amazed in new buyer comments about what vehicle they used to drive, because Stevie Wonder can see the problems coming.

Straight up lots of uninformed buyers buying what’s trendy & then blaming the brand, not themselves. If you made a mistake the beautiful thing is demand is high & availability is low so you should make out just fine, but I have no soft feelings for what you chose to ignore.

I’m saying Covid did change buyer behavior, & not for the good.

 

[Atomic Storm]

Good point about people buying the GX without ever driving it. When I was shopping around, I could not find a dealership that would let me test drive one. Several dealerships noted the reason being every GX on the lot was already allocated to a buyer. Maybe that situation has changed some.

That’s the same situation I was in. Dealer had no demo GXs for test drives. There weren’t any GXs in the showroom either. And any GX that were on dealer’s lot were either pre-sold or current customer’s ride. I was lucky I was able to take a brief 10 min spin on a demo model that was loaned to the dealer by Lexus corporate (so i was told - I was at the right place at the right time) to get a feel of the GX before I put my deposit down.

 

[280driver]

This is all getting a bit blown out of proportion. Is the new GX as soft and luxurious as the old one? No, but that doesn’t mean it’s not luxurious. Are there things about my Lux+ I would change if I could? Yes, but that doesn’t mean I am unsatisfied. I love my GX. There are no perfect vehicles. If you like the new GX, drive it and enjoy it. If you don’t like it, sell it and move on to something you do like. It really is that simple. In terms of the new GX being too raw for traditional Lexus buyers, so was the LFA. I think it’s cool Lexus goes outside their preceived “box” and builds more niche vehicles.

 

[GR8Santini]

In recent years the near-luxury and luxury makes have been trying to get younger buyers. I think Lexus did a great job moving GX460 from the country club to the GX550 happy w/ younger owners in suburbs. It really is a great balance between practicality & luxury - & it just may make you feel younger to drive!

 

[SkyHigh]

I spent over a year researching the 550 verses the competition before I put my deposit down for the P+ we bought.

You will never find a one size fits all, but the 550 checked the "must have" boxes for me. Non-hybrid, good towing capacity, quality manufacturer and great resale value should I choose to ever trade it in.

Yes, I have minor complaints, but this thing is amazing and I'm happy every time I drive it.

 

[GeauX_550]

“tough times don’t last, tough people do” don’t get discouraged we’ll get through these GX short comings compadres

 

[Spearone]

When I first saw the GX550 about 8 months ago I was really impressed with the look and the styling. I test drove one for about 15 minutes on city streets and I was impressed with the power and acceleration. I did have a bit of a rough ride but I currently drive a 2021 Tundra 4x4 OffRoad so by comparison the GX had a smoother ride and was much easier to park which was one of my main reasons for downsizing.

I was already on edge about the reliability of the V35A engines in the GX’s. All the issues ADTGUY listed above (plus some) combined with the previous V35A engines issues, have convinced me that the GX550 is not the car for me. I have been a loyal Toyota guy for 20 years having owned 2 Tundra’s and 2 Lexus RX350’s.

Now call me crazy, but I drove a 2026 Nissan Armada Pro 4X and few weeks ago and was super impressed with it. It’s a bit larger than the GX but it had tons of power and I thought the interior design, dash layout, and infotainment screen was superior to the GX. It just feels more like a luxury vehicle than the GX does. Right now the Pro 4X is at the top of my buy list. Yes, Nissan has had some struggles in recent years and depreciation is a major concern. However, the engine has a proven track record of reliability and based on all the YouTube videos I have watched, the reviews were all very positive.

 

[greenspacemarine]

The point some are trying to make and others are missing is that historically the GX has always been a comfy and quiet BOF SUV with off road chops so naturally you're going to expect the same thing going into the new one. Which raises the question, why not make the new one with those same traits? Take the LX for example, it has always been a comfy and quiet full size Land Cruiser and guess what? It still is. No reason the GX 550 couldn't look the part as it does now while still having a comfortable and quiet ride with a well appointed cabin.

I purchased a new Tacoma earlier this year with the factory lift kit and UCA's from Bilstein and it's honestly a smoother and quieter ride than the two 550's I've tested. (Prem+ and OT+) That's unacceptable given what they are asking for these things.

 

[280driver]

The point some are trying to make and others are missing is that historically the GX has always been a comfy and quiet BOF SUV with off road chops so naturally you're going to expect the same thing going into the new one. Which raises the question, why not make the new one with those same traits? Take the LX for example, it has always been a comfy and quiet full size Land Cruiser and guess what? It still is. No reason the GX 550 couldn't look the part as it does now while still having a comfortable and quiet ride with a well appointed cabin.

