2022 Lexus GX vs 2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Toyota Highlander certainly turned heads with its distinctive styling. Shoppers rarely accused it of being boring. The model stood out amidst the sea of midsize SUVs and crossovers often seen in suburban settings, thanks to its bold design elements. The front end of the Highlander, although less dramatic than the Sienna minivan's, made a statement with wide headlights, a long hood, and a prominent trapezoidal grille. The side profile displayed a character line reminiscent of the sporty Supra, and the taillights at the back borrowed cues from Lexus designs, though they lacked the vertical element that characterizes true Lexus models. The Highlander appeared longer and lower compared to its previous generation without compromising on size.

In 2021, the Highlander lineup welcomed the XSE trim level, which presented a more aggressive front end. With unique styling, 20-inch wheels with black accents, and a mean-looking front fascia and lower spoiler, the XSE gave an illusion of sportiness. However, underneath, it still shared the same basic ethos of the Highlander—comfort and practicality.

Our test vehicle, a Limited trim, exuded a sense of luxury with chrome roof rails and accents. The interior truly shone with near-flawless fit and finish, a premium steering wheel, and tan leather seats complemented by dark brown trim. The faux wood details added an upscale touch. Though the XSE suggested a sporty demeanor, the Highlander thrived in luxury and practicality, delivering comfort and convenience as key priorities.

Turning to the 2022 Lexus GX 460 Black Line Special Edition, shoppers found a vehicle designed for those who love a black-on-black aesthetic. This model obliterated almost all chrome from its exterior, transforming into a rolling black hole with its Black Onyx paint. Yet, despite its menacing appearance, the GX quickly showed signs of aging when coated with a layer of dust.

Examining its design further, the GX's conservative look belied its 20-year lineage. Besides the spindle grille, running lights, and triple-beam LED headlights, there was little to distinguish the 2022 GX from its first-generation predecessor. Inside, it still felt somewhat dated, although the quality of materials was undeniably Lexus—smooth, silky, and refined. The cabin's quietness only broke by the V8 engine's gentle roar.

Despite its age, the GX continued to offer three trim levels—Standard, Premium, and Luxury. Unfortunately, even with the Black Line Special Edition based on the Premium variant, the GX's dated design persisted, albeit with some modern touches like the refreshed trim and upholstery. Overall, the GX exuded ruggedness with its old-school charm but struggled to conceal its age in a rapidly modernizing market.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander catered to families seeking reliability and smooth, predictable operation. It featured a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Buyers could opt for front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Highlander Hybrid was a separate model, offering an eco-friendlier alternative.

Although the Highlander wasn’t built for speed, it was competent enough for daily tasks, such as merging onto highways or navigating city streets. Performance-wise, it compared favorably with competitors like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, delivering similar horsepower and torque. However, it fell short against more performance-oriented SUVs like the Ford Explorer ST.

The Highlander’s soft suspension favored comfort, leading to some body roll in corners. However, the XSE trim attempted to address this with sports-tuned suspension, including higher-rated springs, retuned shock absorbers, and a rear stabilizer bar. While these features didn’t transform it into a sporty SUV, they added a bit of excitement to the driving experience for those who desired it.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460, on the other hand, relied on a 4.6-liter V8 engine generating 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. Although not potent, the V8 provided a satisfying engine note and ample torque, giving the GX a leisurely 7.8-second run to 60 mph and a 6,500-pound towing capacity. A six-speed automatic transmission coupled with a full-time 4WD system, distributing power in a 40:60 split between the front and rear wheels in normal conditions.

The GX's design as a tall and narrow vehicle resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.35, contributing to its low fuel efficiency of 16 mpg in combined driving on premium gas. Even so, the Kinetic Dynamics Suspension System (KDSS) significantly enhanced the GX's ride quality by maximizing wheel articulation off-road while reducing body motions on pavement. Despite its age, the GX offered a comfortable ride, though the heavy steering and touchy brake pedal detracted from the overall driving experience.

In essence, the Highlander prioritized smooth and dependable performance, while the GX relied on its powerful V8 and advanced suspension for mixed on-road and off-road capabilities.

