- Exterior design: aggressive luxury with its own identity
- Cabin: a true Lexus inside, with a smarter take on the Prado theme
- Space and practicality: three usable rows, not just brochure numbers
- Powertrain: twin‑turbo V6 closes the chapter on the old V8
- On-road comfort and driving manners
- Off-road capability: not just a mall‑crawler
- GX 550 through a Gulf-market lens
- Rivals: who really competes with the GX 550?
- who should buy the 2026 Lexus GX 550?
In its new generation, the 2026 Lexus GX 550 is no longer just a luxury‑badged spin on the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. It is aiming straight at one of the toughest segments in the market: luxury SUVs that still have real off‑road talent. This is a vehicle that wants to stand in the same frame as the Mercedes‑Benz G‑Class for presence and luxury, and park alongside the Land Rover Defender when the road turns into a rocky, dusty trail.
The new GX is built on Toyota’s proven GA‑F ladder‑frame platform, shared with models like the Land Cruiser 300, Tundra, Sequoia, and others, but everything you see and touch has been heavily “Lexus‑fied” in terms of design, cabin quality, and features. With a twin‑turbo 3.4‑liter V6 producing about 349 hp and roughly 650 Nm of torque, the GX 550 finally gets the kind of powertrain its size and weight deserve, replacing the old, less efficient naturally aspirated V8.
Exterior design: aggressive luxury with its own identity
At first glance, it is hard to confuse the GX 550 with anything else. The front end wears an evolved take on the Lexus spindle grille, but more upright and squared‑off to match its serious SUV character.
Key exterior points:
Sharp creases and strong angles that communicate toughness and visual authority.
Slim LED headlights with a distinctive arrow‑style light signature.
Wide, muscular fender flares that really stand out when fitted with 20‑ or 22‑inch wheels.
A largely straight roofline and squared‑off rear that feel more “old‑school 4×4” than soft, rounded crossover.
In darker shades — deep green, black, or matte grey — the GX 550 has a “military‑meets‑executive” presence that many Gulf buyers will appreciate, especially those who want something that stands out without relying on chrome overload or flashy add‑ons.
Cabin: a true Lexus inside, with a smarter take on the Prado theme
Step inside and any obvious link to the Land Cruiser Prado disappears. The cabin is pure modern Lexus in its layout and finishes.
Core interior elements:
A large digital instrument cluster in front of the driver and a central touchscreen of around 14 inches sitting high on the dash.
A user interface that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, similar to what you’d find in newer Lexus models like the RX and NX.
A broad center console with physical buttons, rotary knobs, and dedicated controls for the 4×4 system and drive modes, along with generous storage and cupholders.
Premium materials and features (especially on higher trims):
Semi‑aniline leather upholstery on the seats and door panels, with fine stitching that underlines the luxury positioning.
Configurable ambient lighting, illuminated scuff plates, and metal or wood trim depending on spec.
Heated and ventilated front seats with massage function on top trims, plus a heated steering wheel.
Excellent noise insulation, suppressing wind and road noise — a long‑time Lexus hallmark.
Space and practicality: three usable rows, not just brochure numbers
The GX 550’s packaging is clearly tuned for markets like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where large family SUVs are a common choice for daily and weekend use.
First row:
A very high seating position, giving the driver a commanding view over the road and surroundings.
Front seats with strong support for thighs and back, plus wide power adjustment ranges for a relaxed driving posture on long trips.
Second row:
Enough room for three adults on a bench, or two captain’s chairs depending on configuration and market.
Plenty of head‑ and legroom, making it a genuinely comfortable place for full‑size passengers on long journeys.
Third row:
Not just for kids; an average‑height adult can sit back there with acceptable comfort and decent headroom.
Third‑row seats can power‑fold flat into the floor to create a level cargo area.
Luggage space is solid with all three rows up – enough for several medium bags – and once you fold the second and third rows, the GX essentially turns into a luxury cargo van, ready to swallow camping gear, coolers, bikes, or bulky equipment.
Powertrain: twin‑turbo V6 closes the chapter on the old V8
In the GX 550, Lexus has retired the naturally aspirated V8 and replaced it with a modern twin‑turbo 3.4‑liter V6:
Output of around 349 hp.
Torque of roughly 650 Nm.
