Lexus has updated its GX luxury SUV for 2027 with a modest set of convenience features, but buyers will pay more across the entire range. The headline addition is that SmartAccess proximity entry now covers all four doors and the tailgate, and it becomes standard equipment on every trim. Previously, the system was more limited in scope.
Alongside the expanded keyless access, Lexus is adding ventilated second-row outboard seats to the Luxury, Luxury+, and Overtrail+ grades. An available LED cargo lamp is also new. Beyond these changes, the GX largely carries over from the previous model year, with no mechanical revisions.
The price increases vary by trim. The entry-level Premium now starts at $69,085, including an unchanged $1,550 destination fee, making it $750 more expensive than before. The Premium+ rises $600 to $73,400. Luxury and Luxury+ models each increase by $800, reaching $81,600 and $85,600 respectively. The Overtrail climbs $750 to $76,730, while the Overtrail+ receives the largest jump, up $1,565 to $85,010.
Lexus has not provided a model-specific explanation for the higher prices, but tariffs appear to be part of the picture. The GX is built at Toyota's Tahara plant in Japan, meaning examples destined for the American market are subject to the 15 percent tariff currently applied to Japanese vehicle imports. Toyota has said it initially projected an annual hit of ¥1.38 trillion from US tariffs, although that estimate has since been reduced by ¥70 billion. The company is also facing approximately ¥1.2 trillion in higher material costs, particularly for aluminium and memory components, and plans to recover roughly half of that through gradual price increases.
Currency fluctuations are a less convincing culprit. Toyota has said exchange rates positively affected its latest results, which suggests the stronger yen is not driving the GX's price rise. That does not mean tariffs account for a precise portion of the increase, but the imported SUV was already $2,750 more expensive across all six trims for 2026. Since its 2024 launch, the base GX has risen $4,835, while the Overtrail+ is now $7,760 more expensive.
Under the bonnet, nothing has changed. The GX continues with a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 producing 349 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, sent through a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time four-wheel drive. Maximum towing capacity remains 9,096 lbs. The promised hybrid variant remains absent from the line-up, and when it eventually arrives, it is unlikely to be cheaper than the current range.
For buyers in the market for a rugged luxury SUV, the 2027 GX offers incremental improvements in everyday usability, particularly the expanded SmartAccess system and the added rear-seat ventilation on higher grades. However, the cumulative price rises since launch mean the model now sits significantly higher in the market than when it was introduced. The lack of mechanical changes and the continued absence of a hybrid option may give some potential customers pause, especially as rivals increasingly offer electrified powertrains.
Lexus has not indicated when a hybrid GX might appear, nor has it detailed how future tariff or material cost developments could affect pricing. For now, the 2027 GX represents a familiar package with a higher entry point and a few more creature comforts, leaving the core formula untouched.