Great thread!
I've watched my fair share of videos and a few pod casts asking this GX550 vs J250 question. First of all just one general comment about media in general seems to be that controversy sells clicks. If there isn't a controversy make one up.
That being said here or some items that drive me bonkers listening to these reviews
1. "The Lexus is cheaper" This is such BS. Just because you drove a first edition LC and a base GX doesn't make the Lexus cheaper. Yes their are Porsche Cayman's that cost more than an a 911. But saying a Cayman is more expensive than a 911 doesn't make you sound like a smart journalist, it makes you sound like a moron.
2. "The gas mileage is only marginally better in the J250 so you might as well get the GX550". Hogwash, even by the dubious EPA standards its 17 vs 23 combined. That's 35% better. I have two friends with GX550's and they are reporting substantially worse. One is seeing averaging 14.5mpg! I have under 200 miles on mine and already went to 275 tires. This morning I was seeing 22mpg in stop and go traffic.
3. "The GX550 motor is better in every way, much more HP, smoother, sounds better". One needs to remember the J250 is a global platform where 90% of them sold are straight 4 turbo diesel. I so wish we could have gotten that diesel option, but instead Toyota is making a great effort in mimicking the strengths of the diesel that with the hybrid 4 cylinder. Global users not restricted by the EPA want a diesel for super low end torque and efficiency and don't give a darn about the exhaust note, smoothness, high HP, etc. 90% of those users would want nothing to do with a twin turbo V-6 on a land cruiser. The torque comes in much higher and the efficiency is just not there and as the Tundra twin turbo V6 has taught us.....
3. The lack of a 3rd row is a deal killer. One needs to remember the J250 is a global platform and the GX550 is not. If you want a 3rd row get a GX. One of the biggest complaints about the J200 was the 3rd row and all the cargo space it took up. Toyota listened and got rid of it for us and kept it elsewhere where the GX550 is not sold. The comments about taking the whole family on a 4WD trip are very telling. No one who goes into the back country does so with 7 people in a 3 row SUV. You need room for gear.
4. "The GX has much better interior materials" Better looking, better feeling yes, but better for a land cruiser I dunno? My wife's GX460 had a beautiful white leather interior with soft touch materials, wood accents and every other Lexus Hallmark. What does all that look like after 5 years of dogs, kids and camping trips. It aint' so pretty anymore.
5. The Lexus is so much better on road. I would have to say there is some real truth to this having driven both. The Lexus feels very planted cornering and steady at higway speeds. The LC feels very floaty and compliant with I'll admit has some eyebrow raising body roll. The struts do firm up before the body roll gets out of control. However again, the J250 is a global platform and the GX550 is not. This is simply the result of an off road tuned suspension. I guarantee the GX550 will beat you to death on a rough road just like any Range Rover will. However, I was remembering back to driving a 70 series Troopy through costa rica nature preserve on some highway and then onto serious 4WD only roads. Sure on the highway at 65 mph it needed my full attention and hands at 2 and 10 to keep it between the lines, but once we took it off road it just floated along through practically idling over logs and washouts. I think my wife took a nap at one point. Later I drove the same roads in some sort of unibody Isuzu something or other and the highway driving was a breeze, but the off road portion was a nightmare. We were bouncing off the ceiling. Different use case demands different suspension tuning.
Anyhow, hope this might help anyone wavering between the two of them. Both are great vehicles, but fundamentally built for different users and use cases. Neither is better or worse, just different.