In the 2021 Toyota Highlander, form and function were optimized for practicality and convenience. The spacious interior boasted useful features like shelves ahead of the front seats, providing ample space for large cell phones and other small items, with a pass-through for charging cords leading to the USB ports. A wireless charging pad was standard on trims above the LE, secured within the center console.

Second-row passengers enjoyed substantial legroom, with seats that moved fore and aft to balance space for the middle and third rows. However, space in the third row remained tight for adults unless the second-row passengers compromised their comfort. An odd design choice was the rear-seat climate control air vents positioned on the ceiling, blowing down on passengers' heads, which might not have been to everyone's liking.

Cargo capacity was a mixed bag for the Highlander. Behind the third row, there were 16 cubic feet of space—sufficient for small shopping trips but cramped for larger endeavors. Folding the third row expanded the space to 48.4 cubic feet, and with both rear rows down, the Highlander offered a generous 84.3 cubic feet. Though not as spacious as a minivan, this capacity was respectable among SUVs.

The 2022 Lexus GX provided an elevated driving position from a 10-way power-adjustable seat, offering clear visibility. Its tall, narrow, and short design made it maneuverable in various settings, although the slow steering required more effort. The interior featured ample padding and comfortable seats, with the test vehicle's NuLuxe upholstery, black ash wood trim, and black headliner adding a touch of sophistication.

Despite its elegance, the GX's interior layout had some quirks. The stereo controls were located inconveniently below the off-roading controls, making accidental knob adjustments a common occurrence. The rear seats offered plenty of legroom and a tall seating position, but entering the rear row was tricky due to narrow door openings. The third row was especially challenging to access and lacked sufficient space for adults, raising safety concerns in case of a rear collision.

Cargo space in the GX was also limited. With the third-row seat up, it offered only 11.6 cubic feet. Folding the third-row expanded it to 46.7 cubic feet, and with the second-row down, the space maxed out at 64.7 cubic feet—less than a Toyota RAV4. The side-swinging tailgate added further hassle, complicating loading and unloading in tight spaces.

Comparatively, the Highlander offered better cargo capacity with more flexible and practical interior design, whereas the GX struggled in usability due to its traditional and somewhat outdated layout.

For the 2021 Toyota Highlander, technology varied across trim levels. Lower trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while the Limited trim offered an optional 12.3-inch display, standard on the Platinum trim. Both systems were intuitive and user-friendly. Notably, the navigation system could handle specific addresses with ease but sometimes struggled with points of interest compared to Google Maps. Fortunately, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard across the lineup.

The 12.3-inch screen in the Limited trim impressed with its brightness, clarity, and responsiveness, though it only utilized certain apps in full screen. The JBL audio system delivered good sound quality, albeit not extraordinary. The inclusion of volume and tuning knobs was a practical touch, but the navigation’s limited display area raised questions about the large screen's value.

For the 2022 Lexus GX, it represented a leap forward with a new 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Located prominently above the center control panel, it eliminated the need for the outdated Remote Touch Interface (RTI) touchpad. The system included standard features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, navigation, and even a CD player. The Lexus Enform suite offered connected services, including a WiFi hotspot and smartwatch-compatible app.

Despite the advanced system, Lexus placed the stereo controls inconveniently under the off-roading controls, making them hard to grasp and turn. However, the dual-screen view feature and accurate voice recognition significantly improved the user experience. The lack of the 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system in the test vehicle was a missed opportunity to showcase the GX’s potential in that area.

Overall, while the Highlander offered a practical and intuitive technology setup, the GX’s new infotainment system was a major improvement, though not without its ergonomic flaws.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander benefitted from an upgraded suite of advanced safety features for the 2021 model year. Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+) included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and intersection support, allowing the vehicle to recognize and respond to potential collisions at intersections. Additional features included road-sign assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, and automatic high beams. The Highlander received top safety ratings, with a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

In contrast, the 2022 Lexus GX lacked crash-test ratings due to its dated structure. However, it came equipped with Lexus Safety System+, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The GX also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services with automatic collision notification and emergency calling, complimentary for three years. Nevertheless, it missed some modern driving aids like lane-keeping assist and Level 2 semi-autonomous highway driving, which could be a drawback for some shoppers.

While the Highlander excelled with its comprehensive safety features and top ratings, the GX offered crucial safety technologies but lacked the latest advancements found in its competitors.