To most customers, reviews of the 2024 Lexus TX will be entirely irrelevant. Legions of Lexus loyalists have been pining for a dedicated three-row Lexus crossover for absolute eons, and now that one’s available, orders will come pouring in like gravy over Thanksgiving turkey. Lexus predicts this three-row hauler sized for Catholic family planning will quickly become its third-best-selling product, so success won’t be an issue. However, the Lexus TX isn’t alone in the three-row luxury crossover segment. To well-heeled older millennials not already on a first-name basis with their local Lexus dealer, the posh family hauler segment is chock-full of obvious and obscure alternatives all vying for four-figure monthly payments. So, is the TX the cream of the crop, or is it just a Toyota Grand Highlander with a copy of the latest Neiman Marcus catalog? We flew to Austin to find out.
[Full Disclosure: Lexus flew me to Austin to sample the new TX, evidently running with the model name. As is usual on press launches, hotel accommodations and food were provided by the automaker. Lexus also inadvertently proved that I suck at 1:00 a.m. ping pong, although my partner was well-matched to my abilities. -TH]
How Does It Look?
Well, it looks like a Lexus, doesn’t it? Although the Japanese brand has flirted with minimizing its polarizing spindle grille before, the Lexus TX takes a strange approach of making a huge part of it body color, resulting in a properly unusual face. Add in an enormous number of lines that converge and diverge, and the front end of this family hauler is a special kind of shocking on first glance.
However, body-color cladding and a well-styled profile perk things up considerably, even if squared-off arches never quite sit right over round wheels. Swipe the nose off of the Lexus TX and it’s mostly handsome, if anonymous. Still, it’s not like most of its competitors are rolling Colani sculptures, and with any three-row crossover, it’s what’s inside that counts.
What’s The Interior Like?
It’s amazing what a few years can do. While Acura’s been fucking about with a trackpad, Lexus has suddenly gained one of the best infotainment systems in the entry-level luxury market. The marque is banishing the trackpad one model at a time, and its latest touchscreen infotainment system is properly slick, if not without a few foibles. Changing the drive mode in the TX requires a little menu hunting, native navigation is a subscription-based service, and a few additional hard buttons would be nice. However, quibbles aside, the new screen setup is fast, fluid, and endowed with rich graphics. Needless to say, this 14-inch interface with cleverly-integrated climate knobs dominates the dashboard.
Once you get over the visual impact of the enormous infotainment screen, the 2024 Lexus TX poses an important question: What can pleather do for you? Alright, so maybe that’s a bit harsh, but Lexus has used the age-old trick of big faux-leather swathes to class up the TX’s interior. Does it work? Well, not massively. Sure, the textiles on the door cards are surprisingly soft, but they’re plain enough that the Corolla-grade plastic atop each door card stands out at this price tag. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still soft-touch, but normal cars have become so nice that ye olde luxury touches just don’t hit like they used to.
However, unlike in most crossovers, things improve the further back you sit in the TX. Not only is the second row wonderfully appointed with optional heated and ventilated captain’s chairs, the third row can be specced in semi-aniline leather, order with power-recline, and even sports a litany of USB-C ports and surprisingly supple armrests. Between the space and the luxuries, the third row in the TX is one of the best on the market, hands-down.
So, does the 2024 Lexus TX has a spacious, orthodox, pragmatic interior that’s devoid of whimsy? Not quite. In a brief moment of delightful strangeness, Lexus made the cupholders removable. You can slot them into the front console, optional second-row console, or the third-row armrests for extra beverage-carrying capacity, and remove them entirely for cleaning. Lexus claims a price of $150 for a pair of modular cupholders, which should prove a novel recurring revenue stream since children have a habit of losing things that aren’t bolted down. Still, what an unusual beverage-gripping solution.
How Does It Drive?
