You can fall down quite the online rabbit hole trying to figure out the minor differences between the all-new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser and the equally fresh 2024 Lexus GX 550, not to mention their platform ties to the LX 600, the new Tacoma and even Tundra.

And while my U.S.-model Land Cruiser experience was just one 10-minute drive in a hybrid-only vehicle that starts at about $56,000, I just spent a whole week in a considerably more expensive GX, and was pretty impressed.

Starting at $64,250 and available in six trims all sharing the same 349-horsepower twin-turbo V6, my GX was the high-end Luxury+ model, a leathery but blessedly simple vehicle that will retail for about $84,500. It is light years ahead of the old GX, which had aged out but remained the tremendously capable and more classy off-roader 4Runner owners all dreamed of owning and lifting.

The new GX is three inches longer than the 2024 Land Cruiser, which allows a pair of power-hideaway third-row seats with nearly adult-sized space. Its other proportions are about the same, including a 112-inch wheelbase that allows for a surprisingly sharp turning radius; the Luxury+ model added 22-inch wheels, a Range Rover-styled cooler box in the console and semi-aniline leather throughout. 

Emphasis, by the way, also goes to Range Rover, for GX’s new style. To say that GX is hyper-boxy and super-futuristic is an understatement. Mine was “eminient white pearl” and looked like a Cubist version of a “Star Wars” stormtrooper uniform, with the new less-obvious spindle grille, an oversized greenhouse and blacked-out window frames, plus tall wheel arch space and glossy roof rails. A gigantic mono-block light bar across the rear liftgate, with independent pop-up glass included, sits on top of an equally massive trailer hitch cover.

Towing is clearly a stated purpose here and the GX 550 and its 479 pound-feet of torque will haul just under 7,000 pounds, with trailer brake pinch controls and video assistance on the oversized 14-inch screen. Horizontally-oriented side mirrors and unencumbered views out the rear glass make it a very easy vehicle to drive.

That engine seems to be the just-right spot in the new Toyota and Lexus family, with smooth and competent but not earth-shattering power. While rated at 21 mpg on the highway, I got about 16 mpg during my mountain and trail drives. The ride is a little heavy, as GX 550 totes about 5,600 pounds, but a comfort mode does ease up the feel a bit when sticking to pavement.

Accessing the cabin is easy as load-in height is simple, not a ladder-worthy leap, and planting yourself in the comfortable cabin opens up an absolutely gargantuan front window view. You get a totally flat dash, nearly invisible horizontal air vents and a tasteful mix of gloss black instrument and navigation screens, and almost nothing else.

That’s actually a selling feature. Unlike other fancy off-roaders – including Land Cruiser and the new Tacoma, which are very, very busy inside with control knobs and stacks of switches – GX is about as simple as it comes. There’s just one toggle switch for high and low ranges on the the standard, full-time four-wheel drive, with a Torsen 50/50-split limited-slip locking center differential. Higher grades also get an electronic locking rear differential, and the more off-roady Overtrail versions also get an electronic dynamic suspension system with unlocking stabilizer bars. 

Mine simply had a drive mode switch (Sport+ on a vehicle of these proportions is a little silly, but sharpened up the handling), and no other buttons, switches or controls, aside from the option to lock in the power-operated running boards. A flat phone charger pad and a horizontal pop-up panel hiding a 12-volt power outlet made for a tasteful, zero-drama interior.

As an option, you can choose two captain’s chairs in the second row that are as large and comfortable as front-row seating. Access to the third row is easy and those third row seats power fold away, providing 40 cubic feet of storage, or just 10 cubic feet when up. 

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.