The Lexus GX550 Tows Like a Dream: Review

We all dream of it. The ultimate tow rig. The truck that can simultaneously saunter along in luxury, clamber up a rugged, rocky trail, then haul a fully-loaded enclosed trailer with a race car and a weekend’s worth of gear. Some might argue that pickup trucks are the ultimate tow rigs, what with the added usability of a bed. But I contend that it’s actually an SUV–Something like the new, 9,000-pound towing capable, trail-hunting, luxo-tank Lexus GX550.

Previous Lexus GXs benefitted (and suffered) from their simplicity. The GX460 and GX470 were both dependable V-8 SUVs, but they were extremely poor on the fuel economy and didn’t quite tow like larger trucks, due to their relatively compact bones. The bigger, more-powerful and more-refined GX550 promises a lot more.

The new GX has the big-boy: A twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 with 349 horsepower and 379 pound-feet of torque. The 10-speed automatic comes from the Toyota Tundra, complete with upsized differentials compared to the current four-cylinder Land Cruiser, aimed at taming higher sustained towing loads. With its magic e-KDSS suspension, the GX effectively has adaptive sway bars that can decouple based on the drive mode and terrain, as well as adaptive dampers to help fine-tune ride quality.

The GX550 is essentially the king of the current 250 Series-based trucks and still as well-equipped as the 300 Series-based Lexus LX.

To test the new GX, I borrowed an Overtrail+ for an 800-mile tow loop the weekend of the Gridlife Laguna Seca Festival. I chose the Overtrail specifically for versatility; Its ability to off-road and tow makes it the perfect rig compared to a road tire-clad GX550 Luxury. I drove the GX and my open steel trailer unladen to the San Francisco Bay Area to pick up my race car from a friend, towed it to Laguna Seca raceway, and back. Then, I towed a friend’s car back to Los Angeles afterward, giving me a clear picture of how the GX handles long hauls.

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Pros: Capable Engine, Excellent Ride Quality, Abundant Creature Comforts

The GX starts strong. The SUV’s relatively short body and wheelbase made it easy to maneuver up to my trailer, while the surround-view cameras were excellent for backing up and hooking up.

Lexus’s new infotainment system has a generous 14.0-inch screen for easy visibility and a useful guiding line for the tow hitch. My steel trailer weighs about 2,000 pounds, which will easily turn into 5,500 pounds with a car, so I used a weight-distribution hitch to keep the GX level and stable (although, it is already raked for towing). The GX also has a useful integrated trailer brake controller, though that’s almost a standard amongst new trucks.

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Even in the first few minutes, it was obvious that the GX filtered out the usual nasty trailer vibrations and sensations well. Very little of the start-and-stop lashing of the trailer made it through to the cabin, ditto for the trailer hopping over rough pavement. An unladen trailer can get nasty, especially with pickup trucks. The SUV-bodied rigidity of the GX pays dividends in comfort, as does the e-KDSS. On the 350-mile journey, I averaged a solid 19.7 mpg with the empty trailer—just below the GX’s EPA rating of 21 mpg.

Loading up my 2006 Honda Civic Si race car for the journey to Laguna Seca pushed the trailer’s weight to around 4,600 pounds. Even with that weight, though, the GX felt unbothered. Of course, the extra mass made itself obvious around town, but the fact that I was towing an entire car became irrelevant on the highway. The twin-turbo V-6 had more than enough torque to pull the Civic effortlessly, and overtaking slower rigs was easy. A cruise of 70 to 80 miles per hour was easy to sustain, even with some steep grades on the way to the track.

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Cons: Average Fuel Economy, Weak-ish Brakes

What impressed me the most was the ride quality; The GX rode as if there was hardly a trailer behind it. There was no bucking or bouncing thanks to e-KDSS and the GX’s ample suspension travel. It’s short wheelbase also proved a non-issue—trailer stability was just as good as it is on larger, longer pickup trucks.

The V-6 contributed greatly to the overall serenity of the experience, turning hardly any RPMs, even while towing. It never once felt labored. Combine that with the Overtrail+ massaging seats and exceptionally bangin’ Mark Levinson stereo, and it was one of the loveliest towing experiences I’ve ever had. Hell, even the adaptive cruise was confidence-inspiring while towing, braking early enough to never make me nervous about stopping in time. And during this loop, the GX averaged 17.6 mpg—an excellent showing.

Unhitching the trailer for the race weekend and using the GX as a runabout proved useful as well. The rear window opens separately from the tailgate, which allowed me to transport fuel jugs without choking out. The folding third row fit the entire race team for dinner with plenty of room to spare. And the front seat reclined comfortably enough for sneaky naps between sessions.

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

After the weekend, I towed a Nissan 370Z Nismo home for a friend to complete the test, which was a 5,600-pound load instead of the 4,600 pounds of the Civic plus trailer combo. The extra weight felt noticeable, but really only in the brake pedal. The GX performed similarly, requiring just a bit more pedal pressure to stop. I wished for a little more confidence in the brakes, but acceleration was relatively unchanged. The 370 miles back home were as serene as the drive to the race, and returned a slightly less impressive 16.9 mpg. Not as strong as before, but still decent for a gas-powered tow rig.

Overall, the GX550 exceeds your average high-trim, half-ton pickup truck in comfort but nearly matches them in towing. It was a lovely thing to live with and tow with for 800 miles, getting better than average fuel economy for a gasoline truck with the exceptional ride quality you expect of any Lexus.

The Lexus GX550 is truly a dream tow rig.

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