2020 Lexus GX vs 2020 Jeep Wrangler

Depending on who you ask, the modern SUV will continue to dominate the new-car market until it's the only type of vehicle on the road (except pickup trucks). That prediction makes sense; modern SUVs drive like cars, can get through most snowstorms, and have the cargo space to tackle most of what daily life throws at them. They are great all-around vehicles, but in trying to master everything, many have lost the specialization that made them noteworthy in the first place. In particular, many luxury SUVs have lost their off-road credibility.

There are exceptions to this trend, including upmarket trims of the Jeep Grand Cherokee as well as most of the Land Rover lineup. Another brand that bucks the trend is Lexus. Sure, the Lexus RX pretty much created the modern luxury crossover, but it gets sold right alongside the immensely capable Lexus LX and this vehicle: the 2020 Lexus GX.

You’ll be forgiven if you forgot the GX was still available. Lexus has updated the GX for 2020 with fresh styling to make it a bit more memorable. Still, beneath that new exterior is one of the oldest vehicles offered today, and as you’ll learn, that has its advantages.

It’s hard to find a car with better brand recognition than Jeep's Wrangler. It is an American 4x4 icon, with military roots and millions of miles of trails traversed. As awesome as Jeeps are, they require one caveat: They are not very efficient. This has become more glaring as the rest of the industry works to improve fuel economy. Jeep has made incremental improvements in the past several years, with mild hybrids and turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, but these setups still don‘t get much better than V8-level fuel economy.

So for 2020, Jeep offers a new diesel engine in the Wrangler Unlimited. Read on to learn if this new engine actually improves the Wrangler’s fuel economy. And if not, does the Wrangler Unlimited do other things well enough to make up for its fuel thirstiness?