Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2022 Jeep Wagoneer

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 Jeep Wagoneer 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 Wagoneer 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 Jeep Wagoneer doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

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

Both the GX and the Wagoneer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 Wagoneer’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 Jeep covers the Wagoneer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Wagoneer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

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

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 Wagoneer.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below average.

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 Jeep 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, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Jeep is ranked 19th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Jeep Wagoneer V8 hybrid gas:

On the EPA test cycle the GX gets better fuel mileage than the Grand Wagoneer 6.4 OHV V8 (15 city/19 hwy vs. 13 city/18 hwy).

The GX stops much shorter than the Wagoneer:

The GX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Wagoneer Off-Road’s 65 series tires.

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 Wagoneer doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX handles at .74 G’s, while the Grand Wagoneer Series II pulls only .67 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Wagoneer Series III 4x4 (28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 30.4 seconds @ .52 average G’s).

The Lexus GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1250 pounds less than the Jeep Wagoneer.

The GX is 1 foot, 10.6 inches shorter than the Wagoneer, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GX is 9.4 inches narrower than the Wagoneer, making the GX easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Grand Wagoneer Series II (73 vs. 74 dB).

The GX has .8 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear headroom than the Wagoneer.

The front step up height for the GX is 1.1 inches lower than the Wagoneer (21.7” vs. 22.8”). The GX’s rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the Wagoneer’s (22” vs. 23”).

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

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 Wagoneer’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 63% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 26th.

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

If the windows are left open on the GX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Wagoneer can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Wagoneer doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Wagoneer’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The GX’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Insurance will cost less for the GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GX will cost $5720 to $7655 less than the Wagoneer over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Lexus GX will be $7162 to $7507 less than for the Jeep Wagoneer.

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