BEND, Oregon – “I hope it’s definitely worth the noise!” I saved listening to Richard Lewis saying that, with grand horns blaring inches from his head, in that cinematic basic, “Robin Hood: Males in Tights.” For greater than 13 hours, I drove the 2024 Lexus GX 550 Premium+ alongside California and Oregon highways at a gentle 70 mph. Any quicker, and the wind noise would elevate from a gentle roar to booming. Not due to the GX, thoughts you – it’s surprisingly quiet for a field on wheels with mirrors formed like a hardcover e-book – however due to the full-roof accent roof rack I requested be put in for my journey from Agoura Hills outdoors Los Angeles to Bend in central Oregon.
As I described in Part 1 of my GX outdoor adventure road trip story, the accent rack was mandatory as a result of the Premium and Luxurious trim ranges don’t include the Overtrail’s raised roof rails that allow you to set up your personal crossbars or different racks (such because the Yakima crossbars I personal). Whereas I might’ve requested Lexus set up the $440 cross bar official accent, I opted for the $1,580 accent “Roof Rack.” It could look lots cooler, for starters, which I’ve to think about is why I so incessantly see such full-roof racks on Land Rover Defenders, Mercedes G 550s and different luxurious off-roaders. Relatedly, it looks like the form of factor somebody could be prone to match to their GX; making an attempt it out due to this fact appeared helpful for reporting functions. I used to be additionally on a mission to make use of it for transporting a rented kayak as soon as in Bend, and it positive appeared like it will be extra helpful than plain-old crossbars.
However to know for positive, I requested the professional opinion of Danielle, the pleasant worker of Bend Kayak College and Leases (pictured above left) that set me up with a stunning yellow tandem kayak and the straps wanted to verify it stayed atop the GX.
“So, I’m borrowing this automotive. I used to be questioning if that large rack up there really makes a distinction for transporting and securing kayaks?” I requested as she secured the entrance strap onto the little tow hook that’s apparently simply beneath the best aspect of the bumper. She knew it was most likely there, I didn’t.
“Oh yeah. All that further floor space goes to make it much more secure, and make it simpler to rise up there,” Danielle reported to my reduction. It was definitely worth the noise, it was!
Clearly, the GX is sort of a tall car; the truth is, it’s precisely as tall as me at 6-foot-3. My father is 6-foot-even, so we’re as near a best-case situation other than some former basketball gamers. Nonetheless, it was fairly a hoist to get the large tandem kayak off and later up there once more. Danielle is barely cracking 5-feet, nevertheless, so she expertly used the door sills and doorways to hoist herself and the kayak up. Not her first rodeo. Personally, if I have been going to be routinely transporting a kayak locations, I’d most likely get a wagon due to the decrease roof. I ponder if Audi sells a full-length platform roof rack for the RS 6 Avant? (Strokes chin.)
The rack wasn’t the one gear-hauling accent I introduced alongside on the journey – the Yakima StageTwo heavy-duty bike rack that made its debut final 12 months after I made a similar trip with a Honda Pilot TrailSport additionally made the journey. Each GX comes customary with a 2-inch trailer hitch, which is “hidden” behind a curiously conspicuous panel. It pops off simply — I used a flat-head screw driver to drag out a pair of plastic pins, which pop again in simply as simply sufficient.
There have been no points putting in or uninstalling the rack, which is extra a credit score to the Yakima, however the Lexus GX will get a fairly large shout-out, too, because it proved to be completely arrange for carrying a motorcycle again there. You see, the rack folds up when not in use and folds down once you want entry to the liftgate; when loaded with a motorcycle, it tilts all the way down to let the liftgate swing up. Nonetheless, that performance was usually not wanted in any respect because of the GX’s pop-up rear window. I might simply stroll up, pop open the window, and simply drop in or pick gadgets within the cargo space with out touching the bike rack. I had recognized the pop-up rear window may very well be helpful, however I didn’t learn about this. In contrast, the Land Rover Defender and particularly its jumbo, door-mounted tire made utilizing my bike rack troublesome (I couldn’t use the inboard platform).
