2025 Lexus GX vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover family. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it an athletic appearance. Large front air intakes and faux vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow. The lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the Dynamic SE offering a Stealth appearance package. The SV Edition 2, the highest-performance model, featured unique elements like 23-inch carbon-fiber wheels and a carbon-fiber hood. Inside, the SV Edition 2 boasted red leather upholstery and sport seats with illuminated inserts, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic with a focus on luxury materials.

The 2025 Lexus GX underwent a significant redesign, presenting a completely new look compared to its predecessor. Its boxy shape echoed old-school Land Rover designs, with a brawny front accented by LED headlights and a large grille. The GX 550 Overtrail+ test vehicle featured 33-inch tires on matte grey 18-inch wheels, rock rails, and a distinctive brown color called Earth. Inside, the GX offered a clean and elegant design with quality switchgear and chic dashboard and console layouts. The seats provided ample headroom and were upholstered in a mix of stitched black and tan faux leather, offering heating, ventilation, and massaging functions. The overall visibility was excellent, thanks to tall windows and an elevated ride height.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim could be equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain producing 543 hp and 590 lb-ft or a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two used the same V8 but with 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and had a top speed of 180 mph. The Range Rover Sport excelled in both on-road performance and off-road capability, with features like four-wheel steering, brake-based torque vectoring, and the Terrain Response system.

The 2025 Lexus GX was powered by a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6 engine producing 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, a second faster than its V8-powered predecessor. The GX offered impressive performance, with ample power throughout the rev band and a quick-off-the-line demeanor. However, its fuel economy was rated at 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined, with real-world testing yielding 14.9 mpg. The GX excelled in off-road capability, with features like a low gear range, locking center differential, and downhill assist control. It was a capable all-rounder, offering both on-road comfort and off-road prowess.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was positioned between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover in terms of dimensions. It offered a two-row, five-seater configuration with ample headroom and legroom for front-seat occupants. The rear seats provided adequate space, with reclining functionality and 20-way power-adjustable front seats. The cargo space measured 31.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Range Rover Sport had a maximum towing capacity of 7,716 pounds for turbo-six and V8 models, with plug-in hybrids rated at 6,614 pounds.

The 2025 Lexus GX offered generous interior dimensions, with headroom ranging from 39 to 41 inches for front-seat passengers and 43 inches in the back. Legroom measured 41 inches up front and nearly 37 inches in the second row, with ample shoulder room. The GX's cargo space was impressive, with up to 90.5 cubic feet available in the Overtrail trim. It had a towing capacity of 9,063 pounds, making it suitable for adventurous excursions. Despite its size, the GX was easy to maneuver and park, offering peace of mind in urban environments.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment functions. It included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design had some functional drawbacks, with limited physical controls. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car featured "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, although it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2025 Lexus GX offered a user-friendly infotainment system with a 12.3-inch gauge cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen. It provided wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Mark Levinson Premium Audio system delivered good audio quality, although it required higher volume levels at highway speeds. The GX featured multiple USB-C ports for connectivity and charging, with ample storage space in the armrest.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with standard driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided visibility, although the parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.

The 2025 Lexus GX featured the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, road sign assist, lane-departure alert, automatic high-beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. The Overtrail+ trim added pedestrian detection. The GX had a 360-degree camera system and trail-viewing cameras for enhanced visibility. It was equipped with 10 airbags for occupant protection, although safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available.