Because I’m a whore for horsepower, I started the driving day in the TX 500h F Sport Performance, essentially a sportier Toyota Grand Highlander HybridMAX with an equally breathtaking name. With 366 horsepower, 409 lb.-ft. of torque, three electric motors, one turbocharger, and a six-speed automatic gearbox, this hot hybrid powertrain moves the TX with linear authority, like achieving takeoff in a 737. Oh, and this isn’t just a TX with a bunch of power, because Lexus threw in adaptive dampers, huge six-piston fixed front calipers, and four-wheel-steering. So, is it enough to make the BMW X5 tremble? Not quite.
What’s the difference between a McDouble and a burger from a much-vaunted local joint? After all, they both have beef, bread, some green things, and sauce. Well, much of it is in the seasoning and preparation, and Lexus needs to spend a little more time in the kitchen working on the TX500h F Sport Performance. Those fancy adaptive variable dampers have different presets for normal and sport modes, neither of which are great. In the standard drive mode, the TX 500h F Sport Performance eerily floats along the highway, driving even bigger than it actually is. In sport mode, the highway ride is perfect, but pockmarked surface streets have the crossover fidgeting like a squirrel on Red Bull. It’s a similar deal with the brakes — the big stoppers do an impressive job of shedding speed, but you won’t find a firm, confidence-inspiring pedal here. There’s a genuinely pleasing sporty-luxe crossover in here somewhere, but it needs expert attention to be revealed.
From sporty to sensible, I quickly swapped into the base TX 350 and actually liked it more. The fixed dampers are properly set up for a solid high-speed ride and reasonable comfort around town, but despite the lack of a massive glass roof, the quietness situation didn’t quite feel luxury-grade thanks to noticeable tire noise. Oh, and without the magic trick of four-wheel-steering, the base TX had somewhat vague steering for a modern unibody vehicle, frequently requiring slight input adjustment in constant-radius corners. Sure, expecting more than 200 inches of crossover to handle well is like expecting the latest video game film to be good, but luxurious, effortless confidence should be included in a luxury car price.
Then I took the mid-range TX 350 Premium out for a spin and everything came together. Unlike every other TX, these popular models come on Goodyear tires instead of Continentals. While this sounds like a downgrade, they’re actually better to drive on in every conceivable way than the Contis. The steering is noticeably more accurate, requiring no fine adjustments in sweeping bends. Tire noise over most asphalt simply vanishes, and the ride quality sees a slight improvement. Will the Goodyears maintain these characteristics throughout their lifespans? It’s hard to say, but I wouldn’t buy a Lexus TX without them. How weird is that?
As for the standard powertrain in the 2024 Lexus TX 350, it’s perfectly adequate. While a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine doesn’t sound impressive for an application this big, 317 lb.-ft. of peak torque coming in at a low 1,600 rpm moves this hauler off the line with minimal fuss. In addition, the eight-speed automatic transmission has such exquisite manners you’d think it had been trained by the International Butler Academy. Sure, you could get a more powerful model, but why?
How about if you want to commute on electric power alone? Yes, the Lexus TX 550h+ is coming as an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid with a twist — instead of the pedestrian four-cylinder engines found in most competitors, this thing sports a silky-smooth naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6. With the same 18.1 kWh battery pack as the RX450h+, don’t expect the TX 550h+ to win any range competitions, but it definitely doesn’t feel meek once the battery runs low. The slug of hybridized torque combined with the mellifluous notes of a quad-cam V6 at attention is a fascinating combination, although the eCVT prevents power delivery from sounding anything near conventional.
How’s The Price?
The 2024 Lexus TX starts at $55,050 including a $1,350 freight charge, but a few desirable features are missing for that sort of money. For one, the base TX doesn’t get a moonroof at all, let alone a panoramic one. It’s the same deal with memory seats, and big features like a branded audio system just aren’t available on the base model. If you want genuine leather and additional toys, the Luxury trim starts at $60,950 for the front-wheel-drive model and $62,550 for the all-wheel-drive model, and the most option-laden TX 350 AWD Luxury model will retail for $70,175. Want hybrid power? The TX 500h F Sport Performance starts at $69,350, while the TX 500h F Sport Performance Premium stickers for $72,650. As for the plug-in hybrid model, it’s a late-availability variant, so we won’t know pricing until a future date.
