Compare the2022 Land Rover Range Rover SportVS 2022 Lexus GX

Both the Range Rover Sport and GX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Sport has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Range Rover Sport uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The GX uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Range Rover Sport and the GX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Range Rover Sport’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the GX’s camshafts. If the GX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The Range Rover Sport P360’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 54 more horsepower (355 vs. 301) and 36 lbs.-ft. more torque (365 vs. 329) than the GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8. The Range Rover Sport P400’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 94 more horsepower (395 vs. 301) and 76 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 329) than the GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8. The Range Rover Sport’s optional 5.0 supercharged V8 produces 217 more horsepower (518 vs. 301) and 132 lbs.-ft. more torque (461 vs. 329) than the GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8. The Range Rover Sport SVR’s standard 5.0 supercharged V8 produces 274 more horsepower (575 vs. 301) and 187 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 329) than the GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Land Rover Range Rover Sport is faster than the Lexus GX:

As tested in Car and Driver the Range Rover Sport SVR 5.0 supercharged V8 is faster than the Lexus GX (base engine):

On the EPA test cycle the Range Rover Sport gets better mileage than the GX:

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Sport’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Range Rover Sport’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available P360/P400). The GX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Range Rover Sport has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the GX (27.5 vs. 23 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the GX.

For better stopping power the Range Rover Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GX:

The Range Rover Sport stops much shorter than the GX:

For better traction, the Range Rover Sport’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GX (275/40R22 vs. 265/60R18).

The Range Rover Sport’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GX’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Sport has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GX. The Range Rover Sport’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the GX.

For superior ride and handling, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus GX has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The front and rear suspension of the Range Rover Sport uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the GX, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Range Rover Sport’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the GX (115.1 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Range Rover Sport is 4.2 inches wider in the front and 4 inches wider in the rear than on the GX.

The Range Rover Sport SVR handles at .87 G’s, while the GX pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Range Rover Sport SVR executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.1 seconds quicker than the GX (25.2 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Sport SVR has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GX (10.8 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Range Rover Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Sport’s minimum ground clearance is 2.8 inches higher than on the GX (10.9 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Land Rover Range Rover Sport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Lexus GX.

Unibody construction lowers the Range Rover Sport’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The GX uses body-on-frame design instead.

The Range Rover Sport has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 5.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the GX.

The Range Rover Sport’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The GX’s swing out door blocks loading from the passenger’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Range Rover Sport has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just waving your foot, completely leaving your hands free. The GX doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

The Range Rover Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GX’s (7716 vs. 6500 pounds).

The Range Rover Sport has a much higher standard payload capacity than the GX (1631 vs. 1295 lbs.).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the GX, the Range Rover Sport has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Range Rover Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The GX doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Range Rover Sport’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The GX’s parking brake has to released manually.

The Range Rover Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The GX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Range Rover Sport’s power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The GX’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Optional air conditioned the front and second row seats keep the Range Rover Sport’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The GX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Range Rover Sport Autobiography offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the GX.

The Range Rover Sport’s optional Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The GX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Range Rover Sport owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Range Rover Sport with a number “1” insurance rate while the GX is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Range Rover Sport is less expensive to operate than the GX because typical repairs cost much less on the Range Rover Sport than the GX, including $95 less for a water pump, $290 less for a muffler, $110 less for a starter and $1073 less for a power steering pump.

The Range Rover Sport was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2014 4x4 of the Year. The GX was 4x4 of the Year in 2003.