2025 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ - Cliff's Ride Review Notes

PRESENTATION GRADE PRADO THAT WILL BIRD-DOG:

When the third generation Lexus GX arrived in 2024, it was correctly anticipated as a prestige version of the latest Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Indeed the twin-turbo V-6 and additional seating row, exclusive to the GX 550, rendered it presentation grade suburban overland limo. Realizing that more than a few sports-persons may take their sterling silver engraved Holland & Holland side-by side into the field, there is the all-new 2025 Lexus GX 500 Overtrail+ trim.

SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE INGREDIENTS:

• 2025 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ 4x4, designated J252, the third Lexus SUV to wear the GX label, succeeding the J150, related to the J250 Land Cruiser Prado
• $82,315 suggested retail price
• V35A-FTS 3.4TT 24V DI, SEFI DOHC gas V-6
  • 349 hp / 479 lb.-ft @ 2000 r.p.m., net
  • 17 miles per gallon EPA rating
• 10-speed direct shift planetary automatic transmission
• full time 2-speed transfer case + Torsen center differential four-wheel drive
• e-locking rear differential
• Multi-Terrain Select - Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Rock
• KDSS front sway bar disconnect
• DAC - downward assist [cruise] control, variable from 2 - 20 m.p.h.
• 9063 pounds tow rating

OFF-ROAD SUSPENSION INGREDIENTS:

• adaptive variable e-damping
• 18" wheels
• 33" off-road tire diameter
• Toyo Open Country A/T GAIII - 265/70-H tires

OVERLANDING INGREDIENTS:

• Multi-Terrain monitor - four camera, trail mode
• Off-Road displays - vehicle attitude, traction
• Aluminum front bash plate, steel powertrain, drivetrain, and fuel tank skid plates
• Rock rails - full body length
• Running boards - full body length
• Fog lights
• Trailer hitch connector, brake control, back-up guide & braking

SAFETY FACTOR:

• 8 SRS airbags, Roll mitigation, Surround cameras
• Lexus Safety System 3.0: Pedestrian & daytime cyclist detection braking; Forward collision avoidance braking; Blind spot & rear cross traffic warning; Lane departure; Road edge & Sway Warning, Lane Keep Assist; Lane tracing + driver inattention emergency stopping; Adaptive cruise control - full; Automatic High Beam headlights; 2nd Row occupant minder
• Available (included as tested): Blind Spot, rear cross traffic warning; Front & rear sonar audible/ visible park warning + rear avoidance braking; Digital display rear view mirror; Head Up Display; Traffic sign display

2024 Lexus GX 550 4x4 - Bottom Line Review

A PLUSHER PRADO STAYS TRUE TO ITS ROOTS: Among overland sportsmen, the “field grade” shotgun has the standard blued barrel and wood stock that won’t mind brushes with the brush, in contrast with the “presentation grade” firearm with silver and gold barrel engravings and richer solid wood stock finish. For

RoadBlazingGeorge Straton

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ LOOK:

Vaguely, Lexus' latest large mid-size SUV shares the Toyota Land Cruiser J250's tall clearance, blocky body, upright windscreen and tall greenhouse, spill-over roof, kinked post C-pillar greenhouse and tall, yet narrow wing mirrors. Variances from the Toyota L.C. are trifling, including front fascia with Lexus spindle grille, hood moldings with more prominent shoulders.

Front lighting is boomerang framed, cornering lamps are included, and there is a full mid-tailgate spanning rear light bar. Perhaps the most radical, yet most beneficial, departure from the 2nd generation GX, was the adoption of liftgate with flip-open backlight, in lieu of the left to right swing-gate.

Insofar as Overtrail+ styling swag is concerned, the most off-road capable GX 550 is about two-tone color schemes. A darkened roof, with metallic banding, darkened B & C pillars, darkened lower cladding, darkened grille & wing mirror bezels, and metallic finished front & rear center lower fascia, contrast with specific terrain colors. The finishing rough-'n-tumble touch are the unique smaller diameter graphite wheels banded in tall sidewall all-terrain shoes.

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ ON ROAD:

The detuned twin-turbo bent six pot, (and attendant increased tow rating), is the reason to pick the 2025 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ over the Land Cruiser 250. Suffice it that this deep well of torque mill is inherited, detuned, along with a silky 10-speed automatic from the Lexus LX 600 flagship. It outperforms the J150's 4.6 liter atmospheric twin-cam V-8 + 6-speed pairing, with a newfound gratifying smooth responsiveness, just about always snapping to the appropriate gear, accompanied by a subtle gnarly growl no four-banger could vociferate.

The new combo's only real disappointment was an advertised 15% fuel consumption boost that was met by no real world improvement, despite including stop / start idling. The all-terrain Toyo Open Roads were not ruled out as suspected culprits.

