GX550 or LC

wholes18

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Jun 27, 2024
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Texas
Vehicles
LCLC & GX460
LC premium with port install options is $72k. Also have access to GX550 Overtrail which is $72k.

Which would you buy?
 
Consider what's important to you:
1. tank miles per gallon
2. engine
3. towing capacity
4. Toyota vs lexus branding
5. looks

For me, I kept going back and forth and chose the LC because I liked the looks better and prefer Toyota branding over Lexus.
 
Great points! That’s why I’m stuck. Mostly highway driving.

Like the front of the GX and the back of LC.

Like engine of GX

Like interior of LC

Like warranty of GX but Toyota dealer is in town and Lexus dealer 1 hour away.

Wonder which will hold value better? It’s been the LC previously but that was 200 version so unsure. Which will be more reliable?
 
Correct on the vents. Also the GX doesn’t have power steering column, or memory seats or digital mirror. But it does have E-KDSS and already AT tires
 
Lexus dealer is 5 hours and change for me to drive.

Pretty disappointed with the Land Cruiser the more I read. Fuel tank is too small, engine is frankly inadequate (0-60 in 8 seconds is pathetic for the price point), and the way Toyota options the truck is baffling to me.

At this point I am probably going to hard pass on both of them. I’ll just funnel that money into my retirement account instead.
 
I find it amazing the obsession nowadays with 0-60 times, and not just referring to the LC. Geesh, it is primarily an off-roading vehicle. Maybe a Rivian? Agree re the optioning, probably not wishing to impact the announced 2025 4Runner.
 
I guess i don’t understand the range anxiety. I’ve never viewed the 5 minutes it takes to find a gas station and fill up a gas tank as terribly inconvenient. And if i’m going somewhere w/o a lot of gas stations, i’ll pack a gas can for the incredibly unlikely event that i run out of gas having completely forgotten how to do math and google maps. And i would guess that eventually, the aftermarket will deliver high-quality pressurized gas tanks with more capacity. By itself, this seems like a strange reason not to buy a LC. Am i missing something?
 
I guess i don’t understand the range anxiety. I’ve never viewed the 5 minutes it takes to find a gas station and fill up a gas tank as terribly inconvenient. And if i’m going somewhere w/o a lot of gas stations, i’ll pack a gas can for the incredibly unlikely event that i run out of gas having completely forgotten how to do math and google maps. And i would guess that eventually, the aftermarket will deliver high-quality pressurized gas tanks with more capacity. By itself, this seems like a strange reason not to buy a LC. Am i missing something?
If not already, surely there will be aftermarket fuel containers, and racks for them...
 
I guess i don’t understand the range anxiety. I’ve never viewed the 5 minutes it takes to find a gas station and fill up a gas tank as terribly inconvenient. And if i’m going somewhere w/o a lot of gas stations, i’ll pack a gas can for the incredibly unlikely event that i run out of gas having completely forgotten how to do math and google maps. And i would guess that eventually, the aftermarket will deliver high-quality pressurized gas tanks with more capacity. By itself, this seems like a strange reason not to buy a LC. Am i missing something?
Agreed. I have a Mazda with a small gas tank. Yes, I fill up every week instead of two weeks. But on the upside, I never get sticker shock at the pump! LOL.
 
Really go into detail with the options that each has.. Toyota/Lexus has done a decent job limiting cross over if you want certain items. Ie. Some LC features only available on Over trail + etc

Have to decide what's most important to you.
 
I guess i don’t understand the range anxiety. I’ve never viewed the 5 minutes it takes to find a gas station and fill up a gas tank as terribly inconvenient.

Come live in the mountain west for a little while if you’d like to understand.

The fuel tank size didn’t stop me from buying my LC but it is one of my biggest annoyances/concerns/things I genuinely do not like about it.
 
I test drove both, and decided on the Land Cruiser.

