Long ago, when the LC250 / GX550 were announced, I posted something along these lines: The Prados are FANTASTIC vehicles. I have a childhood friend who's parents owned a restaurant and a farm and they still have one back home, amazing cars ! I always wanted one here and never got the GX here because the swing door but they are amazing vehicles. While traveling around the world, saw many Prados and actually the labels in the back doors were LandCruiser PRADO (not shouting, just it was like that). I don't like that Toyota is using the name to sell more here, but it is what it is. I would like it very much if they had named them LandCruiser PRADO (again, not shouting) in the back but it is what it is, it is obvious they want to sell more here, after all, they are a company which goal is to make money, not to please us. IT IS SO bad, that even the Toyota salesman I saw today called it a Land Cruiser like my LC200 as we were leaving for a test drive, acknowledging that they were in fact THE SAME line, I did not say anything, it won't make a difference...
I drove a LC250 Land cruiser and then went to a Lexus to test drive the GX550. I had previously sat in a GX550 (not drive) not a LC250. Not going to bother with more details that you already know, but IMHO, both are nice vehicles with their own rights. I like it better the feel of the GX550 V6 Twin Turbo engine, and the overall feel of it. Neither compares to the "feel" and "heft" of the LC200, even the LX600 (small details like even the seat belts, or the AC vents on top of the roof, etc). And I am not bias because I own a LC200, I want to gift me a new car, I do... I am not wealth by any stretch of the imagination, but I can swing with hard work either one of them four: LC250, GX550, new-er LC200, or a LX600. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am really trying to be as objective as I can be. I have pretty much ruled out the LC250, as much as I REALLY wanted it to work for what I want; still thinking about the GX550 but Overtrail but it is TOTALLY dumb they don't have 3rd AC zone, and honestly pretty much ruled out the LX600 even the salesman who I know for a long time (and will retire in end 2025) suggested me the GX550 over the LX600 but he will be happy to sell me either -truth or not he is telling me what he thinks or biased for a bigger margin comission on the GX, who knows, but he basically told me w/o telling me to go for the GX550-, OR get a new-er LC200 with less mileage and be done.
Sorry, long post and I dont even own one so really no remorse...yet. My bad...lol.