Lexus GX 550 Overtrail vs. Luxury: We Drove Both, but They're Surprisingly Similar

• Despite having different objectives, the difference between these trims is minimal.
• Plush seating and tech are what we expect from Lexus.
• But rough ride quality overshadowed the luxe amenities.

If it acts like a truck and drives like a truck …

Here's the rub: Both trims have a noticeable "truckish" ride quality, especially over broken pavement. I am not a "truck" person, nor do I fancy driving any type of 4x4, and while the Overtrail is billed as the tougher of the two, ride quality in both trims belies the Lexus badge's luxury aspirations.

Don't get me wrong — both handled well and were easy to drive on Southern California roads. However, the Overtrail's large all-terrain tires and off-road-focused suspension made the highway ride bumpy, especially in the back. Additionally, at speeds above 60 mph, the GX 550's body would roll so much I would have sworn I was in the much less refined Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler.  

If you're hoping the fancy adaptive suspension and 22-inch alloy wheels of the Luxury+ magically turn the GX into a proper luxury SUV, you're going to be disappointed. The ride on the Luxury+ trim wasn't any better. In fact, at times it could be worse, especially when driving over uneven pavement or tiny potholes on city roads — I blame the lack of cushy sidewall and the too-big, too-heavy wheels that easily overwhelm the suspension's ability to mitigate bumps. 

One advantage of the new GX 550 is that every trim level comes with the same powertrain: a punchy 349-horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

Edmunds' Vehicle Testing Operations Director Mike Schmidt sums the powertrain up neatly: “Power was easily accessible at any time. If I wanted a little more speed, I put my foot farther down and the GX would pull, strong and smooth, even when downshifting” during a recent road trip.

Comfort and capacity are the shining star (mostly) 

But it's not all bad news. First, getting in and out of both vehicles was easy. The running boards — which are powered in the Luxury+ trim — were chef's kiss if you, like me, find the GX's ride height a little tall for a graceful entry and exit. 

The seat comfort in both is also impeccable, with the edge going slightly to the Luxury+ trim. That is in part due to this trim having 10-way power-adjustable seats versus the Overtrail's eight-way adjustable seats. Access to all of the car's controls (like the HVAC and seat controls) was seamless. Plus, visibility over the dashboard was solid. Rough ride aside, the GX is a nice place to spend a lot of time.

Overall interior space in both is the same. My passengers and I had zero complaints, though much of my team craved more legroom and larger storage areas throughout the cabin. But one of the key differentiators between the two trims is a third-row option, which comes standard in the Luxury+. 

As we all know, additional seating comes with trade-offs. So, it's no surprise that you get less rear cargo space in favor of hauling more people around town, which was successful when I made a coffee run with five friends. My way-back-seat passengers also enjoyed fairly easy access in and out of this GX, plus additional USB ports (two more than in the Overtrail).

Still, folding the third row flat opens up significant cargo room to easily fit luggage, sports gear or groceries. Lexus eliminated the third-row option entirely in the Overtrail, opting instead to maximize cargo space. The Overtrail's five-passenger, two-row seating can accommodate a full-size mountain bike standing up, as well as large coolers, a tent, and sleeping bags, while still leaving room to store your dog's bed when the back seats are folded flat. 

Shared screens, separate worlds

Both trims have a 14-inch infotainment display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, and wireless charging — the effectiveness of which has been a mixed bag for Edmunds staffers. The main dashboard and the driver's screen look and function identically in both the Overtrail and the Luxury+.

The tech differences lie in what each trim is designed to do. The Overtrail, which starts at about $69,000, focuses on elevating off-road capability. It features a Multi-Terrain monitor that includes a rock-crawling camera and gives you information like your pitch and roll angles. 

Meanwhile, some of the amenities on the Luxury+ — which is priced at around $81,000 — can seem like gimmicky add-ons. They include a panoramic glass roof that goes from transparent to opaque with the push of a button and a cooled center console to keep sodas chilled for long drives. As nice as that is, we don't necessarily want to give up what little storage the GX already has to a cooler.

To buy or not to buy

Overall, the GX's exterior is sleek and bold. But no matter which you fancy, you still get a big, boxy body-on-frame truck (where the body lives atop a frame that looks like a ladder) that's been dressed up to play the role of SUV. A rougher ride vehicle designed to combat twisting forces for the slow crawl off-road and plenty of towing capacity — up to 9,000 pounds to be exact — are the type of compromises buyers just have to make here.

For Lexus-ophiles (and those who realize this is a Land Cruiser Prado underneath), that's the appeal. But for this city girl, no amount of features can mask the lackluster ride quality and make me want to buy either of these. Both left me unimpressed, stuck wanting for the luxury ride and feel that Lexus has become synonymous with. Looks like I'm back to square one.