Oh, and that’s just America. Canadian pricing is a bit nuttier than that. Sure, all-wheel-drive and the panoramic moonroof come standard, but we’re still talking about a vehicle that starts at $70,955 Canadian including a $2,205 freight charge, stickers for $82,455 in loaded gas-only trim, and can be specced up to $92,405 in TX 500h F Sport Performance 3 trim. Now that’s some serious cash.
If I had to pick a spec of Lexus TX, I’d go for the TX 350 AWD Premium with boxes ticked for the heated steering wheel-including $250 cold area package, the 360-degree camera system-containing $1,050 technology package, the $895 convenience package of digital fluff necessary for the awesome parking cameras, and the $1,160 Mark Levinson branded 21-speaker audio system. Total price? $63,405 in America.
So, what else could you buy for Lexus TX money? Well, you could buy a Cadillac XT6, but you shouldn’t. The Lincoln Aviator is nice, but I wouldn’t trust it for the long haul quite like the Lexus. TX 500h F Sport Performance money will get you into an Acura MDX Type S, a seriously rapid turbocharged V6 three-row crossover with excellent color choices but an absolutely infuriating infotainment system. In case you’re more interested in a gorgeous interior, pricier trims of Infiniti QX60 feel substantially more expensive inside than the TX, but that wow factor comes with an unfortunate price premium. Against the entry-level luxury subset, the Lexus TX is an absolute winner, but remember what I wrote earlier about normal cars becoming fantastic?
Take the Mazda CX-90, for example. A none-too-shabby $61,325 buys you a Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus that’s loaded to the hilt with a turbocharged inline-six, Nappa leather, and a feature set that can very nearly go shot-for-shot with an exceptionally-equipped Lexus. If you’re looking to get in on the ground floor, a CX-90 3.3 Turbo Preferred costs $44,820 and gives you more for your money than a base TX, such as standard all-wheel-drive and a moonroof. As another wildcard, the nicest Kia Telluride you can buy stickers for $55,340 including premium colorway options and freight, and it’s certainly a desirable vehicle.
However, Lexus has something that Kia, Mazda, and every other mass-market brand attempting to level up simply can’t match — incredible customer service. If something goes wrong with a Kia, your local dealer principal won’t deliver you a quality control worker’s ring finger in a velvet-lined box, and they probably won’t let you take an equivalent loaner car on a proper road trip. Lexus dealers stand on a reputation made of impeccable customer service, which begs the question: How much money would you spend to be treated like a human being?
What’s The Verdict?
The 2024 Lexus TX isn’t the poshest or best-driving three-row luxury crossover on the market, but it doesn’t need to be. Hell, Lexus could’ve completely phoned it in and still made something that would sell by the truckload. However, with distinctive styling and loads more kit than its more common Toyota Grand Highlander cousin, the Lexus TX is genuinely competitive against other entry-level three-row luxury crossovers. Don’t be surprised if you see these things everywhere soon.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
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I believe it about the Goodyear being better. I just put Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate on my Q3 and they already seem loads better than what was on there. Quiet and sharp handling.
Initial Thoughts:
-A Lexus Tundra would have been a more appropriate Lexus TX
-Now at least Elon can’t use TX
-It’s so loaded it comes with everything but reproductive rights
I abhor this whole thing where ‘the name is the displacement it used to have!’ No, there is a Lexus TX240 and a TX240h. What’s even the point of keeping the old numbers? No one’s like, ‘damn, I’m not buying it if it doesn’t say 350 on the back!’
They just keep pumping them up! They changed the name of the X5 M50i to the M60i even though it has a 4.4L
Because the people who have been buying them for years don’t want the new model to have a lower number, they have no idea what it means but they know one number is bigger than the other.
I see that as reason to abandon the nomenclature entirely, making it the Lexus TX and the Lexus TX Hybrid as Acura have done now for a long time, but I guess they have to stay on the German-style bandwagon.
