Is Our Lexus GX 550 Overtrail a Good Family Car?

• I used the GX 550 as my primary family car for a month.
• Not everybody on staff agrees with my praise of the SUV.
• MPG, storage and space, I want more.

Getting in and out

During our stint with the SUV, we easily climbed in and out of the GX over a hundred times. All doors open fully, so entry wasn't a point of contention. Once inside, the grumblers grumbled. Passenger quarters feel snug. As the driver, I had enough legroom if I wore my slip-on Vans. But hiking boots overpowered the space. I watched my kids hoist themselves in with backpacks still on (why do they do that?) and eventually slither their bags to the ground between their feet. With packs stowed, there was barely room to tie a shoelace.

A glance at my co-workers' notes on the GX echoed my observation. Video manager Will Kaufman wrote, "The front footwell is really narrow ... [I have] no room to really stretch or readjust my position."

Exits were less cumbersome with gravity on our side. In this direction, the narrow running boards that helped us into the cabin offered little guidance, but that was OK. Sidewalk curbs aligned perfectly beneath the boards, so kids could easily step out. Curb-less scenarios required more precision. With a grip on the door handle and a choreographed slide from the edge of the seat, their success rate was 9.9/10. There was one snafu involving an errant backpack strap and a neighborhood cat, but it ended with a soft landing on the lawn, so minimal damage was done.

Storage

Unlike the sometimes cramped passenger areas, the rear cargo hold was ample for our needs. In fact, on one weekend trip with friends, we ended up with two families' worth of bags and suitcases tucked behind the second row, but rearward visibility was still unobstructed. Props to the tall, wide, gear-swallowing interior design. Smaller items spent more time loose around the cabin, though, since the front seat storage pouches remained vacant to preserve legroom. Front passengers share a large center armrest, which covers the optional Cooler Box bin. It also uses air conditioning to chill your stuff, if you choose. From a practical standpoint, this feature makes the nook a little smaller and less useful.

Maneuverability

The Lexus Cooler Box armrest is an unexpected microcosm of the GX as a whole: big on the outside and smaller on the inside. When you walk up to the Lexus, you see a large, head-turning, aggressive SUV. Its size is deceiving because the Overtrail is so easy to manage. Whether I was parallel parking on narrow streets or in a skinny parking stall, it was stress-free. Credit goes to the car's ability to turn tightly and the squared-off shape of the hood. The front corners of the GX are easy to get a sense of from behind the wheel, so even when nosing in beside a concrete post in a parking structure, I felt perfectly comfortable.

I found the ride quality around town suitable for my standards, but my standards may be skewed from years in 4x4s and full-size trucks. At highway speeds, I also forgave the bouncy ride. Jodi Tourkow, executive director of written content, cut through my jaded perception with her reality. "Ride quality for me is too bumpy for a daily driver," she started. "I don't want that much wind noise either. You get to a certain speed, and the wind comes on, and the car and hood start shaking a bit. I don't think I can live with that for too long."

Fuel mileage

I can't mention the Lexus without bringing up fuel economy. As a family car, it is disappointing. So far, this has been the most underwhelming element of our One-Year Road Test. Staff commentary is unanimous:

"Not to go all Seinfeld on this thing, but what's the deal with fuel economy?" — Keith Buglewicz, managing editor

"Holy money-fire, Batman! The GX gets absolutely terrible fuel economy AND it wants premium ..." — Will Kaufman

We have 12,000 miles on the Lexus so far. Our best tank is 20.4 mpg on a cruise-control-metered drive up Highway 395. Our average in mixed real-world driving is 16.4 mpg on 91 octane, compared to the EPA-estimated 17 mpg combined (15 city/21 highway). To look at it differently, we average just 203 miles of range between gas stations. Heck, aside from our best-ever range of 340 miles, only four of our 44 tanks have gone over 250 miles.

The family car verdict

Although the GX 550 Overtrail doesn't get a perfect grade from everybody as a daily driver, it did just fine for my purposes. Sure, I want more interior space and better fuel economy. But I enjoy it as a family transporter and would take it again in a heartbeat.