The 2024 Lexus GX 550 Luxury+ arrived in the Incognito color. The irony of the name is that it was everything but incognito. The concrete-like shade made the big GX stand out. My personal choice for the GX would be Nori Green with the black roof option. As if you didn't need anything else for attention, the massive 22” wheels were eye magnets. One of my favorite exterior designs of the GX 550 is the way the hood is sculpted to help with references points of its dimension. The triple-beam LED headlights made it easy to see on my rural roads.

Getting into the GX 550 Luxury+ was easy thanks to the power retractable running boards. Once I was in, the leather trimmed seats were thankfully ventilated to help with the Texas summer. The seats were also heated so they’ll keep me warm for the 2 days of snow I experience every winter. Having the new updated Lexus was a warm welcome from their usual outdated systems. I was able to enjoy the wireless Apple CarPlay with the wireless charger to keep things clean. My only complaint was seeing how non existent the cargo space is if the third row is used.

Under the hood, we have the 3.4L V6 turbocharged engine cranking out 349 horsepower. The engine change from the pervious gen V8 to the new V6 was everyone’s concern. I can tell you that I don’t miss the V8 after driving the V6 turbo! The 10-speed transmission pairing helps with getting the big wheels turning. I did encounter a big issue with the suspension. Since this is the Luxury trim, you’ll get adjustable damper suspension. I confirmed it with others that had the Luxury trim, that the best setting for it is Sport. When I had it in normal or comfort, the dampening felt like it was out of sync with the chassis causing a really bad truck like ride when hitting small bumps.

Days after my time was up with the 2024 Lexus GX 500 Luxury, I was able to drive the Overtrail trim at an automotive journalist event. I have to say, the e-KDSS system is a big upgrade in ride quality both on-road and off-road compared to the Luxury trim. Overall, my choice of trim will be Overtrail for the better ride quality and off-roading tools.