People only remember the number for some reason. I work at a Lexus dealer, and people call all the time “I have a 350” geee, thanks
This kinda represents my problems with expensive Hondas/Toyotas. They’re expensive versions of cheap cars (in this case Highlander). VS buying an X5 which is just an expensive version of an expensive car. Not that they’re bad cars, but I can’t see paying double for what is under the surface the same vehicle. 90K for highlander underpinnings is just crazy. I can’t imagine the platform was originally designed with that price point in mind.
Another example would be the CTR. A 20,000 car turned into an expensive car.
Not to mention the Highlander looks better…
Agreed. Makes the CX-90 seem like a real bargain against the dressed up Lexus Grand Highlander or Acura Pilot with the straight-six and RWD being a proxy BMW for much cheaper.
Yep, that’s what I was thinking the whole time I was reading that section of the article. “Why would anyone want this over an inline six rwd mazda”
I feel bad for anyone that feels the need to show off with the Lexus brand (to the extent that is possible), but I think there is a legitimate dealership experience justification. That said, I would step up to a Sequoia way before getting a Highlander with more gimmicks to break.
Not sure what the X5 is a version of but it’s ugly as f#ck, reliable as a rotten tomato and has an interior design that goes against anything human (which I won’t forgive to the brand that made cars that looked like cars and had dashboards like fighter planes’ ones).
The X5 shares a platform with (this is an exhaustive list) the 7 series, 8 series, X6, and X7.
The TX shares a platform with (this is NOT an exhaustive list) the Camry and Sienna.
It’s also way more attractive than this (not saying much) and uses one of the best powertrain combos on the market right now in the i6 trims.
The way I see it, the X6, X7, 7 series and 8 series share a platform with the X5, not the other way around 😉 If you’ll be pulling a lowest common denominator for the Toyolexus, might as well use the same denominator for the X5. Platforms are platforms. The Urus is using a VW platform but good luck making a VW into an Urus (all Audis Q-something included).
I do happen to be forced to be a member of a BMW forum (I have one as a hobby, then I have a “real” Korean car for when I actually want to get somewhere 😛 ), and all I can say is that there is no BMW after the E38 and E39 that I would keep a day after the warranty expires, if I had to buy them new. I can also compare the prices of used BMWs and used Lexus…esses ? Lexii ? Lexuses ? – anyway – beyond their fifth year, and the ways the price curves go after they meet are hilarious, and quite fair.
Recent beemers have frantic exterior design (beautiful behinds, absolutely hysterical fronts), they erred around with the beaver tooth grille, then stepped back, but now the grille is higher than the top of the headlights, like a double Koala nose.
Their profiles (at least the mainstream ones, the new 5 series to name one) used to look like a streamlined running hound, now they look like a mutt sitting on its butt (the front is higher than the back, or at least the line leaves the illusion of it – something that only RR and Bentley have ever been able to pull off without it looking anti-dynamic.
BMW’s interiors now defy all laws of design – which is ok if there are enough buyers for it willing to put up with an ugly dash – but also all laws of ergonomics, which is an issue. The screens sit in the middle of nowhere, with no visor to guard from the sunlight and to prevent glare, the gauges look like a Citroen delirium from the mid-eighties.
They are throwing out the window a science which was written in blood, and – the irony – a science they greatly contributed to: the science of ergonomics and dashboard controls. They almost wrote the whole book about it and are now ignoring it.
I can forgive this erring to any brand that is searching itself or is learning, but from a brand that is obnoxiously throwing it in my face telling me that this is progress and that I’m old and don’t understand – thanks but no thanks.
As for the engines – they are all beautiful – I just wonder if they, too, will all piss oil from every single plugged orifice at the tender age of 10, because someone put plastic everywhere and said plastic cracked with the heat under the hood (because they do tend to run hot and actually regulate the running temp to be as high as possible when engine loads are low).
There is a BMW engine that I might allow in my garage if bought new – the one in the new Supra 🙂 I do suspect Toyota did their share of little touches to its periferals (hoses, plugs, cabling), and boy, THAT must be a good engine 🙂
All this to say that I wouldn’t disparage anything Toyota related – a company that learned (and taught others) to build excellent cars for less money, especially not by pitting them against a company who has learned to build bad cars that cost a lot of money (because brands who know how to build good cars for a lot of money still exist, and they are still German 🙂 ).
