The new 2024 Lexus TX is here, a three-row family hauler based on the Toyota Grand Highlander with space to spare and impressive capability. Hitting the market with a variety of powertrains, including a V6 plug-in hybrid with 406 hp, the TX is Lexus’ first foray into an SUV with real cargo space behind the third row, and all signs point to it being a rock-solid contender in the segment.
Highlights? There are plenty. Not only is the TX capable of hauling seven passengers and a ton of luggage, but the top trim 550h+ is a plug-in hybrid that gets 30 miles per gallon and an all-electric range of 33 miles. Every trim is available with all-wheel-drive, too, and the interior is riddled with enough USB ports to keep every kid glued to an iPad.
Right now, the only Lexus models offering three rows of seating are the LX and soon-to-be-replaced GX, with the awkward three-row midsize RX being eliminated (so far) in that SUV’s generational update. The TX is different, though, as the first Lexus designed specifically to carry seven people in comfort with plenty of cargo space—20 cubic feet—behind the third row. It’s shaping up to be a pretty ideal road tripper, that much we can see.
The Lexus TX 350 is the cheapest model (though no pricing info is available yet) and gets a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 275 horsepower. It’s the only trim available with front-wheel-drive—AWD is an option—and it gets the poorest fuel economy of the three drivetrains available at 21 mpg combined. A step up to the TX500h means 366 hybrid horsepower, all-wheel-drive, and 24 mpg combined. Interestingly, this trim is also available with four-wheel steering to help manage the car’s size in parking lots and add stability on the highway.
The top trim TX550h+ is really the one you want, although it won’t be available at launch. Its potent combination of a 3.5-liter V6 and a powerful hybrid system means 30 MPG, AWD, and 406 hp. Lexus says that because this electric torque is sent to all four wheels, the TX550h is extremely responsive to throttle inputs. The large battery allows for 33 miles of all-electric cruising as well, although the automaker has yet to release charge speeds and other battery information.
At 203.5 inches long, the TX is a little over seven inches shorter than a comparable Chevy Tahoe, which also offers three rows with some trunk space. As such, its trunk volume of 20.1 cubic feet is a little less, but not by much. With the third row folded, the Lexus offers an impressive 57.4 cubic feet of cargo space. Folding every row behind the driver means 97 cubic feet. This is still less than a comparable Tahoe/Yukon, but the TX’s impressive fuel economy, all-electric range, and other features could convince a buyer to choose it over a three-row built domestically or otherwise.
There are a total of seven USB ports throughout the cabin for charging as well as three full-fledged power outlets. Buyers can also spec the second row with two captain’s chairs or a 40/60 split bench. Going for the captain’s chairs means the option of a second-row center console, which adds some useful storage space if the third row is rarely used. Other nice options include a 21-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system, a number of reconfigurable cupholders, and heated second-row seats.
The driver gets a number of nice features, too. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is complimented by an available heads-up display as well as a 14-inch infotainment screen, which is integrated into the dash nicely. A number of safety and assistance features also keep drivers on their toes. A pre-collision system that can detect pedestrians helps avoid accidents, and the TX will keep you centered in your lane as well as steer you back into it if you stray too far from the dashed lines. All of this is rounded out nicely by radar cruise control, although it’s not clear how many of these features will come standard.
The outside of the TX is nothing groundbreaking—you can plainly see the Grand Highlander roots in its overall shape, but it’s a clean design and Lexus did a solid job adapting the new RX’s nose for it. Twenty-inch wheels come standard with 22s available on higher trims as well. Along with interior colors like Peppercorn, Birch, and Black, the outside of the three-row Lexus can be had in several tones of grey, a sparkly white, metallic black, and two actual colors; Matador Red Mica and Nightfall Mica, the latter being a dark blue.
The TX 350 and 500h will arrive at dealers this fall.
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