Lexus GX550 (VJA252W)

The Lexus GX, the smaller sibling of the LX, has finally arrived on Japanese roads. Those who find the Toyota Land Cruiser 250 lacking in power should consider this powerful and luxurious alternative.

2025 Lexus GX

Priced at 11,950,000 Japanese Yen (roughly $120,000) plus additional costs, the Lexus GX is the more premium alternative to the Toyota Land Cruiser 250 where brute force and first-class comfort matter for this ultra-luxury off-roader capable of mocking Little Miss Sandping in style and comfort.

2025 Lexus GX

Starting with the exterior, the Lexus GX has a more rugged appearance compared to the Toyota Land Cruiser 250 on which it is based. It also boasts a sharp aesthetic. The same story goes for the offroad-oriented OVERTRAIL+ which comes with the exclusive Moon Desert exterior color, under guard, black arches, bridge-type roof rails, black door panels, and rear center protection. Lexus claims that the GX's design harks back to Toyota's offroad GOAT, the Land Cruiser 70 series. A homage done right, they said.

2025 Lexus GX interior

The interior of the Lexus GX is a huge contrast to the Land Cruiser 250 donor car because it's meant to be positioned at the Business Class rather than the Economy Class. On the driver's side, the GX features an optional HUD, a standard 12-inch Multimedia Touchscreen Display with Lexus Interface technology, a digital 12.3-inch multi-information display, and others. On the passenger side, the GX seats up to seven people (five for the OVERTRAIL+ variant), and the passenger seats can be folded down for spacing needs. You can fit up to four golf bags with this one.

For sound experience, the GX is offered with the available 21-speaker Mark Levinson Surround Sound for stage-level sound quality on the move.

2025 Lexus GX

The GX runs on its GA-F platform just like its big brother, the LX. With notable features such as the rigid rear suspension with extended rear wheel articulation, and electric power steering, it behaves like every luxury off-roader should. In the OVERTRAIL+ variant, it's well-armed with all-terrain tires and Lexus-first E-KDSS. The E-KDSS or Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System can lock or release the front and rear anti-roll bars independently for better offroading. It even comes with Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, and the Multi-Terrain Monitor.

Under the hood, The GX is armed with the same V35A-FTS V6 3.4L Twin Turbo engine as the LX but it's detuned to produce 353PS of power and 650Nm of torque. Mated to the Direct Shift 10AT, fuel economy is around 8.1km/L based on WLTC Mode standards, the same as the LX.

The all-new GX comes equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which includes several advanced features: the Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Pedestrian Detection, All-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA with SA), Road Sign Assist (RSA), and Proactive Driving Assist (PDA).

Those who have already owned the Toyota Land Cruiser 250 may feel regret because the Lexus GX offers many features that its Toyota counterpart lacks. Those who haven't owned one yet might feel envious, wishing they could experience the new GX someday.

From mocking Sandping in the daytime to a night trip to the City of Dreams at nightfall, the Lexus GX has it all. Comfort, technology, and an ounce of brute force. Nobody does it better than this.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

New Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

Back in 2007, Toyota launched the fully redesigned Land Cruiser (LC200) and gained the ultimate reputation as the "King of 4WD" among SUV fans from around the world. Crossing from the muddy dirt to the pavement, from the mountainside to the city side, nothing beats the king of sport utility vehicles. Much ado from that, it also sold from around the world as the Lexus LX 570 or a Land Cruiser V8 from around the globe. Just when you thought that, the original Land Cruiser is truly the SUV King of the world, wait until you will see its nimbler prince waiting to succeed the same way as its "father" did.













Introducing the all new, all powerful, Land Cruiser Prado and it is now ever better than its original Land Cruiser 200. In the previous generation, the Land Cruiser Prado sold in the U.S. as the Lexus GX and in the Europe as simply Land Cruiser. (Not to be confused from the Land Cruiser V8 this is in fact a Land Cruiser 200) The impression of the new Prado is like a tsundere, the exterior is aggressive but the interior is a gentle side because of its spacious yet luxurious amenities only an executive has to offer, like for example; a premium sound system, leather seats, optional navigation system, adjustable seats, cup holders, start/stop engine button and optitron meters.

From its so-called tsundere personality, the new Prado also comes with the optional third row seats giving this car a seven-seater capacity to bring more friends or family for the long trips ahead from your schedule. For the performance that carries the long tradition of the Prado history, there are two available engines to choose from; from the 2.7-litre 2TR-FE engine that carries 163PS at the fuel economy of 8.8km/L to the powerful 4.0-litre V6 1GR-FE engine that delivers 276PS at the fuel economy of 8.2km/L. The KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) and the "crawl control" feature found on the Land Cruiser 200 are applied to the new Prado to give this prince of sport utility vehicle a gene carried its royal heritage to the long tradition of the Land Cruiser history. For the first time in Prado history, the new version is equipped with Toyota's first Multi-Terrain Select that allows the driver to choose which option is suitable on the road ahead, for instance; tarmac, gravel, mud, whatever the Prado crossed ahead on the road ahead.

For the peace of mind, the new Prado is equipped with Pre-Crash safety system, clearance sonar, radar cruise control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Anti-lock Brake System, Vehicle Stability Control, SRS airbags, reinforced body, and the world's first Multi Terrain Monitor (similar to Nissan's Around View Monitor) that seeks road conditions with the use of four cameras mounted on the new Prado.

INDEED IT IS:

Despite this next generation model is targeted by mostly middle-aged men in their 40s, the new Prado is truly the prince of SUVs as fans would love to speak about this new model. When it hits the world market either this one, a Lexus GX or simply a Land Cruiser moniker, it will do the same thing as its LC200 "father" did from the sand dunes to the city lights. Be prepared to want one.


Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation