AUSTIN – In a world the place most luxurious automakers have launched plush, neatly designed, road-oriented three-row SUVs, Lexus has, unusually, not. Whereas it has actually provided SUVs with three rows, the rearmost one has by no means been particularly helpful. Within the case of the LX and GX, it’s been a type of bonus function for the luxurious off-roaders, whereas the one within the now-discontinued RX L’s had a sure “finest we might do below the circumstances” really feel to it. The brand new 2024 Lexus TX, alternatively, has the actual deal. Based mostly on the Toyota Grand Highlander, the TX is an area environment friendly, gasoline environment friendly, and road-ready luxurious three-row SUV that’s definitely value your time. No less than, the hybrid ones are.
Not like the Lexus NX, which you’d be hard-pressed to inform is a RAV4 beneath, the TX is extra clearly associated to the Grand Highlander. Nonetheless, Lexus did a stable job restyling Toyota’s also-new three-row crossover. The outside’s strains have been softened, save for the entrance fascia that adopts the angular, grille-centric seems of different Lexus fashions. The partial floating roof look created by the blackout D-pillar and the full-width taillights full the outside transformation. The inside is arguably extra impressively reimagined. The dashboard and door panels are utterly completely different, and in case you’ve been within the new RX, you’ve got seen all of it earlier than. The primary attraction is a piano black monolith that homes an instrument cluster display screen and 14-inch infotainment display screen with Toyota’s present working system. These door panels additionally function the digital door handles Lexus has been rolling out.
Sprint supplies differ primarily based on the trim. All of them are definitely high quality, and well-assembled, although the bottom variations do not feel a lot fancier than what you’d discover within the Grand Highlander. The suede-like supplies out there on increased trims undoubtedly elevate issues. The entrance seats comply with an identical sample. The bottom seats are fantastic with pretty smooth cushioning, however they’re missing in assist and changes. Optionally available seats out there on increased trims, significantly those with adjustable thigh helps, are excellent and properly value choosing up. Head- and legroom are good up entrance, with the previous being improved in case you decide out of a sunroof. Knee room aspect to aspect is a little bit comfortable at first blush, however will not be seen when you’re settled in and driving. As is typical, the seats get progressively firmer and flatter going from entrance to rear. The second row has loads of room in each route, and the third row is definitely tolerable for pretty tall adults or youngsters. If nothing else, that makes the TX a extra viable three-row car for extra households – not simply compared to previous Lexus choices, however your entire luxurious panorama as properly. These with really liveable third rows are few and much between, except you need to spend near $100,000 for one thing like a Mercedes GLS or Lincoln Navigator.
Mechanically, the TX is sort of just like the Grand Highlander, however with a lot of notable variations. The entry-level TX 350 will get the identical fundamental powertrain because the common Grand Highlander with a 2.4-liter making 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, which is barely greater than the Toyota due to new tuning for premium gasoline. It sends energy by way of an eight-speed computerized transmission to both simply the entrance wheels or all 4, and each drivelines ship 23 mpg mixed. And the expertise with this powertrain is just about just like the Toyota. The engine has glorious, simply accessible torque that is good for shunting across the roughly 4,500-pound SUV with ease. It’s nonetheless a bit coarse sounding, but it surely has sufficient sound insulation to maintain it in test. The transmission is much smoother than the engine, good for luxurious cruising. The suspension is fastened in tuning and it’s expectedly smooth, however well-controlled. It does lean a good bit, however responds properly to steering inputs, and the steering itself is properly weighted with even some suggestions. Not a lot, however greater than you may anticipate.
The hybrid powertrains are the place issues begin to change. As a substitute of the meagerly powered however extra-efficient “basic” hybrid provided by the Grand Highlander and Lexus RX 350h, the bottom gasoline-electric selection, discovered within the TX 500h, is the Hybrid Max powertrain shared with the RX 500h and range-topping Grand Highlander. The entrance wheels are powered by a mix of two.4-liter turbocharged inline-four, standard six-speed computerized and a 64-kilowatt electrical motor sandwiched between them inside a clutch pack; a 76-kilowatt motor powers the rear wheels by way of what Lexus calls its eAxle that may proactively interact primarily based on varied parameters as a substitute of merely reacting to front-wheel slippage (as the usual Toyota/Lexus hybrid all-wheel-drive system does). Output is 366 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque, which is only a hair higher than its Lexus/Toyota siblings. Gasoline economic system estimates of 27 mpg mixed are equal to the Grand Highlander’s.
That is simply as pleasing a powertrain within the TX 500h as it’s elsewhere, with a deep consumption sound (which does appear to be artificially enhanced), few shifts interrupting energy supply, and, properly, loads of energy.
The opposite hybrid possibility is the TX 550h+. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain shouldn’t be shared with the Grand Highlander and though comparable in idea to what’s discovered within the RX 450h+, it boasts a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 instead of a 2.5-liter NA inline-four. Its lithium-ion battery pack (as a substitute of the nickel metallic hydride one discovered within the 500h) can present an estimated 33 miles of EV-only vary and, together with its twin-motor transaxle, contributes to a complete system output of 404 horsepower. Torque numbers have not been given.
In EV mode, the electrical motors present superbly clean propulsion that can get it to freeway velocity simply fantastic. However as they are not the only real supply of ahead motion, they do really feel a little bit underpowered at full-throttle. With the engine engaged, it really feels just about just like the TX 500h’s powertrain. That is in all probability extra a testomony to how properly Lexus tuned the sound and energy of the 500h, reasonably than something dangerous concerning the V6. And whereas the 550h+ has practically 40 extra horsepower, it would not really feel a lot faster because of the additional weight (5,357 kilos versus 4,949). As such, the principle motive to get the 550h+ is for the gasoline economic system. It has the perfect mixed score of 29 mpg, however it is best to be capable of do significantly better than that in case you routinely plug it in – and why wouldn’t you?
Suspension design is generally the identical because the Grand Highlander with the Hybrid Max, however the TX hybrids get the adaptive shocks and rear-wheel steering provided by the RX. These make a major enchancment in dealing with, providing a lot much less physique roll and extra keen cornering when in sport modes than a daily TX or Grand Highlander. And within the regular modes, it is simply as soft over bumps. The steering oddly feels a bit extra numb and lightweight than the bottom mannequin, although. Nonetheless, the opposite enhancements in driving would nonetheless go away us preferring the hybrid fashions.
Total, the Lexus TX is an excellent three-row SUV as a result of the Grand Highlander can be an excellent three-row SUV. That presents a little bit of an issue, nonetheless. The bottom worth for the TX 350 is $55,050, which is about $10,000 greater than a base Grand Highlander. That leaves loads of room for choices and better trims, and with how comparable it’s to drive and the small hole in inside fanciness, we might truthfully recommend choosing the Toyota (or a Kia Telluride). Thankfully, the hybrids supply a lot extra in the best way of consolation, dealing with, efficiency enhancements and uniqueness that they make a powerful case for themselves, even at increased costs of $69,350 for the TX 500h and an undisclosed increased cost for the TX 550h+. That’s really not dangerous contemplating that equally priced three-row luxurious SUVs are much less sensible, whereas equally spacious ones can push $100,000 or extra.
So there you have got it, supplied you are getting one of many hybrid Lexus TX fashions, you are getting an expensive three-row SUV that does all the things properly. It is spacious, environment friendly, highly effective, snug but respectable in corners. And most vital, it suits this area of interest higher than something Lexus has tried to shoehorn into it beforehand.
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