I wouldn’t be going on a roll here if I wasn’t a fan of BMW when they knew how to make cars, and if it didn’t pain me to see them dilapidate their still excellent know-how into dead ends because of pure, sheer, unadulterated arrogance.
I was just using the X5 as an example… the new CX90 or Q7 or GLwhatever or literally anything that isn’t based off of an economy car would work too.
Your last point “for less money” is the issue-it isn’t less money.
But it isn’t less quality neither. I am mentioning Toyota in the “less money” sentence, not Lexus. If Lexus adds higher quality components – the price difference is justified. And I can read a long list of components that wouldn’t make any expensive vehicle blush.
As for examples – the vehicle in question is a 3-row SUV. CX90 is a worthy alternative which I like a lot, the jury is out if it’s a higher class or finish or quality or standard than any Lexus. Q7 or GL whatever are indeed 3-row SUVs, I wouldn’t consider them better or worse than a Lexus, and wouldn’t expect a Lexus with equal equipment level to be less expensive (or more, for that matter).
3-row X5s I haven’t seen, but I haven’t looked for them neither. Maybe they do exist. I still expect an X5 to be smaller than this thing.
One way or the other – the “a Lexus is just a Toyota” argument has not been one since the very first LS, and nowadays is actually a plus if one looks for an excellent ballpark, which more family movers are.
BMW will always excel at the end of the spectrum and always have some higher end model with insane specs that drives like a beast, G. bless them for this, but so will also a Range Rover or any other “Be smart, buy new, replace every three years or at end of warranty whichever comes first” beautiful beast.
Driving expensive luxury vehicles that don’t last is a viable alternative for the income bracket that can afford them new. They have to exist. Just like have to exist luxury quality vehicles that are actually reliable.
RE: the LS. Afaik the LS was its own platform designed to be an expensive luxury car from the start.
I agree with most of your points, I don’t think we will be agreeing on this inflated profit margin abomination cashgrab of a vehicle.
The base Highlander XL is not exactly inexpensive neither 🙂
Add the Lexus goodies (V6 and whatnot), and you have the price that they ask.
Whether the Highlander XL is worth the money asked is another story – post-Covid car prices are a universe of their own.
Most people don’t know this, but the front of the car is an OSHA approved ladder. It looks like an X5 ran into the Good and Gather section at Target. I’m just glad shiplap will have its place in future. Hopefully Joanna Gaines gets a design credit here.
Boy is that ever uuuuugly!
I am the market for this car, but I want the PHEV. I’m afraid of what that one is going to cost. I’m guessing > $72k. That makes it hard to justify over the CX-90 PHEV which tops out around $60k. For me the other issue is there’s no Lexus dealer near (60+ miles away). I really like this car though.
I would love to see Adrian absolutely destroy this awful exterior design in one of his eloquent rants. The front is weird while the profile makes generic look expressive. Beyond that I’m sure this performs the function it was made for quite well.
It’s nice the third row looks comfortable but it looks like it came at the expense of having virtually no cargo room behind it – and a large family is going to have a stroller or baby bags or whatever. A minivan still does this job better.
Lexus press material states that this TX can carry 7 people and 7 carry-ons in the trunk at the same time. Looking at the trunk of the TX, I do not see how this is possible, unless the third row seats are bolt upright, making them untenable for human beings.
“People carry on purses, right?”
“Sure, write it up as one carry-on per seat.”
Alternatively, they’re going to show how they took some interestingly-shaped carryons and stacked them to the ceiling. It works as long as you don’t mind using the rear-seat occupants as a retaining wall or remaining stopped the whole time you’re loaded.
Another site does a real-world luggage tests of their press cars and just did one with the Grand Highlander. All the test luggage including 2 checked bags and 3 carry-ons fit behind the third row, with room to see out the back window, to their own surprise. Usually they note if any quirks like adjustable load floors or seatback angles so I’m guessing it’s a habitable seat angle. The TX has 20.2 cubic feet so a smidge less, but seems like it may be doable.
