2024 Lexus TX Packs Three Rows of Comfort in a Luxury SUV

• The 2024 Lexus TX rides on the same TNGA platform as Toyota’s three-row Grand Highlander.
  

• Lexus offers three powertrains: a base 2.4-liter turbocharged I4, a turbocharged 2.4-liter hybrid, and a 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid.

• The Lexus TX goes on sale this fall with a $56,400 starting price, which includes destination charges.

The Toyota Sienna is one of the kings of the minivan space, yet the company’s luxury arm has never really had a true Family Truckster. The Sienna never crossed over to live a luxurious life in a Lexus dealership, but time has (almost) killed the minivan.

Now that school pickup lines are dominated by two- and three-row crossovers, Lexus is here with a seven-seater that makes sense for the brand. The Lexus TX takes what the company has shown with its widely popular recent RX models and gives you even more space and options.

While the Toyota Grand Highlander and the Lexus TX share a platform, they don’t share all the powertrains. Powering base-model Lexus TX 350s is a 2.4-liter turbocharged I4 that sends 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic to the front or all four wheels.

This base model powertrain adds a hybrid element when becoming the Lexus TX 500h, but with a six-speed automatic. Stepping up to the 500h also means the 2.4-liter turbocharged mill is joined by a hybrid system to raise the total output to 366 hp and 409 lb-ft of torque.

Topping the range is the TX 550h+, which replaces the turbocharged I4 with a 3.5-liter V6 that’s mated to a CVT. This trim rises to 404 hp and over 30 miles of electric-only range.

While the hybrid systems, especially the plug-in, perform capably, the base TX 350 front-wheel-drive model is far from a slouch. Power delivery is smooth and engine noise is kept to a dull roar in this Lexus shell.

Shuffling through the infotainment screen to adjust the drive mode will give the force-fed four-cylinder a more aggressive throttle input, but most customers will probably leave shuffling drive modes alone, especially since they are buried inside of the media system.

The more potent TX 500h nets you an even smoother power delivery thanks to the help of electric motors. The extra power is nice, too, while you’re trying to keep up with hectic traffic.

The true star of the lineup is the company’s TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid, which can move through the world with near silence thanks to its healthy electric range. This V6 PHEV sits atop the TX range, making it attractive to power-hungry shoppers.

To many, the TX’s powertrain is just an end to a means. The true star of the Lexus TX is its space. Split between six or seven-passenger configurations, this is ready to haul, well, five to six members of your family or friend group.

Opening the rear doors, you’ll find easy-to-use seat controls on the seat skirt of the middle row, which move it out of the way. With the second-row seat slid forward, climbing into the third row isn’t hard for those with an average-to-tall build.

In the third row, despite your legroom’s fundamental dependence on the sliding seats ahead, you’ll find a relatively comfortable space. But if you want to be chauffeured around in the third row, you’ll need your driver to slide the second-row seat through which you entered back to its original position.

The driver’s seat is met with similar comfort. The base model TX 350’s seats are comfortable but lack the bolstering that you might expect from a more premium offering. However, that complaint is resolved by moving up through the TX hierarchy to the better-appointed Premium and Luxury badged models.

But the lack of a standard head-up display might sway some to the more basic models, as it features a more traditional multi-function steering wheel layout.

The Lexus TX models that come with a head-up display use controls similar to those on the new Lexus RX. That means there’s a fairly sharp learning curve for those who aren’t familiar with touch-sensitive steering wheel controls that are multi-mapped based on what is shown in the head-up display.

When you get the hang of this high-tech wheel, it opens a host of new controls that would otherwise make an already busy steering wheel even more cramped.

Like most other new products, the true operational hub of the interior rests in the middle of the dashboard. The 14.0-inch screen isn’t the largest on the market today, somehow, but does react quickly to your inputs.

The system works well but features like your drive mode selector get buried deep enough into the system that you might not bother messing with them, especially if you add the extra layer of Apple CarPlay on top. However, with or without CarPlay, the screen is snappy and responsive regardless of trim or option package.

The new TX does not ride like a logging truck, despite the smallest set of wheels spanning 20 inches. MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear control the TX’s wheels, including the larger 22-inch rollers that are available on TX 350 Luxury models and come standard on the 500h and 550h+ models.

The standard suspension in the base TX 350 does a surprisingly good job managing a 20-inch wheel that’s wrapped in a relatively narrow 225/45 tire.

Lexus also packed the TX with plenty of active safety and driver-assistance features. Fortunately, yours truly avoided testing any of the pre-collision or pedestrian alert systems.

Adaptive cruise control works as you’d expect, even if you have to relearn how to set the distance through the head-up display. The blind-spot monitoring, too, works well and provides you with a nice reminder to avoid jumping into a new lane without making sure it’s clear.

All in all, the TX does exactly what the folks at Lexus set out to do: It’s large, comfortable, and high-tech, with a modern look and feel. In fact, it shows that Lexus could make a minivan after all, though this just lacks the sliding doors and has a less stigmatized shape. Still, the TX seems to eagerly embrace its people-hauling aspirations.

Do you think the Lexus TX will resonate with the anti-minivan crowd? Tell us your thoughts below.