Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Tesla Model Y

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
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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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 Y 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 Y 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 Y 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 Y 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 Y 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 Y 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-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

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 Model Y doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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 Y 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 Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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 and rearview cameras.

The Lexus GX weighs 728 to 829 pounds more than the Tesla Model Y. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

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.

Reliability

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 53 points higher than the Model Y.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Model Y 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 19th.

Brakes and Stopping

The GX stops shorter than the Model Y:

	GX	Model Y
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Model Y (265/60R18 vs. 255/45R19). The GX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (265/60R18 vs. 255/35R21).

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y 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 Y; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The GX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the GX flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’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 Model Y doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GX 460 Luxury has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Model Y doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For greater off-road capability the GX has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (8.1 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Model Y Long Range (66 vs. 68 dB).

Passenger Space

The GX has 23.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model Y (129.7 vs. 106).

The GX has 2.7 inches more front hip room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear hip room, 3.3 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row headroom, 2.8 inches more third row legroom, 6.6 inches more third row hip room and 13.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model Y.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	GX	Model Y
Third Seat Folded	46.7 cubic feet	30.7 cubic feet

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 Y’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (6500 vs. 3500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the GX uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Model Y doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the GX to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, air filter replacement, tire rotation, radiator flush, brake pad replacement, and transmission fluid replacement, 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 Y.

Ergonomics

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

Consumer Reports rated the GX’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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 Y 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 Model Y doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The GX’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y 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 Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the GX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GX will cost $3225 to $3980 less than the Model Y over a five-year period.

Recommendations

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

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