2022 Ford Expedition vs 2022 Lexus GX

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 Black Line Special Edition, evaluated in Black Onyx, was a striking vehicle that eliminated almost all chrome from its exterior, transforming it into a rolling black hole. However, it quickly accumulated dust, making it look drab and old. Despite its modern touches like the signature Lexus spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights, the GX's design remained reminiscent of its first-generation model from 2002. Inside, the cabin's quality was undeniable, featuring smooth, silky refinement and a quiet atmosphere, with only the faint roar of the V8 engine audible. The GX 460 was available in Standard, Premium, and Luxury trims, with prices ranging from $56,700 to $66,210, including destination charges. The Black Line Special Edition, based on the GX 460 Premium, started at $60,535.

The 2022 Ford Expedition underwent several changes, including exterior styling revisions and updated infotainment tech. The front featured a new grille, headlights, and bumper, while the rear received revised taillights, tailgate trim, and a new bumper. Redesigned wheels debuted across the model lineup. The Expedition was available in XL STX, XLT, Limited, King Ranch, and Platinum trims, with prices ranging from just over $55,000 to just under $84,000, including the destination charge. A new Timberline trim catered to off-road enthusiasts, adding standard 4WD, all-terrain tires, suspension modifications, more ground clearance, a skid plate, and off-roading tech for approximately $72,500. The Stealth Edition packages, available only with Limited trim, added black 22-inch wheels, large "EXPEDITION" lettering on the hood, and a mixture of blacked-out and body-color exterior trim. The Stone Blue Metallic test vehicle looked terrific and received several compliments.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460, with a base curb weight of 5,126 pounds, featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. This powertrain enabled a 7.8-second run to 60 mph and a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. A six-speed automatic transmission paired with a full-time 4WD system, sending 40% of the engine's power to the front wheels and 60% to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. The GX's drag coefficient of 0.35, combined with its V8 engine and always-on 4WD system, resulted in an EPA fuel economy estimate of 16 mpg in combined driving. During testing, the GX returned 16.8 mpg. The standard Kinetic Dynamics Suspension System (KDSS) helped maximize wheel articulation off-road while alleviating excessive body motions, making the GX more stable and secure. However, the slow, heavy steering and touchy brake pedal detracted from the overall driving experience. The Off-Road Package, available only with the Luxury trim, added Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, skid plates, improved drivetrain cooling, and monitoring cameras.

The 2022 Ford Expedition featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 380 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 2,250 rpm (400 hp and 480 lb-ft on 93-octane fuel). The V6 engine drove the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with 4WD as an option. Fuel economy ranged from 17 mpg to 19 mpg in combined driving, and the Expedition's powertrain could tow between 9,000 and 9,300 pounds, depending on the model and equipment. The test vehicle returned 16.2 mpg on the evaluation loop. The Stealth Edition Package's sport-tuned suspension contributed to a sometimes harsh ride quality, but the King Ranch and Platinum trims' adaptive damping suspension helped reduce impact harshness and bounciness. The 22-inch wheels and 285/45 tires improved handling and grip but also contributed to the harsh ride. Despite its size, the Expedition was surprisingly easy to park, thanks to excellent outward visibility, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera system. The Expedition excelled on the highway, providing a quiet and comfortable ride for long trips.

The 2022 Lexus GX offered an elevated driving position from a 10-way power-adjustable seat with clear outward visibility. Its tall height, narrow width, and short length made it easy to maneuver in various situations, though the slow steering required extra effort. The test vehicle's seats were comfortable, with interior padding in all the right places. However, some switchgear was old-school, and the placement of the stereo and off-roading controls led to frequent mix-ups. The Black Line Special Edition featured NuLuxe upholstery, black ash wood trim, and a black headliner. The front seats were heated and ventilated, the back seats were heated, and the model offered triple-zone automatic climate control. Accessing the rear seat was tricky due to narrow door openings, but once inside, there was plenty of room for legs and feet. The third-row seat was challenging to access and uncomfortable for adults, with limited rear crush space. The GX's cargo space was limited, with 11.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 46.7 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with the second-row seat folded. The side-swinging tailgate added to the loading hassle.

The 2022 Ford Expedition excelled in comfort and ease of access, thanks to available power running boards. The spacious interior provided plenty of room for passengers and an unobstructed view of their surroundings. The test vehicle featured power-adjustable, leather-wrapped, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a wide console with ample storage. Second-row captain's chairs offered plenty of legroom and comfort, with their own climate controls and overhead air vents. Loading the third-row seat was easy, and passengers found it comfortable, though headroom could be tight for taller individuals. The third-row seat offered a power recline function, storage trays, and USB ports. Cargo room behind the third row measured 19.3 cubic feet, with a small lip to prevent items from rolling out. The Expedition Max provided a larger 34.3 cubic-foot cargo hold. With the third-row seat folded, the standard Expedition offered 57.5 cubic feet of cargo space (73.3 cubic feet in the Max), and with both rear rows folded, it provided 104.6 cubic feet (121.5 in the Max).

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 featured a new 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and navigation. The system was easy to see and use, eliminating the need for the old Remote Touch Interface (RTI) touchpad. The GX also included a CD player, a smartwatch-compatible Lexus app, and Lexus Enform connected services with a WiFi hotspot. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround-sound audio system was available but not installed in the test vehicle. The stereo controls were awkwardly placed under the off-roading controls, making them harder to use. The infotainment display offered a dual-screen view, and the voice recognition technology was quick and accurate. For 2022, Lexus made its Intuitive Parking Assist technology standard, with optional surround-view and terrain-view cameras.

The 2022 Ford Expedition featured Ford's next-generation Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems. The standard Sync 4 system included a 12-inch touchscreen with physical controls for the stereo and climate system, while Sync 4A offered a larger 15.5-inch touchscreen with a single physical dial for stereo volume. Both systems included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect with a WiFi hotspot, natural voice recognition, and a connected navigation system with a 90-day trial subscription. Higher trim levels added features like SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless smartphone charging, and Bang & Olufsen premium sound systems. Sync 4A had an upgraded conversational voice-recognition system and an adaptive dashcard user interface. The test vehicle's 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system lacked high-volume fidelity with certain songs. Sync 4A had some quirks, such as trouble restarting Apple CarPlay and issues with the conversational voice-recognition system. The Expedition also offered an upgraded dual-touchscreen rear-seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV. Pro Trailer Backup Assist 2.0 with Trailer Reverse Guidance was available, making trailer reversing easier.

The 2022 Lexus GX, structurally a teenager, lacked crash-test ratings. Standard Lexus Safety System+ included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The GX also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services with automatic collision notification and emergency calling, complimentary for three years. However, the GX lacked some modern safety technologies available in competitors, such as lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and semi-autonomous highway driving systems.

The 2022 Ford Expedition grouped its driving-assistance systems into three Ford Co-Pilot360 collections. The standard package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, a driver monitoring system, and automatic high-beam headlights. Starting with Limited trim, Co-Pilot360 Assist+ added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane-centering assist, speed-limit-sign recognition, intersection assist, and evasive steering assist. King Ranch and Platinum trims included Co-Pilot Assist 2.0, which added a surround-view camera system, rear automatic emergency braking, and Active Park Assist 2.0. Ford also introduced Road Edge Detection and BlueCruise hands-free driving technology. The adaptive cruise control was smooth and refined, but the lane-centering assist had issues with sensing hands on the steering wheel and steering the vehicle to the right side of the lane in heavier traffic. The lane-centering tech also had trouble on curves and sometimes canceled itself unexpectedly.