Lexus GX vs Mitsubishi Triton

What's the difference?

The new Lexus GX 550 Sports Luxury looks fantastic and has enough mod cons to satisfy a family but it’s not as luxurious as you’d expect from a premium brand and the fuel economy and driving range will turn off some. But if you’re still interested, there’s a lot here that will make you happy and it’s one of the smoothest 4WDs I’ve driven.

Apart from its distracting driver attention monitor, we can't see any major flaws that would detract from this vehicle’s comfort, practicality and performance when serving as either a utilitarian 4x4 workhorse or back-to-basics 4x4 dual cab for adventures off the beaten track.

The new GX 550 looks massive and while it shares the same platform as the Toyota LandCruiser 300 series, it doesn't share all of its bulk. They both stand at 1980mm wide but differ on length (5015mm vs 4980mm) and height (1670mm vs 1950mm), respectively.

The new design is fabulously rugged but each body panel looks meticulously crafted and is just the right size. This just means the proportions look right and your eye sort of glides over the big body rather than stopping on any one feature.

But having said that, there are a lot of nice features to focus on, like the long LED headlights and rear strip light, auto-folding side steps, 22-inch alloy wheels and sharply styled rectangular side mirrors.

The tailgate window can also be opened if you need to pop something into the boot but don't want, or have the space, to open the tailgate itself.

The styling takes a minor nose dive once you hit the cabin, though, because it doesn't look as sumptuous as you'd expect in a premium SUV.

I love the utilitarian and military vibe of the vertical dashboard, chunky air vents and relatively small windscreen. It looks great but some trims are plasticky and the touchpoints, while soft, are not Lexus-plush.

However, the technology looks gorgeous with an integrated 14-inch multimedia display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The fixed sunroof with its two settings (clear or opaque) is also a lovely feature.

But on a whole, the GX 550's European rivals outclass it with their flashier cabins.

Our test vehicle rides on a compact 3130mm wheelbase and is 1865mm wide and 1795mm tall, which combined with a 12.4-metre turning circle makes it agile and easy to manoeuvre both on and off-road.

Speaking of which, its all-terrain credentials include 228mm of ground clearance, a useful 30.4 degrees approach angle (without bull-bar) and 23.4 degrees ramp breakover angle, with the departure angle dependent on the type of tray fitted. These numbers would be more than adequate for accessing rugged worksites.

Its front suspension is double-wishbone with coil-springs, paired with a robust leaf-spring live rear axle. Brakes are front discs and rear drums and it has electric power-assistance for the rack and pinion steering.

Looks are subjective of course but we reckon it has a robust and purposeful appearance in cab-chassis form, particularly with the accessories fitted to our example.

Chrome is all but extinct in its predominantly grey interior. However, hard surfaces on the centre console and door-pulls have a synthetic carbon-fibre finish, which adds a touch of style to a low-maintenance cabin that won’t get trashed by spilled coffee or muddy boots.

You also won’t find fancy features like digital instruments (it has analogue speedo/tacho) or an electronic handbrake (this one’s the good old manual lever). Plus there’s physical dials for audio volume/tuning and ‘piano key’ buttons for the cabin’s climate control, which ensures no distracting touchscreen prompts when driving.

The cabin of the new GX 550 is fairly practical with plenty of head- and legroom in each row (yep, even the third!). When you first hop in, it can feel a big snug on elbow-room but this feeling quickly dissipates.

Despite a 215mm ground clearance, access is pretty good for the front and middle rows due to the wide door apertures and side-steps. Third row access is a bit awkward for an adult but my eight-year old loved scampering back there this week.

The electric front seats are comfortable with their extra functions and I like the way the massage feature extends to the seat cushion as it limits fatigue on longer journeys. However, you sit on top of them rather sink into them which makes it feel a little trucky at times.

The wide middle row has a bench seat that will be comfortable for kids but an adult might get a sore behind on a long trip. The transmission tunnel also compromises foot room for adults but the seat is wide enough to make use of all three top-tether anchor points (there are ISOFIX mounts too).

It was a little bit of an effort to lift my big booster seat into the back because the GX 550 sits so tall but otherwise, there's plenty of room around a child seat for them not to feel like a sardine.

Individual storage is made up of a glove box that fits an owner's manual, a small shelf in the dashboard and a middle console that doubles as a cool box (mini fridge) and can fit up to four cans or bottles in it.

Each row gets four drinkholders and two USB-C ports but the front also enjoys a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad. There's a 220V domestic plug port in the boot for larger appliances, too.

It's sometimes awkward to use the wireless charging pad because it's easy for your phone to slide around on it and it quite often disengaged from charging.

My son enjoyed all of the other amenities in the middle row, like the reading lights, climate control, two USB-C ports and retractable sunblinds and I applaud carmakers when they position rear directional air vents in the pillars and/or roof. It just makes it so much easier to cool down sweaty kids!

The 14-inch multimedia display has clear graphics and a responsive touchscreen. The layout is easy enough to get used to after spending some time with it and the sat nav is simple to use.

I like that the sat nav directions can be pulled into the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and head-up display.