Why?
Looks (very subjective, but the colors of the LC & design is way more appealing IMO)
Hybrid (I thought it drove better than the Twin Turbo V6 on the GX, instant torque & better MPG)
Interior (The LC is almost the same quality & materials as the 550, you'd be surprised, I also wanted physical buttons, hated the touch screen for A/C on the GX)
Cargo Ceiling Vents (for the doggo's, game changer, very few trucks in this class have this, GX Overtrail does not get them)
Name ("Land Cruiser" name is iconic worldwide, there's something special about it, again very subjective)
Resale (Lexus or just luxury vehicles in general depreciate faster, the Toyota is a similar price so only time will tell if it holds value better)
 
The Overtrail is nice! Only version of the GX I would have considered. I like the KDSS and the beefier tires. But I prefer the way the LC looks and I actually prefer the inline 4 with a single turbo and a hybrid for the power train. Not convinced those dual turbo 6’s aren’t timebombs and not convinced they didn’t ruin that historically bulletproof 6 cylinder. Also like the mechanically simpler off road stuff on the LC. For me, I chose the LC largely because I don’t think Toyota is going to screw up its best nameplate and I suspect that it’s going to last a very long time. I buy cars thinking I’m driving them 10 years and 100K+. Mine will be my 7 year old’s first car.

If I was buying something for the next 3 years I would probably buy the Overtrail. But I am buying for 10+.

No wrong answers though.
 
I find it amazing the obsession nowadays with 0-60 times, and not just referring to the LC. Geesh, it is primarily an off-roading vehicle. Maybe a Rivian? Agree re the optioning, probably not wishing to impact the announced 2025 4Runner.

I drive a lot of 2 lane highways, passing opportunities can be short, and there are a lot of dawdling tourists and slow drivers. When opportunities to pass present themselves a vehicle that can get with the program is greatly appreciated. The faster a vehicle can accelerate the more opportunities there are to safely make a passing maneuver.

A 0-60 time is a decent enough indicator of acceleration ability, and in this day and age 8+ seconds is glacial. The 50-80 time probably also will suck, and that’s not going to work for me.

The GX550 with its higher continuous power output is clearly significantly more capable of meaningful acceleration. It’s too bad Toyota is choosing to dumb down the Land Cruiser with a Tacoma powertrain that clearly struggles. If this was a $45K 4Runner I could accept it, but this is a $60-$70K premium offering.

If a Lexus dealer were closer this wouldn’t even be a contest.

Toyota should offer the LC with the V35A-FTS/10 speed and E-KDSS. The hybrid seems to not live up to expectations anyway so it is pointless.
 
Car and Driver instrumented test out today.
LC 0-60 is 7.7
GX 0-60 is 6.3

But…

30-50 the LC is ahead by a tenth and 50-70 the LC is only a tenth behind the GX.

Pretty darn close. I’ll take the mileage!
 
The Overtrail is nice! Only version of the GX I would have considered. I like the KDSS and the beefier tires. But I prefer the way the LC looks and I actually prefer the inline 4 with a single turbo and a hybrid for the power train. Not convinced those dual turbo 6’s aren’t timebombs and not convinced they didn’t ruin that historically bulletproof 6 cylinder. Also like the mechanically simpler off road stuff on the LC. For me, I chose the LC largely because I don’t think Toyota is going to screw up its best nameplate and I suspect that it’s going to last a very long time. I buy cars thinking I’m driving them 10 years and 100K+. Mine will be my 7 year old’s first car.

If I was buying something for the next 3 years I would probably buy the Overtrail. But I am buying for 10+.

No wrong answers though.
Similar mindset… I told my wife, if I do this we’ll my 16 month old will drive the LC as her first car!
 
Car and Driver instrumented test out today.
LC 0-60 is 7.7
GX 0-60 is 6.3

But…

30-50 the LC is ahead by a tenth and 50-70 the LC is only a tenth behind the GX.

Pretty darn close. I’ll take the mileage!
I presume this a result of the turbo taking a bit to spool up? Once there, a miniscule difference. Yep, also will take the mileage. Just wish the LC did not suggest premium fuel, although that is in question.
 
Car and Driver instrumented test out today.
LC 0-60 is 7.7
GX 0-60 is 6.3

But…

30-50 the LC is ahead by a tenth and 50-70 the LC is only a tenth behind the GX.

Pretty darn close. I’ll take the mileage!

Interesting.

Thanks!
 
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