I purchased a new Tacoma earlier this year with the factory lift kit and UCA's from Bilstein and it's honestly a smoother and quieter ride than the two 550's I've tested. (Prem+ and OT+) That's unacceptable given what they are asking for these things.

I get the point you’re making and you are not wrong. Having said that, the old GX was always more about comfort. I think Lexus made a decision to take the new GX in a slightly different direction. I realized this when it was launched and the OT was the main test vehicle given to the press for reviews. That was re-enforced when we test drove the 550. We knew it wasn’t about pampered luxury. The 550 is not going to be for everyone and certainly not for many of the empty nesters I see driving the old GX around town. I guess the other Lexus SUVs/crossovers fill that spot now.

 

[Spearone]

Well said 280driver. I was perfectly fine with the rougher ride. However, for $80k plus I expected Toyota would pay a lot closer attention to the small details. Especially for a vehicle made in Japan at their Tahara plant which is one of their flagship assembly plants.

The Car Care Nut released a scathing video on YouTube today about the V35A engine and overall build quality of his 2024 Tundra Hybrid. I was kinda shocked at how brutally honest he was since he is a Toyota guy through and through. However, his comments were not all negative as he did praise the truck in several areas.

 

[greenspacemarine]

I get the point you’re making and you are not wrong. Having said that, the old GX was always more about comfort. I think Lexus made a decision to take the new GX is slightly different direction. I realized this when it was launched and the OT was the main test vehicle given to the press for reviews. That was re-enforced when we test drove the 550. We knew it wasn’t about pampered luxury. The 550 is not going to be for everyone and certainly not for many of the empty nesters I see driving the old GX around town. I guess the other Lexus SUVs/crossovers fill that spot now.

Lexus definitely leaned hard into the off road/overland scene with this new generation. I've driven all of the new Toyota BOF products with the exception of the new LX which is on my "to do" list and it seems to me that all of their standard equipment suspension tuning has been on the firmer side compared to the previous gen models. If I were calling the shots I'd keep the OT/OT+ suspension as is and give the + package options for things like real leather, rear zone climate, etc and on the Prem/Lux trims I'd give them an entirely different shock/spring combo to soften up the ride similar to the old models. Unfortunately with these things being shaped like a brick and having the upright windshield the road noise is always going to be a problem I'm afraid.

 

[280driver]

Well said 280driver. I was perfectly fine with the rougher ride. However, for $80k plus I expected Toyota would pay a lot closer attention to the small details. Especially for a vehicle made in Japan at their Tahara plant which is one of their flagship assembly plants.

The Car Care Nut released a scathing video on YouTube today about the V35A engine and overall build quality of his 2024 Tundra Hybrid. I was kinda shocked at how brutally honest he was since he is a Toyota guy through and through. However, his comments were not all negative as he did praise the truck in several areas.

A good friend of mine has a ‘24 Tundra and the build quality is nowhere near Toyota standards. The latest issue is the head liner in the cab coming unglued. Thankfully, no issues with build quality of our Japanese built GX.

 

[Ctprelude]

When I first saw the GX550 about 8 months ago I was really impressed with the look and the styling. I test drove one for about 15 minutes on city streets and I was impressed with the power and acceleration. I did have a bit of a rough ride but I currently drive a 2021 Tundra 4x4 OffRoad so by comparison the GX had a smoother ride and was much easier to park which was one of my main reasons for downsizing.

I was already on edge about the reliability of the V35A engines in the GX’s. All the issues ADTGUY listed above (plus some) combined with the previous V35A engines issues, have convinced me that the GX550 is not the car for me. I have been a loyal Toyota guy for 20 years having owned 2 Tundra’s and 2 Lexus RX350’s.

Now call me crazy, but I drove a 2026 Nissan Armada Pro 4X and few weeks ago and was super impressed with it. It’s a bit larger than the GX but it had tons of power and I thought the interior design, dash layout, and infotainment screen was superior to the GX. It just feels more like a luxury vehicle than the GX does. Right now the Pro 4X is at the top of my buy list. Yes, Nissan has had some struggles in recent years and depreciation is a major concern. However, the engine has a proven track record of reliability and based on all the YouTube videos I have watched, the reviews were all very positive.

I've heard great things about the Armada, but I don't want anything bigger than the GX for one, and two I want resale value. Unfortunatley the value of the Nissan will drop like a rock regardless of how nice it may be.