A 10‑speed automatic transmission.
How that feels on the road:
0–100 km/h takes about 7 seconds, which is impressive for a body‑on‑frame SUV weighing well over 2.5 tons.
The mid‑range torque makes overtaking and highway merging feel effortless; the engine doesn’t need to scream to move the GX briskly.
In sportier drive modes, the engine note becomes pleasantly assertive without being intrusive — just enough to give some emotional feedback without killing the refinement.
Fuel consumption in real‑world testing tends to hover around 14–15 mpg (about 15–16 L/100 km), which isn’t frugal by any stretch, but still a step up from large 5.6‑ or 5.7‑liter V8s in some rival Japanese SUVs.
On-road comfort and driving manners
Despite its ladder‑frame construction, the GX 550 tries hard to behave like a comfortable daily SUV on paved roads:
Up front there is a double‑wishbone suspension layout; at the rear a multi‑link setup with a rigid axle, and on higher trims, adaptive variable suspension that continuously adjusts damper stiffness to the road and driving mode.
High‑speed stability is very good, and body roll is well‑controlled for this type of vehicle, especially considering its high center of gravity.
Steering is light and easy in town, gaining reassuring weight at motorway speeds.
The result is a vehicle that can commute in the city, cruise long distances between Gulf cities, and then confidently tackle rougher routes to camps or desert resorts without leaving passengers worn out.
Off-road capability: not just a mall‑crawler
Despite all the luxury, the GX 550 has the hardware to back up its rugged looks:
A full‑time 4WD system with a low‑range transfer case (4L) for deep sand, steep climbs, or rock sections.
Multiple off‑road drive modes in Overtrail‑type trims, including dedicated settings for sand, mud, and rocks, depending on the market.
A surround‑view camera system with a “see‑through” underbody view, allowing the driver to see obstacles hidden below the nose or sills — extremely useful on rocky trails or when cresting dunes.
Respectable approach, departure, and breakover angles for a luxury SUV, plus adjustable ride height for extra ground clearance where needed.
Of course, 22‑inch wheels with road‑biased tires are not ideal for heavy dune running or serious rock crawling, but swapping them for smaller wheels and proper off‑road rubber can quickly turn the GX into a genuinely capable trail partner.
GX 550 through a Gulf-market lens
Strengths for a Saudi / Gulf buyer:
Three truly usable seating rows coupled with generous luggage flexibility.
Cabin quality and comfort that can go toe‑to‑toe with more expensive European offerings.
Off‑road capability more than sufficient for typical family desert trips, farm visits, and light to medium‑duty trails.
Lexus’ strong reputation for reliability and decent resale value in the region.
Potential drawbacks:
Fuel economy is not class‑leading, especially for drivers who cover long daily distances.
The infotainment and software experience, while improved, can still feel a step behind the slickest German systems in terms of interface richness and speed.
Fully loaded trims can get close in price to larger or more prestigious models such as the Lexus LX or Mercedes GLS, depending on market and taxes.
Rivals: who really competes with the GX 550?
Mercedes‑Benz G‑Class: the ultimate status symbol off‑roader, but significantly more expensive and far more focused on image and road presence than everyday family practicality.
Land Rover Defender 110 / 130: very capable off‑road, with a wide engine range and strong design personality, but long‑term reliability is a question mark for some buyers.
Nissan Patrol / Toyota Land Cruiser: omnipresent in the Gulf with bulletproof reputations, but generally less plush and modern inside than a well‑specced GX.
who should buy the 2026 Lexus GX 550?
If you’re looking for a body‑on‑frame luxury SUV with real 4×4 credentials, three usable rows, and a powerful engine that can tow, haul, and explore, without jumping into G‑Class or top‑tier Range Rover money, the GX 550 positions itself as a smart, well‑rounded option.
It is not the cheapest, and it is not the most fuel‑efficient. But it offers a compelling blend of:
Lexus luxury and refinement.
Toyota GA‑F toughness underneath.
A modern, twin‑turbo V6 with the muscle this platform always deserved.
Off‑road ability that will cover 90% of what most owners actually do in the real world.
For many buyers in the Gulf, the 2026 Lexus GX 550 may well be the “golden middle ground” between a comfortable family SUV and a serious off‑roader wearing a premium badge on its grille.
