Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 Lexus GX

Both the Aviator and GX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator 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 Aviator 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 Aviator and the GX 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

There are over 2 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the GX’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The GX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 51 more horsepower (400 vs. 349) than the GX’s 3.4 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Lexus GX:

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator gets better mileage than the GX:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Aviator’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. The GX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Aviator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GX requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Aviator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better traction, the Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GX (275/40R22 vs. 265/55R20).

The Aviator’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GX Overtrail’s standard 70 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the GX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GX Overtrail.

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The GX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Aviator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The GX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 6.9 inches longer than on the GX (119.1 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the GX’s (52.2% to 47.8%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

The Aviator AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the GX Overtrail+ pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the GX Overtrail+ (27.1 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Lincoln Aviator may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 pounds less than the Lexus GX.

Unibody construction lowers the Aviator’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 doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The front grille of the Aviator uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Aviator Reserve/Black Label uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

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

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The GX doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Aviator’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 GX.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The GX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The GX’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Aviator’s standard 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.

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The GX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GX.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the GX.

The Aviator (except Premiere)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The GX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Aviator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.