There is a Lexus connected services app, which you get a three-year subscription to. It's easy to connect to the wireless Apple CarPlay and there is also wireless Android Auto.

The system also has Bluetooth and digital radio, which is a delight to use through the 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.

The cabin is rounded out by the well-shaped boot which has a massive 1063L of capacity when the third-row is folded. That's been more than enough for my family's needs this week and my German Shepherd was pretty comfy back there, too. The powered tailgate has a kick-function and there is a full-size spare wheel underneath the car.

With a kerb weight of only 1993kg (without tray) and 3200kg GVM, our test vehicle has a 1207kg payload rating. However, after you add the combined weight of its steel tray and other accessories (417kg), the payload rating is reduced by the same amount to 790kg. Even so, that still leaves a sizeable weight capacity for up to five tradies and their tools.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 6250kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) the payload would have to be reduced by 450kg (from 790kg to 340kg) to avoid exceeding the GCM.

In real-world use it’s unlikely that many (if any) Triton owners would need to tow 3500kg but it’s important to be across these numbers to avoid overloading, which is dangerous and illegal.

The genuine accessory galvanised steel tray is internally 1650mm long and 1780mm wide. It has a robust checker-plate floor and a tube-frame front bulkhead with sturdy wire-mesh rear window protection.

There’s also swing-up load retainers on top of the tube-frame on each side, which when paired with the matching rear tube-rack accessory provides secure carrying space for extension ladders or long lengths of timber and PVC pipe/conduit.

There’s also external rope/strap rails along each side but like all steel trays we’ve come across there’s no internal load-anchorage points.

The driver and front passenger have access to a bottle holder and storage bin in each front door plus an overhead glasses holder and a large open compartment above the glovebox. The centre console offers more open storage plus two bottle/cupholders in the centre and a usefully-sized box at the back with a lid that doubles as a driver’s elbow rest.

The rear bench seat is comfortable and surprisingly spacious for tall people, given I’m 186cm and when seated behind the driver’s seat when set in my position, I have about 40mm of kneeroom and 60mm of headroom.

There’s also adequate head clearance for those seated in the slightly higher centre position, but the floor’s prominent transmission tunnel requires one boot either side and knees together between the front seat backrests.

And like all dual-cab utes short of a full-size US pick-up, rear shoulder room is squeezy for three adults, which is tolerable for short trips but a maximum of two adults would be ideal for longer drives.

Rear seat storage includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door plus pockets on each front seat backrest. The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to serve as an armrest with dual bottle/cup-holders.

The bench seat’s base cushion is fixed, so unlike numerous rivals it can’t swing up and be stored vertically if more internal carrying space is required.

The Triton’s cab-chassis list pricing (without tray) starts at $34,490 for the GLX single-cab 4x2 manual and finishes at $61,540 for the premium GSR dual-cab 4x4 auto.

Our GLX test vehicle comes standard with a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine (shared by all Tritons) and optional six-speed automatic for $49,490. This pricing is competitive with base-model 4x4 dual-cab-chassis equivalents like the Toyota HiLux Workmate ($48,735), Ford Ranger XL ($49,230) and Isuzu D-Max SX ($51,200).

However, our example is loaded with numerous items from Mitsubishi’s genuine accessories range including a steel tray ($5775), rear ladder rack ($951.42), steel bull-bar ($4755), driving lights ($1295), side-steps ($1750) and 3500kg towing kit/electronic brake controller ($2370).

This desirable ensemble adds almost $17,000 to the price, which with on-road costs would be nudging $70K to drive away. So, buyers must keep their budgets in mind, as it’s easy to get carried away in genuine accessory lolly shops.

Our test vehicle comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels and 265/65R17 all-terrain tyres plus a full-size spare. It also has heavy-duty rear suspension and underbody armour, front/rear parking sensors, reversing camera, tyre-pressure monitoring and more.

The work-focused cabin has wipe-clean fabric seat trim and vinyl floors, power-adjustable driver’s lumbar support, twin 12-volt accessory sockets and USB ports, 7.0-inch driver’s instrument cluster and a four-speaker audio system controlled by a 9.0-inch multimedia screen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity.

All GX 550 grades share the same 3.5L V6 twin turbo-petrol engine which produces up to 260kW of power and 650Nm of torque.

This 4WD has high- and low-gearing, as well as a bunch of driving modes to suit most occasions, like 'Eco', 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Sport+'.

The 10-speed automatic transmission shifts through its gears smoothly and it always feels like it's engaged in the right gear. Which isn't always the case for a big SUV!

The Sports Luxury is fitted with a towing hitch and cover but unlike the base Sports grade which has a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity, this model only has a 3130kg capacity which might not appeal to families with big toys to tow. 

The Triton’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine is equipped with two turbochargers that work in sequence to boost efficiency, with the smaller one providing fast response at low rpm and the larger one optimising performance at higher rpm. The result is 150kW of power at 3500rpm and torque peaking at 470Nm between 1500-2750rpm, using AdBlue to minimise emissions.