I might even pop the glass with the kayak in place. Barely, however it was nonetheless extra do-able than making an attempt to open the entire hatch with the strap in place.
Now, above you will additionally see that I found the bike rack can double as a river float tube rack. Candy. Positive beats inflating it on the river (although the GX has an influence outlet to take action), making an attempt to tie it to the roof rack (lamest roof-mounted wheel ever) or making an attempt to stuff inside. I most likely might have, although, because the GX’s boxiness proved time and time once more to be a boon for packing no matter inside. Paradoxically, I didn’t carry any of my usual luggage test bags, as an alternative choosing smaller soft-case baggage that have been simpler to load given the big, awkwardly formed gadgets that wanted to return alongside as properly. That included a fold-up Thule stroller, a baby bike seat, helmets, a child’s stability bike, inflatable rafts, small oars, camp chairs and a field of groceries. I really had room left over, so I’m fairly pleased with the quantity of cargo quantity current.
As a refresher, I used to be assembly my household in Bend (my spouse, 3-year-old son, mom and father). Though we might technically all slot in two rows, my son’s jumbo automotive seat makes that awfully squishy. As such, we saved the driver-side third-row up. My spouse, who’s 5-foot-zip, reviews that it was completely snug again there and likewise preferred that the GX’s boxiness makes it much less claustrophobic than in different third rows. With the passenger-side third-row seat lowered, we had sufficient room for the stroller, child’s bike and varied backpacks for our varied adventures. Principally, the GX having one of the least useful spaces behind its third row wasn’t a hindrance on this journey.
Inside storage is enough. The cupholders are large enough to carry a wine-bottle-sized water bottle, and the door holders are equally as huge (although the armrest above requires a barely smaller bottle). The wi-fi telephone charger is conveniently positioned and didn’t roast my telephone. However, the quantity of heart console actual property dedicated to the cigarette lighter energy port and the little door that covers it looks like a waste and the encompass wooden trim unimpressive. Additionally, I don’t assume the little storage shelf on the passenger aspect is that helpful.
As for know-how, this GX already obtained the over-the-air update that keeps the native infotainment system shortcut buttons on screen while using Apple CarPlay. This can be a game-changer. The Toyota Land Cruiser I had the next week hadn’t been up to date, and the necessity to always commute between the Apple and Toyota techniques is endlessly annoying. Now, I can’t say the GX’s larger display makes a lot of a distinction versus the Land Cruiser’s (14 vs 12.3 inches), because the further actual property is fully dedicated to the local weather controls. These are common buttons within the Land Cruiser. The GX’s touchscreen controls work high quality, in addition they keep completely docked and nonetheless have bodily temperature knobs, however I can’t say it makes a lot of a distinction. If something, I favor the little ledge beneath the Land Cruiser’s display that allows you to regular your hand whereas making inputs.
To be trustworthy, the Lexus infotainment system gave me probably the most pause as I contemplated spending 25-plus hours with it, however it finally was simply high quality. As I described in Half 1, the motive force help tech proved to be the better annoyance, however the offending options no less than stayed off. In the end, from a driving, practicality and performance perspective, the Lexus GX 550 Premium+ significantly exceeded my expectations. Now, I solely dipped a toe into its full outside journey functionality because the furthest I took it off street was on some unpaved parking heaps. There may be due to this fact much more versatility right here, however given its off-roading functionality contributes to its poor fuel economy, it’s exhausting to not surprise if the trade-off is price it if you happen to don’t routinely enterprise to extra rugged locations.
I suppose an identical argument could be made about that full-roof rack: Until you’re going to be doing all your fair proportion of kayaking or roof tenting, you might wish to skip it – even when it all the time appears cool. It most likely gained’t be definitely worth the noise.