2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2023 Lexus GX

The 2023 Lexus GX had a commanding presence with its massive spindle grille, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and an overall height of 74.2 inches. The front end appeared ready to dominate the road, framed by large headlights that accentuated its distinctive face. The GX Black Line Special Edition, limited to 3,000 units, returned with three paint options: Obsidian, Eminent White Pearl, and the exclusive Nori Green Pearl.

Despite its imposing front, the GX's side profile revealed a more compact dimension with a 109.8-inch wheelbase and minimal overhangs. This design made it look capable of tackling various terrains. The flared fenders added to its robust appearance, yet the overall aesthetic leaned sleeker compared to Toyota's blocky designs. Inside, the GX had a mix of luxury touches and disappointing plastic materials, with features like heated and cooled front seats, a power-retracting steering wheel, and impressive leather upholstery.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E, introduced in 2021, retained its sharp and distinctive styling. It featured an aggressive front fascia, a sloping crossover profile, and the iconic tri-bar tail lights. The 2024 model updated its lamps to match the seventh-generation Ford Mustang's signature lighting. The new Rally trim, now the top-of-the-line, boasted unique styling cues like LED fog lamps, a front recovery hook, a black roof, and Oxford White 19-inch wheels.

The GT trim came with 20-inch wheels and optional Bronze Appearance Package. The interior of the Mach-E was familiar, with a minimalist dash, a large touchscreen, and Ford Performance front seats. The Rally trim added a 1-inch lift and unique suspension tuning for off-road driving. The Mach-E's interior space was impressive, with ample headroom and legroom, and a total cargo space of 34.1 cubic feet, including a drainable frunk.

The 2023 Lexus GX was defined by its V8 engine, which delivered a linear rise in power and noise as the accelerator was depressed. The 4.6-liter V8 produced 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While not the most powerful on paper, the V8 offered a satisfying sound and performance. The GX had a towing capacity of 6,500 pounds but lagged in fuel economy with an EPA estimate of 15 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined.

The GX's weight made it roll through corners, but it felt predictable and controllable. The steering was vague off-center, but the brakes were strong and solid. The Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential distributed the 4WD system into a 40:60 front:rear split, adjusting based on wheel slip. This made the GX user-friendly in various driving conditions.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E had a firmer ride, even on lower trims, with the GT trim featuring the MagneRide damping system for more adjustment by drive mode. The steering was sporty, stiff, and tight, appealing to sports-oriented shoppers. The GT Performance Upgrade package increased torque to 700 lb-ft, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds and an 11.8-second quarter mile. The package could be added later, offering flexibility for buyers.

The Mach-E GT and Rally trims came with Ford Performance features like Brembo front brake calipers and unique suspension tuning for off-road driving. The Mach-E's range varied by trim, with the base model offering 250 miles, the Premium trim with extended-range battery providing 320 miles, and the GT and Rally trims offering 280 and 265 miles, respectively. The DC fast-charging experience was improved, reducing charging time by about 20%.

The 2023 Lexus GX offered ample cubby space, with a deep center console bin, a space ahead of the shifter for a phone, and conveniently placed cupholders. However, it lacked USB-C ports, featuring only USB-A ports. The physical controls were a blessing, with hard buttons instead of haptic-touch interfaces. The center console lid had sliding mechanisms for adjustable armrests, and the second row was comfortable with captain’s chairs or a three-across bench seat.

The third row was tight, suitable only for emergencies. The side-hinged trunk door required muscle to open and offered limited cargo space: 11.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E excelled in interior space, with 34.1 cubic feet of cargo space, including a drainable frunk. Folding the rear seats expanded the cargo space to 59.7 cubic feet. The driver and front passenger enjoyed 38.9 inches of headroom, increasing to 40.4 inches with the panoramic glass roof. Legroom measured 43.3 inches in the front and 38.1 inches in the rear.

The driver’s seat was power-adjustable in every trim, with eight-way adjustability for the base trim and 10-way for higher trims. The front passenger seat was eight-way power-adjustable starting on the Premium trim. ActiveX seating surfaces were standard, with Miko inserts and performance-inspired perforation on higher trims. Heated front seats were available on the base trim and standard on others.

The 2023 Lexus GX had a 10.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integrations. The Lexus Remote Touch Interface was still present but unnecessary due to the improved touchscreen. The GX included three years of Lexus Enform Remote and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium stereo with a CD player. However, the tech felt dated compared to other Lexus models, with lagging touchscreen and less crisp graphics.

The GX excelled in off-road capability with a real 4WD system, a two-speed transfer case, low range, and a locking center differential. It also had downhill assist, hill-start assist, traction control, and stability control. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) leveled the vehicle in various driving conditions. The Off-Road Package added a multi-terrain monitor, transmission cooler, fuel-tank protection, crawl control, and a multi-terrain select system.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E came standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, operating through a 15.5-inch touchscreen with SYNC 4A software. Climate and temperature controls were screen-based, with a hard control for stereo volume and power. The Mach-E featured Ford’s Intelligent Range system, which kept range accurate and updated in real time.

The 2023 Lexus GX had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but it included advanced driver assistance systems like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and automatic high beams. Despite its older body, the GX had modern safety features.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E offered BlueCruise 1.3, a hands-free highway-driving assist software, with a 90-day trial and a three-year subscription option. It also had a 360-degree camera and the Ford CoPilot 360 suite, including blind-spot information, pre-collision assist, evasive steering assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Mach-E earned a Top Safety Pick Award from IIHS and five-star ratings from NHTSA.