When a past-generation Lexus GX would roll off the lot and into the hands of its first owner, the chances are the most strenuous wheeling it would do involved grocery runs, trips to country clubs, and little league games—you know, premium SUV stuff.

By the time it had passed through two or three owners, though, those old GXs would end up in the hands of off-roaders seeking a cheap, capable hack to explore side roads and backcountries in; out would go the heavy alloys and low-profile body addenda, in would come all-terrain tires on unfussy rims and bash bars; interestingly, this was where the GX would begin to come alive. Now, for its third generation, Lexus cuts out the middleman—well, owner(s)—and delivers an off-road-ready GX right from the dealership floor, in the shape of the Lexus GX550 Overtrail+. So, how does it stack up?