Driven: 2024 Lexus TX
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The Lexus TX takes aim at the 3-row SUV market with a spacious cabin, upscale styling, and a smooth ride. We spent a day behind the wheel of this comfy 6- or 7-passenger vehicle, getting to know its performance, ride quality, and many features. It’s an excellent option for larger families and drivers who don’t want to feel like they’re driving a truck.
3-row SUVs come in two basic flavors: big, boxy, body-on-frame vehicles like the Lexus LX and curvy, unibody rides like the new TX. Besides a lower ride height, the big difference with a vehicle like the TX is that it drives more like a car or crossover. The TX rides on the same TNGA-K platform that underpins the Lexus RX, NX, Toyota Highlander, and Grand Highlander, offering a well-composed and confident ride.
From the front, the TX offers a different take on Lexus' signature grille than other models. The so-called "unified spindle" alternates body-color horizontal bars with black vent slots, giving each color scheme a distinctive look from the front. It's particularly effective in deeper paint colors like Matador Red Mica and Nightfall Mica. On the other hand, the white model on hand looked a bit like a stormtrooper's helmet, so unless you're a big Star Wars fan, you might want to skip that color.
It has a similar side profile to the Grand Highlander, with a roofline that avoids sloping to maximize headroom for rear-seat passengers. At 203" long, the TX has plenty of space for people and their belongings. In fact, this SUV is big enough to carry seven passengers and seven suitcases at the same time. It rolls along on stylish 20" alloy rims, with the Luxury grade and TX 550h+ offering enormous 22" wheels. Both are well-proportioned to the size of the vehicle. (Photo by Robby DeGraff)
There are three main versions of the TX coming to the U.S. market: the TX 350, TX 500h, and TX 550h+. The TX 350 comes in front-wheel or all-wheel drive and is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft. of torque. The TX 500h hybrid adds front and rear electric motors for 366 horsepower. Its engine produces 339 lb-ft. of torque, the front motor makes 215 lb-ft. and the rear motor makes 124 lb-ft. The TX 550h+ is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a 3.5-liter V6 with two motors, cranking out a system total of 404 horses. That engine outputs 247 lb-ft. of torque, and its front and rear motors hit 199 lb-ft. and 124 lb-ft., respectively. We have yet to drive the PHEV, but the TX350 and TX 500h deliver power smoothly. With a 0-to-60 time of 6.1 seconds, the hybrid was quicker off the line, besting the AWD gas model's 7.8-second launch time. The PHEV promises to be the fastest of the bunch at 5.9 seconds. It'll also go up to 33 miles on pure electric power, making it a great green option for short, everyday drives.
Despite its size, the TX handles quite well, offering an even-tempered ride with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in the rear. The F SPORT Performance grade has an adaptive variable suspension that dynamically adjusts damping based on driving input, road conditions, and drive mode. Steering is pleasantly neutral, offering a good balance between driving dynamics and ease of control. Visibility from the cabin is good thanks to well-placed A-pillars and an optional digital rearview mirror.
The interior of the TX is as quiet and peaceful as you'd expect from Lexus and does a great job keeping out road noise and vibrations so you can enjoy your ride, conversations, and tunes. Speaking of which, the top-end 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system is excellent, with great dynamic range and plenty of volume to fill the entire cabin. All the seats have a premium look to them, from the NuLuxe synthetic leather seats in the Standard, Premium, and F SPORT Performance Premium grades to the leather-trimmed seats in the F SPORT Performance Luxury and the upper-crust semi-aniline leather in the TX 350 and TX 550h+ Luxury trim. The seats in the non-F SPORT models are a bit more accommodating to wider bodies because they lack the aggressive side bolstering of the F SPORT seats. Every TX comes with a 14" touchscreen in the center of the dashboard, running the latest version of the Lexus multimedia interface. If you've read any of our other recent Lexus or Toyota reviews, you'll know it's a speedy, intuitive, and easy-to-read multimedia system. Behind the steering wheel, a 7" multi-information display comes standard, while a 12.3" display is optional. A head-up display is also available for displaying speed, navigation, and other drive assistance info.
Depending on grade, the TX comes with either a second-row bench seat for three people or comfy captain's chairs for two. Second-row passengers get independent climate controls, USB-C charging ports, and pull-up window shades. We only sat in the captain's chairs, but they offered good legroom and headroom. They fold and slide forward to provide surprisingly easy access to the back seat. The center console can also be removed, providing another route to the third row, but it's too narrow for adults to fit through.
One noteworthy feature of the TX is the modular cupholders. These square drink holders are placed throughout the vehicle, with locations between the front seats, the second-row captain's chairs, and to the sides of the third row. Each square cupholder can be removed with the push of a button, providing added storage space when you're not sipping a drink. There's enough room in the center console bin to hold four of these when not in use. It's a nifty idea for flexibility, but having grippers on only one side of these boxy cupholders means they don't hold onto small cans (i.e. Red Bull or cold brews), and those can tip over and spill. A simple fix would be to put grippers on both sides - or make the cupholders round.
As a 6-foot-tall, somewhat larger person, the idea of sitting in the third row of most SUVs isn't something to look forward to. But Lexus did an outstanding job providing a space in the back seat that's shockingly accommodating to even taller and broader adults. They decided the back should seat only two, so they offer plenty of width. With the first and second rows set to hold 6-foot passengers, the third row can do the same without anyone's knees bumping seatbacks. Headroom is good, too, so you don't feel cramped no matter where you sit. In addition to the removable cupholders, each passenger gets a USB-C port too.
One thing that 3-row SUVs often sacrifice is cargo space when the back seat is in use. Not so with the Lexus TX. Even with six or seven passengers, you get an ample 20.2 cubic feet of cargo volume. But since it's a high and wide space, it feels like more than that. With the third row down and the second row in use, you get 57.4 cubic feet and a whopping 97 cubes with both rows folded. And the seats fold very close to flat, so you can easily carry large objects like a big screen TV or a foosball table. Another nice touch back here is the LED lighting on the inside of the liftgate, providing bright illumination when loading or unloading at night.
We enjoyed our brief time with the Lexus TX. It's an excellent option for larger families who want a luxurious SUV that handles like a car. It's more spacious and versatile than some of the big, boxy gas-guzzlers out there, too. With base prices ranging from $55,000 to $72,650 for the gas and hybrid models, it's quite a bit more expensive than the similar Toyota Grand Highlander, which starts at $43,070, so it might be worth cross-shopping if budget is a concern. On the other hand, only Lexus will offer a plug-in hybrid model - the TX 550h+. That gives it a leg up over the Toyota, though pricing for that model has yet to be announced.