Proper gauges with a proper visor on them, rather than a constellation of ipads thrown to a sticky dash, and electronic screens showing info shaped like a mid-80’s Lansay console sticker set ? Check
Buttons and knobs to do stuff that needs buttons and knobs to be done ? Check
It is sad that those two have become an actual thing to yearn on and consider a rarity nowadays, but it is what it is.
Looks like they finished designing the interior and forgot about infotainment before tacking a screen onto the dash.
My wife and I will likely be shopping in this class in the next couple of years so I keep a close eye on all the offerings. IMHO this just seems a little pricey for what you’re getting. You’re essentially paying a 10% premium (or more) for the Lexus badge and dealership experience. At the end of the day, is that worth it?
For plenty of people I’m sure it will be, and I’m sure there will be some appealing lease deals for the the upper middle class posing as nouveau rich demographic that tends to gravitate towards this sort of thing. But like you suggest, I’d have a hard time spending the extra money over a CX-90, which has more cylinders, probably better fuel economy than the base 4 popper model of this, more driving verve, and a substantially lower price.
Plus once you’re in the 60s you’re firmly in X5/X7 territory, especially if you’re willing to go certified. I’d take a B58 and true RWD dynamics over this every single time, and while I’m sure someone will respond BUT NSANE, THE RELIABILITY!, the B58 is about as sturdy and well sorted as it gets.
As a Lexus owner, the dealer experience is hard to beat. My Lexus is more than two decades old, yet when I take it in for oil changes (they send me coupons every month that make it cheaper than doing it myself) they treat me like I’m driving a new Lexus and happily give me a loaner, wash my car after the oil change, and throw food at me if I decide to wait on the car instead.
With that said, I’m with you that the CX-90 seems like a much more compelling deal. I think the smart play, if someone really wants the TX, is to wait for it to hit the used market. Lexus vehicles tend to lose value faster than their Toyota equivalent, so while there is a big price differential between the TX and the Grand Highlander now, I bet they will be similarly priced on the used market next year.
I live & work a good 45min away from my BMW dealer, so the concierge service experience will definitely fit into my future purchase decision. It is so damn convenient to have them come to my home or office, leave me a new-ish BMW loaner car, and then return it back after service. As long as the car is within the warranty/service period, it costs me nothing (out of pocket – I realize it’s not actually free). The closest Mazda dealer is very close to the BMW dealer, and the thought of having to take time to drive there for service is a huge negative for Mazda. I’m not sure it’ll be *the* deciding factor, but the service definitely has value for me.
I don’t want to meet the designer of this car
The Lexus Texas 😀
Also, they should import the Alphard. It would be a nice addition to the Lexus lineup
Absolutely. Rode in a few in Japan over the summer and its the perfect urban people mover.
I like the lettering spelled out, but without the actual logo it looks naked. The grille is just so strange to me, like when a cheap repaint sprays every piece of trim even if it wasn’t body color before.
It’s worth reiterating loaded Grand Highlander pricing too. A standard 2.4T Platinum is just shy of $55k, while the HybridMax Platinum is just shy of 60k. The leap from the Toyota to a TX 350 isn’t very large, but it is for the 500h. The hybrid doesn’t take a hit in mileage though, 27/28 – actually 1mpg higher in each on the Lexus.
Seems like they’re trying to position the 500h it as an MDX Type-S alternative, it’s priced right on top. The HybridMax powertrain seems to be getting good reviews in the Toyota, at just a couple ticks behind such an Acura in acceleration. If you just want a hybrid without performance aspirations that’s where the 550h+ comes in, since they say that will be Luxury grade so not performance-oriented. It’s still surprising to me the V6 lives on after all in the plug-in form, but nice that it does.
Can we just call it what it is?
That face is a marked improvement over the rest of the Lexus lineup. It’s not beautiful, but it’s not the stuff of nightmares anymore.
So, it’s a Lexus Texas?
Maybe they should’ve Googled that first. With the porn filter off.
Rubber floors should be an option.