The GX460 was Lexus's bulletproof V8 swan song, silky, plush, and routinely hitting 200k miles with minimal drama. The 2024 redesign swapped that proven engine for a twin-turbo V6 that tows hard but drinks just as much fuel, then wrapped it in a cheaper interior that owners call 'un-Lexus-like' and plagued the first year with brake squeal (8+ month backorder on parts), hood flutter, and falling headliners. If you need genuine off-road capability or 9,000-lb towing, the GX550 delivers; if you want the on-road luxury the badge promises at this price, a lightly used GX460 or a German unibody will leave you happier.
The RAV4 is the sensible choice that everyone makes and nobody regrets, proven reliability, hybrid efficiency that actually works, and resale value that borders on absurd. The catch is you're paying luxury money for economy-grade materials and putting up with dealer markups that would make a used-car lot blush, while the 2026's overeager safety tech yanks the wheel and slams the brakes at ghosts. Buy it if you want a vehicle that'll outlive your mortgage and you can negotiate a fair price; skip it if you expect $50k to feel like $50k inside, or if the CR-V's refinement matters more than Toyota's bulletproof reputation.