The Lexus GX is a vehicle without much competition. But it’s getting long in the tooth. Lexus has a plan to address that problem for the 2022 model year, and it involves a thorough tech refresh.
A Unique Combination of Rugged and Luxurious
The GX is a capable off-road SUV. It’s built on the bones of the Toyota 4Runner, a legend of trails and mud roads worldwide (outside the U.S., it’s known as the Land Cruiser Prado). But it treats its driver and up to six others to a luxurious, quiet ride, with the elegance of soft leather seating and a Lexus-smooth suspension.
There are other 3-row luxury SUVs, like the Audi Q7 or BMW X5. But they don’t have the GX’s off-road chops. Other body-on-frame SUVs can get you to a remote cabin, like the GMC Yukon or Ford Expedition. But they don’t have its luxury appointments.
A vehicle that comes equipped with both a Mark Levinson 17-speaker audiophile sound system and a skid plate protecting the fuel tank from underbrush is simply a rare thing. The Land Rover Discovery is probably the GX’s clearest challenger.
But an Aging One
Yet, the current GX was designed for the 2010 model year. It’s not a dinosaur by automotive industry standards. It’s a Permian period 4-legged fish waddling out of the ocean.
It will walk into 2022, though, with a brand new interior that goes a long way toward bringing it up to date. The 2022 Lexus GX starts at $55,425, plus $1,075 for delivery.
A Thorough Technology Upgrade
The upgrades include a 10.3-inch touchscreen in the middle of a revised dashboard free of the riot of buttons that cluttered the old model. Inexplicably, Lexus still places a touchpad with the screen. But the screen handles all climate and entertainment functions, so drivers can ignore trying to figure out how to use a touchpad while driving.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard. Lexus’s Intuitive Parking Assist system appears as well.
The 2022 GX will be available in a Black Line Special Edition. It features a blacked-out chrome grille, glossy black wheels, lower front and rear bumpers in black, and black roof rails. The Black Line edition comes in the usual pearl black and white shades and a gorgeous Nori Green Pearl. Inside, matte black ash wood trim contrasts with two-tone black and gray NuLuxe seating.
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
