The 2026 Lexus GX 550 Luxury: a classy off road SUV

The 2026 Lexus GX 550 Luxury is for those who expect their climate control to ionise the air like a day spa but still want to get down and dirty. Under the bonnet sits the headline act; a 3.5‑litre twin‑turbo V6 petrol punching out 260kW and 650Nm, fed through a 10‑speed automatic with manual shift mode.

It’s backed by an 80‑litre tank, a 200‑amp alternator, and a 3,500kg braked towing capacity. Drive Mode Select gives you three flavours of response, while VSC/TRC with starter hold keeps the big unit tidy on loose surfaces (more on that shortly).

Inside, the Luxury grade leans hard into comfort. NuLux seat trim, and a leather‑accented wheel and shifter feature. You’ll find heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second‑row outboard seats, while both front pews get 8‑way power adjustment, with driver memory.

There's 2‑way lumbar for both driver and passenger. The cabin lighting is full LED, with single‑colour ambient lighting, illuminated door handles, and a lockable glovebox for the important stuff (snacks). The GX remains a proper seven‑seater.

A 60:40 folding second‑row seats and power‑folding third row, work together for access. Climate duties are handled by 3‑zone auto control, complete with nanoeX air purification, because nothing says Luxury like moisturised sinuses.

There are 12 cupholders (four per row), five USB‑C ports, a wireless charger, and both 12V and 220V/100W sockets. Tech is very Lexus: a 14‑inch multimedia display with navigation, 10‑speaker audio, DAB, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Lexus Connected Services.

A 12.3‑inch colour info display and a head‑up display keep the driver informed. You also nab an auto‑dimming rear‑view mirror, rain‑sensing wipers, smart entry and start, with a power back door with a glass hatch rounding out the convenience package.

The full Lexus Safety System+ suite features. That includes a complete pre-collision system that’s up there with some of the best available, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, lane trace assist, road sign assist, intersection collision avoidance and emergency steering assist.

You also get driver monitoring, along with front and rear parking goodness, a reversing camera with a washer, no less, and a surround view monitor. That’s in addition to blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, safe exit assist and even tyre pressure monitoring.

Outside, the Luxury rides on 20‑inch alloys with a full‑size spare, framed by LED headlights with dynamic auto‑levelling, LED DRLs, LED fog lamps, cornering lamps, and a high‑mount LED stop lamp. It offers up 3,500kg in braked towing capability.

The mirrors do everything short of making coffee: indicators, heaters, auto‑retract, memory, and puddle lamps. Roof rails, a rear spoiler, mud guards, privacy glass, scuff plates, and body‑colour handles finish the look. A power moon roof seals the deal.

And because it’s still a GX at heart, you get an integrated tow hitch receiver, electric power steering with tilt/telescopic adjustment, steering‑wheel paddles, and every button you’d expect, in an interior that’s geared towards practicality.

Drawing much from its Toyota Prado half brother (or adopted sibling if you prefer), the Lexus is its well, Luxury, partner in crime. It has all the mechanical muscle that spans the GX platform, but doesn’t feel like it’s cosplaying hardcore off roader like some of its rivals.

Let’s talk about what it’s like to drive though, because let’s face it, that’s what you’re here for. Built on a proper ladder-frame chassis, it mostly succeeds at its intended purpose, that of being a luxury SUV. But like any big, boxy, twin‑turbo V6 brute, it comes with a few caveats.

The first thing you notice on‑road is just how comfortable and smooth it is on the tarmac. Even on the sketchiest of country roads, it’s genuinely impressive. Its long‑travel suspension soaks up corrugations and potholes with a level of car-like calm.

Steering is light, visibility is commanding. It’s not trying to be sporty, and thank goodness — it’s a big, square, unapologetic 4WD, and it drives like one. But the GX can’t fully hide its size or weight. There’s plenty of wind noise, and you certainly feel its sheer mass.

The added bonus, if there is such a thing, is that girth, and the donk under the bonnet, translate into some thirstiness. Fuel consumption sits at 12.3-litres/100km from the 80-litre tank, which should be good for around 500km in range.

We threw five teenage girls onboard for a birthday road trip (I know, what were we thinking) and headed north. The trip included stop offs at a couple of beaches and a few other fun activities. The culmination of all that fun was an extra servo stop for go-go juice over what we expected.

Economy pushes closer to 14.0-litres/100km. With it came the realisation that while she’s a big unit, the shape doesn’t lend itself to heaps of leg room. As you’d expect, the third row is best suited for teens or smaller post-booster seat humans, although it is better than most.

The second set of seats that somehow feels a little cramped. That’s mostly due to the more upright shape of the new GX. Off road though, the GX Luxury might just be a mega-star. Even in base trim, which brings with it some less classy scratchy plastics, it carries serious hardware.

That includes low‑range, a locking rear diff and dirt specific modes. It’s built on the same fundamental platform DNA as the LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado and that shows in its genuine 4×4 capability.

Ground clearance, articulation, and throttle calibration make it easy to place on technical tracks. The suspension that feels plush on‑road becomes controlled and confidence‑inspiring on rocks and ruts. The GX Luxury isn’t perfect.

You will need to manage its momentum over steep inclines. All-in-all though, it tows like a champion, seats seven in relative comfort, lights up like a boutique hotel, and still has the hardware to embarrass a few proper 4WDs on a weekend trip.

If you want the GX that feels equally at home in Mosman and Mudgee, this is it. Backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty and 5-years capped price servicing, the 2026 Lexus GX 550 Luxury comes in seven colours, including Sonic Quartz, Graphite Black, Mercury Grey and Titanium.

You can also opt for Titanium Carbide Grey, Khaki Metal and Deep Blue (as tested). There are three interior trims, including Dark Grey/Tsuyasumi, Black/Tsuyasumi and Black/Oak. It’s priced at around $130,000 drive away, depending on what Australian State you live in.

Our test vehicle was provided by Lexus Australia for independent review purposes. This article first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.

Once you've found the right car, the next step is sorting out car finance that actually works for your budget. Credit One is Australia's best-reviewed finance broker, with 3,000+ five-star Google reviews from customers who've been through the process. Check out Credit One reviews to see what people say, or head straight to the loan repayment calculator to see what the numbers look like.