New Generation GX Lexus Debuts In Philippines, First In ASEAN

Lexus GX 550. (Doc. Global Toyota)

JAKARTA - Introduced in the middle of 2023, the latest generation Lexus GX is now officially present in Southeast Asia with the Philippines to be the first to welcome the tough SUV.

Launching Top Gear Philippines, Wednesday, May 15, this third-generation model comes in two variants for the Philippine market, consisting of Overtrain and Premier. All present in the 550 or GX 550 code series.

The value offered by the luxury brand includes shipping costs borne by customers. Thus, this model will continue the legacy of the GX family that has existed since 2002.

The latest GX has a brain-splitting and tough design with the merger of body-on-frame SUVs. GX's front design was given a bold touch with a smaller grip and sharp front-LED lights. Grill opening is also slightly raised to avoid collisions.

Based on the GA-F platform which is also used at LX 600, the GX side has a rigid design with horizontal flows. It is said that this architecture has the maximum ability to traverse off-road and on-road roads with new suspensions. In order to maximize the ability to run in all terrain, the manufacturer provides it with 18-inch rims and 33-inch 265/70R18 tires.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 250 is also equipped with a number of advanced safety features from the Lexus Safety System + 3.0 consisting of Pre-Collition System (PCS) with Pedestrian Detection, All-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA), Road Sign Assist (RSA), and Protective Driving Assist (PDA).

For the kitchen runway, this SUV has a 3.4 liter V6 twin-turbocharged engine that offers 349 dk of power and 649 Nm of torque supported by automatic transmission of ten accelerations.

Despite having a number of sophisticated and resilient capabilities, interested customers seem to have to wait to get their units. It is reported that around 50-60 customers have queued up to get the car and are likely to increase.

Regarding the price, the Lexus GX 550 in the Philippines is priced at prices ranging from 7.578 million pesos to 8.578 million (equivalent to IDR 2.1 billion to IDR 2.3 billion). This SUV will be assembled at the Tahara factory, Japan.