It’s paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic that offers the choice of sequential manual shifting, which can be preferable when hauling and/or towing heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain.

The 4x4 system is dual-range, part-time offering 2H (2WD High Range), 4H (4WD High Range) and 4L (4WD Low Range) controlled by a dial on the centre console. However, you need to step up to the GLX+ to get a rear diff-lock.

I didn’t have high hopes for fuel economy because the official combined (urban/extra-urban cycle figure is a hefty 12.3L/100km but after mostly open-road driving, with some urban stuff mixed in, my real-world average came in at 11.8L.100km! This figure is based on my actual km travelled (358km) and litres of fuel used (42.41L).

While I’m surprised by the fuel usage result, I wouldn’t say this car has good fuel economy compared to its diesel-powered counterparts but it’s not terrible!

The GX 550 has a relatively small fuel tank compared to its Toyota cousins at 80L and based on the combined fuel cycle, you’ll get a theoretical driving range of up to 650km.

Not all that great. Not for a big family mover and not if you’re typically driving in the city, where fuel usage will be a lot higher.

The GX 550 only accepts premium unleaded petrol (95 RON), too.

Mitsubishi claims official combined average consumption of 7.7L/100km but the dash display was showing 9.9 at the completion of our 316km test, which included the usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third of that distance was hauling its maximum payload.

Our own consumption figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in higher again at 10.7L/100km which is on the borderline of the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between manufacturer claims and real-world consumption.

So, based on our own numbers, the test vehicle should have a real-world driving range of around 700km from its 75-litre tank.

Oh my goodness the Sports Luxury is a masterclass on 4WD refinement! You never feel the bulk or weight of this massive SUV when you’re driving it. The power delivery is effortless and there’s lots of grunt available when you hit hills.

The handling is also very good with responsive steering and enough road feedback as a driver to make you feel comfortable with what the car is doing. There is some roll in corners but it can tackle more corners at speed than I thought it would. 

The high driving position makes me feel like I can see a long way ahead yet while visibility is mostly good, it can be compromised when you have the side window shades and the third row headrests up. Which is why I love the digital rear view mirror.

Overall, ride comfort is good with forgiving suspension and low cabin noise, even at higher speeds. It’s pretty easy to chat with all rows and there’s not a lot of engine noise which adds to the refinement. I do like hearing a V6 rumble but that’s just a personal preference. 

I was a little worried about hitting my local Westfield car park but this is a nimble SUV to manoeuvre and parking it is a breeze with the 360-degree camera system and parking sensors. 

Large assist-handles on the A (and B) pillars, combined with the accessory side-steps on our example, make it easy to climb aboard and find a comfortable driving position.

The unladen ride is firm, as you’d expect given its 6.0-tonne-plus GCM rating, but it’s still supple enough to soak up the bumps without the harsh kidney-belting ride suffered in some cab-chassis one-tonners we’ve tested.

This is no doubt helped by the accessories fitted, which provide more than 400kg of additional sprung weight to engage the heavy-duty rear springs and improve the ride quality. That’s something to keep in mind if you often drive unladen.

The steering is firmly weighted and the brakes have good response, with the rear drums offering a terrier-like bite when the manual handbrake is applied on steep hills with a heavy load on board.

The four-cylinder 2.4-litre diesel, with its sequential turbocharging and strong outputs, provides energetic all-round performance with efficient gearing that ensures its operating within its peak torque band most of the time.

However, at highway speeds it does tend to hold top gear for too long, when the engine has dropped below 1500rpm and is clearly wanting a downshift.

To test its payload rating, we strapped 650kg on the tray which when combined with accessories and crew was right on the weight limit. The stout rear springs compressed only 25mm under this load, leaving ample bump-stop clearance that assured there was no bottoming-out on our test route.

The Triton handled this task with competence, maintaining good performance and chassis stability. It easily hauled this load up our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, with the six-speed auto self-shifting down to third gear and 2500rpm which was comfortably within its peak torque band. Engine braking on the way down was also commendable.

Our only gripe is the driver distraction monitoring system which is still too reactive in certain situations, like scratching an itch below my eye even though I was looking straight ahead while doing it. Even though Mitsubishi has tried to improve this system, it needs more refinement, as it detracts from an otherwise positive driving experience.

The Triton comes with a five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2024) and a suite of passive and active features highlighted by eight airbags (including side-curtains), auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction assist, rear AEB when reversing, front/rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, front/rear parking sensors, reversing camera, trailer stability assist and lots more. Rear seat has ISOFIX child-seat anchorages on the two outer rear seating positions and three top-tethers.

Lexus offers the GX 550 with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is fairly standard compared to its Euro rivals.

You get five years capped-priced servicing which costs $5950 but the servicing schedule is a bit of a bear at every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

It comes with a five-year/100,000km standard warranty, or 10 years/200,000km if serviced at Mitsubishi dealers.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Pricing is capped at $6860 for 10 scheduled services up to 10 years/150,000km, or an average of $686 per service.

Mitsubishi currently has more than 200 dealers across its national network that spans metro, rural and regional areas. Mitsubishi dealerships are also service centres.