I spent a week with the 2026 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+, and it’s one of those rare vehicles that actually lives up to the dual life it promises. This is a truck that will crawl over rocks with a locking rear differential and 9.84 inches of ground clearance in the morning, then roll up to a nice dinner that evening without anyone giving it a second look. The 349 horsepower twin-turbo V6 pulls hard, especially with 479 lb-ft of torque on tap, and it’ll tow up to 9,063 pounds if you need to bring a boat or a trailer along for the ride.
PRO: Serious Off Roader
Lexus didn’t skimp on the Overtrail+ trim. It comes standard with a locking rear differential, five drive modes through Multi-Terrain Select, and Crawl Control, all things you’d have to pay extra for on a comparably equipped Land Rover Defender.
PRO: Stronger V6 than the Old V8
Swapping the old naturally aspirated V8 for this twin-turbo six actually gained horsepower, jumping from 301 hp to 349 hp. It’s also quicker off the line and pulls harder while towing, so the downsizing here isn’t the tradeoff it sounds like on paper.
PRO: Ground Clearance Built for Trails
The one-inch factory lift on the Overtrail trims bumps ground clearance up to 9.84 inches. That’s a meaningful jump over the Toyota Land Cruiser’s 8.7 inches, and it shows up the moment you’re crawling over rocks or ruts instead of scraping your undercarriage.
PRO: Two-row Layout Maximizes Cargo Room
Dropping the third row on the Overtrail+ isn’t just about off-road geometry, it also opens up more usable cargo space than you’ll find in the seven-passenger GX trims. If you’re loading gear for a trip rather than kids for carpool, this layout works in your favor.
CON: Road Noise with Off-road Bits
Bolt on the optional roof rack and the cabin picks up noticeably more wind and road noise at highway speeds. It’s a real tradeoff for a vehicle that’s otherwise praised for a quiet interior.
CON: Fuel Economy is Rough
At 17 mpg combined, the GX 550 trails most of its competitors, including the hybrid Land Cruiser by a wide margin. Over a few years of ownership, that gap adds up to real money at the pump.
