https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...4-lexus-gx550/

"And the Winner Is . . .

As we emerged from the trails, the yin and yang between the GX550 and the Defender remained strong, which is why their scoring came out so close. Both SUVs balance their weaknesses with comparative strengths, ultimately reaching similar destinations via different paths.

That said, the GX was the only one to incur wounds on its underside during our trip. That Lexus's beefiest off-road-oriented model retains sacrificial side steps is perhaps a hint that the company doesn't expect many GX owners to stray far from the beaten path. Yet viewed from a more civilized perspective, the Overtrail+'s brittle ride, flimsy body panels, and underwhelming cabin are hard sells on an $81K Lexus, even one designed to get dirty. The Defender, on the other hand, takes a narrow victory by complementing its stout off-road chops with a level of refinement more commensurate with its price. That's a welcome quality wherever you find yourself."

A little surprising they compared a 130 to a GX550 (instead of a 110), but that's probably all Land Rover would provide for evaluation - they're pushing the newer 130 Outbound these days.

 

The reason they had the 130 Outbound is because that's the only Defender press car currently in the Midwest.

 

The GX has a "tastefully scaled-down grille?"

Nope, that grille is still huge and ugly. I'll keep my D90, thanks!

 

In my opinion, all Lexus front grilles are ugly, but people like them and buy them in droves! The Defender is a lot more tasteful and classy looking.

 

I was cross shopping the new GX when looking at the Defender. After test driving both, the Defender’s ride was hands down much better. The Defender’s more upscale interior and quality of materials made the decision easy for me. This was before the reports of the Toyota/Lexus V6 issues, hood fluttering on the GX, etc. Plus the dealers around here wanted $10-$20k markups or mandatory add ons. The Defender was worth its sales price. GX definitely didn’t warrant a $90k-$100k sales price after markups.

 

Markups on a Lexus? What a complete joke. Some of these dealers like to pretend it's still 2021.

 

Seriously, there is zero reason to pay a penny more than MSRP. The gravy train of market adjusted prices are long gone. Those dealers who are still doing that will not stay in business too long and will alienate their customers. That is not a smart way to build goodwill for any business.

 

Probably a west coast thing, inflated wages and all of that. Doesn't fly over here in the rust belt.

 

Want a laugh, read through the reader comments below the story. Sentiments of the ignorant…

 

"The Rover's hood also wobbles at speed but to a lesser degree, and the 130 generally exhibits the solidity of an ingot. "

Anyone have the hood wobble on their car? I regularly drive 80-85 for hours and never once had the hood wobble. Maybe the 130 is different??

LOWS: Bulky size, phoned-in throttle and steering response, complicated interface

And I do not find the interface complicated in the least - very intuitive. Throttle and steering would be much more unresponsive in the "Toyota". Bulky? They are comparing the largest version of the Defender to a smaller Lexus that is more like the 110?