Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2022 Dodge Durango

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Durango doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Durango doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Dodge Durango doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lexus GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Durango doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Durango.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the GX’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The GX’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango and is not available with SXT.

The GX (except Base/Premium) offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The GX’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GX and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Lexus GX has a better fatality history. The GX was involved in fatal accidents at a rate 10.5% lower per vehicle registered than the Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Warranty

The GX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Durango’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the GX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Dodge covers the Durango. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Durango ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Durango’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the GX has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the GX’s reliability 70 points higher than the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Durango isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Dodge is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Dodge is ranked 10th.

Engine

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 8 more horsepower (301 vs. 293) and 69 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 260) than the Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 6 more horsepower (301 vs. 295) and 69 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 260) than the Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

	GX	Durango
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.7 MPH	86.9 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

The GX stops much shorter than the Durango:

	GX	Durango
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	160 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Dodge Durango only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GX has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Durango. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The GX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the GX flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Durango doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The GX is 8.7 inches shorter than the Durango, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Durango GT 4x4 (73 vs. 76 dB).

Passenger Space

The GX has 1.4 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more third row hip room and 4.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GX’s middle seats and third row seats (except Base/Black Line Edition) recline. The Durango’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The GX’s cargo area provides more volume than the Durango.

	GX	Durango
Third Seat Folded	46.7 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet

The GX has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Durango doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the GX’s (except Base/Black Line) optional third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Durango doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Durango’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Durango’s (6500 vs. 6200 pounds).

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Dodge. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 57% lower rating, Dodge is ranked 21st.

Ergonomics

The GX’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Durango, and is not available on all models.

The GX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The GX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Durango doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GX offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Durango doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Durango because it costs $100 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GX than the Durango, including $85 less for front brake pads and $309 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus GX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Durango isn't recommended.

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