LIKES
- Plush ride
- Off-road tech
- Decent tech, finally
- Bold looks
DISLIKES
- Too-bold looks
- Frustrating cargo-hauling ability
- Sloppy handling
- Best version is priciest version
BUYING TIP
The 2022 Lexus GX is a dinosaur among luxury SUVs, though a tech upgrade this year at least brings it up to par.
What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Lexus GX? What does it compare to?
The 2022 Lexus GX 460 is a three-row SUV with a traditional body-on-frame construction that places it in the same category as the GMC Yukon and Infiniti QX80, not to mention its close relative, the Toyota 4Runner.
Is the 2022 Lexus GX a good car/SUV?
The GX has seen limited updates since 2010, though this year’s upgraded screen and dashboard are long-overdue updates. Overall, we rate the GX at just 4.8 out of 10 due to its plump driving experience and compromised interior, not to mention subpar fuel economy.
What's new for the 2022 Lexus GX?
A new dash this year houses a 10.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—finally. Other tweaks include a few optional styling packages and new color hues.
Underneath its brash styling, the GX is a Toyota 4Runner with a V-8 engine—and both models are well over a decade old now.
As a result, the GX accelerates, slurps fuel, rides, and handles like a brand-new old-school SUV. The 4.6-liter V-8 is smooth and well-matched to the 6-speed automatic transmission, but at just 301 hp and sub-20 mpg on the highway, it’s bested by any fresher rival.
Base and Premium trim levels have a soft-riding suspension that translates into tippy handling, though steering heft is surprisingly good. The costliest Luxury trim ups the ante with a hydraulically-controlled sway bar system that provides for less body lean and better off-road ability, plus they include a height-adjustable air suspension that rides quite well. It’s a shame Lexus restricts this tech to a GX that costs nearly $70,000.
Inside, the GX has decent space, though the third row is only for kids and it’s in the way when not in use. Safety tech is just so-so, though Lexus hits the basics for a modern vehicle and includes adaptive cruise control, an option on most rivals.
How much does the 2022 Lexus GX cost?
The 2022 Lexus GX 460 lineup costs around $57,000 to start, but optional equipment—including suspension tech that makes this SUV a better-handling and more capable vehicle—inflates its price by at least $10,000.
Where is the 2022 Lexus GX made?
In Japan.
Styling
The 2022 Lexus GX is far from pretty.
Is the Lexus GX a good-looking car?
Not especially, though apparently buyers don’t agree with our assessment. This is a fast-selling SUV, so that means some shoppers must like the alien-like mug grafted onto its two-box SUV shape.
We’re not in agreement, which is why we give it a 4 out of 10 on the TCC scale.
Performance
The 2022 Lexus GX would rather leave the pavement than conquer it.
Is the Lexus GX 4WD?
Yes, the 2022 Lexus GX is a traditional SUV with standard four-wheel drive including a two-speed transfer case. An optional Off-Road package—on the range-topping Luxury trim only—adds crawl control and various traction control modes for four-wheeling.
Budget shoppers, take note: all that tech is standard fare on the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off Road that starts at about $42,000, rather than nearly $70,000.
The GX makes use of a fairly large 4.6-liter V-8 that pushes 301 hp to the wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission. Though not particularly power-dense, the V-8 is smooth and refined, and its gearbox works well.
Ride quality is soft and handling on the ponderous side, though steering heft builds better than the top-heavy proportions might suggest—but only with optional tech. Credit is due to the GX’s optional trick suspension found on the range-topping Luxury trim, which uses hydraulic fluid to push down on oversize anti-sway bars in hard cornering to quell body lean. That version also includes a height-adjustable air suspension. Those two features also aid off-road performance by increasing suspension articulation and ground clearance.
The 2022 Lexus GX is rated to tow 6,500 lb.
Comfort & Quality
The 2022 Lexus GX has a decidedly old-school luxury vibe inside.
The 2022 Lexus GX is spacious and well-equipped, if not fitted with convenience features found in many rivals. We rate it at 8 out of 10 on account of its traditional quality feel, good front seats, and good cargo space.
Front- and second-row passengers will find plush, supportive seats once they climb aboard. Third-row passengers will need to be limber and fairly small to wedge themselves back there.
The third-row jump seats block rearward visibility and take up a good deal of space, though the GX can still swallow 65 cubic feet of suitcases and whatever else life may throw at it. A minor annoyance—or a major one if you often park on city streets—is that the cargo area is accessed by a big swing-out door that opens toward the curb rather than away from it.
This cabin feels somewhat narrow compared to rivals and switchgear can be a bit haphazard in its placement, though materials are mostly nice.
Safety
The 2022 Lexus GX checks off the basics for safety but little more.
How safe is the Lexus GX?
Since it has not been tested by the IIHS or the NHTSA, we cannot assign a safety rating for the 2022 Lexus GX.
Standard tech includes automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitors. That’s all tech we expect to see at this price point, though Lexus does one-up most rivals by including adaptive cruise control. Just don’t look for any hands-free tech or features that might nudge a drifting GX back into its road lane.
Features
The 2022 Lexus GX is reasonably well equipped, but it can get quite expensive.
Even with a big tech upgrade this year, the 2022 Lexus GX rates a 6 out of 10 for its features. Its new 10.3-inch touchscreen includes Apple CarPlay, but no Android Auto, which leaves a point on the table. We give it an extra point for its 4-year/50,000-mile warranty and free maintenance for its first two scheduled stops.
Which Lexus GX should I buy?
The lineup starts at about $56,500, which buys that new touchscreen, power-adjustable and heated front seats, a sunroof, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
How much is a fully loaded Lexus GX?
At about $66,000 to start, the GX 460 Luxury is the only version with leather seats and it also includes adaptive dampers as well as height-adjustable suspension and a hydraulically-controlled sway bar system that reduces body lean. These features have a big impact on the way the GX drives, which unfortunately makes the costliest GX the most desirable version.
A $1,570 Off-Road package adds various four-wheeling bits including Crawl Control, additional traction control modes, and extra skid plates. If that’s your thing, though, a Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road will save you about $25,000.
Fuel Economy
The 2022 Lexus GX is a thirsty beast.
Is the Lexus GX good on gas?
It is not. The Lexus GX is one of the thirstiest new vehicles on the road today with its mere 15 mpg city, 19 highway, 16 combined rating.
That’s good for just 2 out of 10 on our scale, and it’s not helped by Lexus’ insistence on premium unleaded fuel.
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