Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2022 Tesla Model X

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 Model X 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 Tesla Model X 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 Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model X doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

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 Model X 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GX’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The GX has standard Safety Connect®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the GX and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

There are over 59 percent more Lexus dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GX’s warranty.

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 95 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Model X 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 Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 25th.

The GX’s standard 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 329 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. ) than the Model X’s standard electric motors.

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

The GX has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The GX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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 Model X doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX is 7 inches shorter than the Model X, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GX has .6 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.4 inches more third row hip room and 13.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model X.

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

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

The GX’s available rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

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 Model X 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 Model X’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model X’s (6500 vs. 5000 pounds).

While the Model X w/22” wheels can only tow 3500, any GX can tow a minimum of 6500 pounds.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the GX to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

The GX’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GX has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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 Model X doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The GX’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GX has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The GX has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The GX has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model X doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GX will cost $10880 to $11690 less than the Model X over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the GX than the Model X, including $570 less for a water pump, $71 less for front brake pads, $188 less for front struts and $78 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Lexus GX will be $31530 to $33225 less than for the Tesla Model X.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus GX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus GX outsold the Tesla Model X by 40% during the 2021 model year.