Taller sidewalls and springs, benefiting the 2025 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ over gulches, allow more noticeable rocking, betraying the live rear axle. Ordinary impacts are tolerated with firmness, though the worst will generate a jarring that only unavailable air springs [and so equipped Tundra pickups] would have defeated. Decent steering effort is frustrated by numbness and low grip that defy crisp lane changes. Four-piston from fixed brake calipers deliver consistently linear pedal effort for confident slowing despite the low grip rubber.

Hold the knobbier treads, lengthy wing mirrors and coarser cabin panels responsible, but the the GX 550 Overtrail+ reverberates a fair amount of road and wind noise, with upright profile susceptible to buffeting.

Hosting the full complement of Lexus Safety System 3.0 aboard, the 2025 GX 550 Overtrail+ is equipped to avoid altogether, or mitigate, road & parking encounters and afford de-fatiguing adaptive distance and lane trace cruising.

• -1 Observed fuel economy of 14.5 miles per gallon
• -1 Driver alert monitor over-sensitive to momentary darting eyes, Narrow wing mirrors

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ OFF ROAD:

The 2025 Lexus GX 500 Overtrail+ is the only presentation grade J250 Prado SUV equipped with resilient field prowess. The wheel travel and urethane bump stops squeeze out an extra 2/10ths inch clearance. As with the Land Cruiser, the Torsen center diff coming off the two-speed transfer case makes sure both axles are always fed power.

Multi-Terrain control addresses the varying surfaces to be encountered by varying stability control. Muddy conditions benefit from the variable electronic locking rear differential. Rock crawling calls for the lower range of the 2-speed transfer case. Depressing the center console button for front stabilizer bar disengagement ups the wheel articulation.

DAC descent speed control is a marvel in the GX 550 Overtrail+, with 2 mile per hour increment adjustability and informative instrument graphics. Other off-road metrics including drive mode, traction and pitch and roll appear in both the variable gauge cluster and in large media display. Trim specific Terrain cameras are boon once the pavement ends.

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ DRIVER OPERATION:

Switch decluttering, more lively instrument graphics and the new Lexus Human Interface UI have brought the 2025 Lexus GX 550 into the "NVDIA Era." Ditto for the first row dual rotary climate temperature knobs beset in the 14.0" touch media screen, a padded tucked seam mid dash shelf, a machined look beveled lower center stack beveled shelf containing a rotary "Mode" knob and driving function switches grouped below, with adjacent sprung lid pockets.

It wouldn't be a Lexus mid size overlander without a toggle switch so there is that for the transfer case ratio selection. On the other end, modern material cost cutting influences from the Toyota Land Cruiser are felt inside the GX 550 Overtrail+, with flimsier appliques, less syrupy aperture movement and more noise in the environment.

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ OCCUPANT TREATMENT:

Losing the nominal third row from other trims better suits the overlanding mission of the 2025 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+. It is now a hospitable 2+3 seater.

Seat cushions are wide, headroom is Andean, and the wheel telescopes generously. While operational controls are reachable, the glovebox is a hike. Both pillar ingress handles and headliner retracting grab handles, at all outboard positions, is a rarity. Deep door pockets feature management partitions.

Nu-Luxe simulated leather seats, contrasting beige with olive, look classy, but are thinly padded. The instrument cluster and display, while separate, share a unified housing. Virtually every switch features a sating metallic bezel. Although there is nary a hard panel above waist height that is a touch point, the material finish eschews visual artistry for mid-level executive sterility. The Plus edition of the GX 550 Overtrail, however, is fitted with many luxury baubles of the Luxury trim.

The signature feature of the Lexus GX 550 cabin is the 14.0" Lexus Human Machine Interface landscape touch screen, with embedded dual knurled climate zone temperature knobs, each displaying respective set temperatures. Extensive command operations also incorporate a "Hey Lexus" wake-up call and Google queries, the latter running the cloud navigation points of interest searches.

• +1 Standard heated & cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, power liftgate, power moonroof, 120 VAC power outlet, headlamp washers
  • Available power tilt steering wheel, massaging 1st Row seats, 2nd Row heated seats
• +/- Pointlessly retains 3rd Row armrests, cupholders
• -1 Low color contrast on brightness on instrument cluster & media screen

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ CARGO WISE:

There loss of third seating row in the 2025 Lexus GX 550 Ovetrail+ implies folding one fewer rows to reach maximum cargo space. As with the Land Cruiser 250, the second row split bench will still jacknife forward for forward cargo area and storage bin - jack tray access.

Perhaps the greatest boon to cargo bay access in the latest generation GX is the switch from swing-gate to [variable height] liftgate. A new flip-up large backlight is handy for loading long loads, such as ten foot lumber. A full size spare tire remains under-body mounted for enhanced bay capacity.

• +1 Tow rating: 3063 lbs. > Toyota Land Cruiser 250

2025 LEXUS GX 550 OVERTRAIL+ COMPETITIVE CLASS:

• Land Rover Defender 110
• Toyota Land Cruiser
• Ineos Grenadier