2022 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Lexus GX 460's styling was a testament to its long tenure on the market. Retaining the same basic body shell from a decade ago, it had undergone several updates over the years, including the addition of Lexus' trademark spindle grille in 2014, which was further refined in 2020 with a new textured insert and triple-beam LED headlights. The 2021 model didn't see any major styling changes, but it did introduce standard silver 18-inch wheels on the Premium trim level. Despite its age, the GX's tough, aggressive look remained distinctive and appealing to SUV shoppers.

However, the interior of the GX didn't quite meet the standards of a modern luxury SUV. The wood trim in the Premium test car felt like molded plastic, and there was an abundance of actual plastic throughout the cabin. While leather upholstery was standard, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim, the overall interior quality felt dated. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel's odd angle, combined with the tall seating position, made for an awkward driving experience.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban, redesigned for the 2021 model year, shared its exterior styling with the shorter Tahoe SUV and the Silverado 1500 pickup. Its tall hood, long proportions, and large wheels gave it a supersized appearance. The Suburban was available in six trims, each offering different grille, fascia, and wheel designs, allowing for a fair degree of customization. Our RST test vehicle featured a Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior, 22-inch bright-machined black-painted wheels, and a monochromatic black grille with Black Ice accents, giving it a sporty look.

Inside, the Suburban offered a spacious cabin that ranged from economically comfortable on the base LS trim to downright plush on the top-spec High Country. Leather seats were standard starting on the LT trim, and material quality improved with higher trims. Our RST tester had 10-way power driver and front passenger seats, Jet Black perforated leather seats with Victory Red stitching, and the optional Luxury package, which included heated second-row outboard seats. However, the predominantly black interior made the cabin feel a bit dark, despite the chrome sill plates and red seat stitching.

The 2021 Lexus GX kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX 460's performance was a throwback to an earlier era of SUVs. The V8 engine provided ample grunt for moving away from a stop, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds, but the SUV's 5,130-pound weight was noticeable at higher speeds. Merging and overtaking required careful planning, and bringing the vehicle to a stop also demanded extra attention. The GX's ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, with noticeable body roll and low grip in corners.

Despite its on-road shortcomings, the GX 460 excelled in off-road capability. It featured a Torsen center differential that could split torque 40/60 front to rear or lock for a 50/50 split. The standard 4WD system included a low range for off-road trails, and the GX came with driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. An optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, multi-view camera system, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select. The GX had 8.1 inches of ground clearance and respectable approach, departure, and break-over angles. It also had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engine choices: a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a new 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six, all paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The base 5.3-liter V8 produced 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, while the 6.2-liter V8, standard on the High Country and available on other trims, delivered 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The new 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine provided 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, offering excellent fuel economy and a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Our RST test vehicle featured the 6.2-liter V8, part of the Sport Performance package, which included Magnetic Ride Control and dual exhaust tips. The extra power from the 6.2-liter engine made a noticeable difference, providing effortless acceleration and power. During an 80-mile tow test, the Suburban easily pulled a Chevrolet Impala sedan on a trailer, thanks to its 8,300-pound maximum towing capacity. The independent rear suspension, introduced in the 2021 redesign, improved ride and handling while creating more space for third-row passengers and increasing cargo capacity.

The 2021 Lexus GX's interior ergonomics reflected its age. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel's odd angle, combined with the tall seating position, made for an awkward driving experience. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. Storage space was limited, with small center-console storage bins, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows of seating for seven, but the third row was best reserved for children due to limited space and difficult access.

Lexus quoted 64.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, significantly less than competitors like the Land Rover Discovery. With the third row up, cargo space was almost nonexistent. The GX was best considered a two-row SUV with occasional third-row use.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in interior space, offering ample room for passengers and cargo. With the optional front-row bench seat, the Suburban could accommodate up to nine occupants. Most models offered seven- or eight-passenger seating, with the third row providing adequate headroom, knee room, and legroom for adults. Access to the third row was excellent. The Suburban boasted 41.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 144.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded flat, the most of any large SUV.

The Suburban's cabin featured useful storage options, including an optional power-sliding center console with a hidden storage drawer, a big glove box, and various storage cubbies. However, the Suburban's size made it challenging to maneuver and park in tight spaces, and it might not fit in some garages due to its height. The switch to electronic push-button transmission controls in the 2021 redesign replaced the traditional column-mounted shifter.

The 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, reflecting its decade-old design. Standard features included Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not available. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functionality. However, Lexus included analog controls for most functions, providing a refreshing alternative to screen-centric interfaces.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered a surprising level of tech for a mainstream full-size SUV. Chevrolet increased the Suburban's standard and optional technology offerings for 2022, including a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Google built-in on LT trims and above. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System with an 8-inch touchscreen was standard on the LS, featuring Bluetooth audio streaming, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and voice recognition. Higher trims received a 10.2-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium System with Google built-in and satellite radio. Wireless device charging and a WiFi hotspot were standard on LT trims and above.

The Suburban LS came with a basic six-speaker audio system, while the LT featured a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The Premier and High Country trims offered a Bose 10-speaker Surround with CenterPoint audio system. Our test vehicle had the mid-level nine-speaker Bose system, which provided decent sound quality but was inferior to the premium Bose CenterPoint system.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The GX 460 came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some safety features available in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban came with the Chevy Safety Assist suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, rear park assist, following distance indicator, automatic high-beam headlights, and an HD rear-vision camera. For 2022, front park assist, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-departure warning were added as standard features. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, HD surround vision, rear pedestrian alert, reverse automatic braking, lane-changing assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The Suburban also featured hill-start assist, Teen Driver settings, and Buckle to Drive, which prevented the vehicle from being shifted out of Park until the driver seat belt was fastened. The Suburban received an overall rating of four out of five stars from the NHTSA, with four stars for front crash protection, five stars for side crash protection, and three stars for rollover resistance. The IIHS had not tested the current-generation Suburban.