Yahoo Autos 2024 Lexus TX Review: Ultimate family-hauling luxury crossover
Pros: Class-leading passenger and cargo space; hybrid powertrains; Lexus dependability
Cons: Some frustrating tech controls; it’s basically a fancy Grand Highlander; droning TX 550h+ engine
Feel free to call it the Lexus Texas, because the 2024 Lexus TX is certainly big enough to satisfy the old adage that everything is bigger in the Lone Star State. It’s definitely the biggest Lexus ever, in terms of length and interior capacity, if not weight. While there have previously been three-row Lexus models, none have actually offered a third row that’s especially spacious or comfortable. The TX’s is not only that, it’s actually the most spacious and comfortable in the three-row luxury crossover segment. The TX also has the most cargo space behind that row, by quite a large margin, in fact.
So it’s big, and it’s a crossover, unlike the truck-based Lexus GX and LX models that may be swell off-road but suffer from relatively cumbersome dynamics on-road as well as less space-efficient interiors. Their fuel economy is also, well, bad. Not so the TX, which offers three efficient powertrains including the TX 500h hybrid and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid. Put together this fuel sipping with those jumbo proportions and the TX is impossible to ignore.
But should you take one home? If there’s a main reason for pause is that the TX is really just a Toyota Grand Highlander with fancier paint, plusher interior materials and upgraded hybrid powertrains. You’ll get the same space and most of the same features, most notably the similarly frustrating infotainment system, in its Toyota sibling. The TX even looks more like the Grand Highlander than it does other Lexus models. Maybe this shared DNA won’t matter for some, maybe it means you should visit a Toyota dealer instead, maybe you’ll be happier with a Volvo XC90 or Infiniti QX60 as a result. It’s up to you.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it's like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What's new for 2024?
The TX is an all-new model.
What are the Lexus TX interior and in-car technology like?
The TX offers the usual impeccable Lexus build quality with plush materials everywhere you look. Soft-padded simulated leather or suede are everywhere, while the switchgear is top notch. We don’t quite understand the advantage of the weird, removable cup-cubes that can move between the front and rear consoles, but it’s at least a key point of difference between the TX’s interior functionality and the Grand Highlander’s.
There certainly isn’t much of a difference in terms of the touchscreen infotainment system, which is identical apart from being 14 inches instead of 12. That added real estate is really only utilized by adding the climate controls to its purview, though. Everything else is cut-and-paste, including the often-frustrating radio controls and the navigation system that defaults back to forward-up view every time you switch to another menu. If the driver selects North Up, why does Lexus/Toyota think that’s a temporary preference?
Much, much worse are the unlabeled steering wheel buttons that require you to look at the head-up display to see what they’re controlling. You even have to use them to cycle through trip computer information in the traditional digital instrument panel. It’s confusing, distracting and a constant source of frustration made even worse if you’re wearing polarized sunglasses.
How big is the Lexus TX?
Three-row luxury crossovers have traditionally been less spacious than their non-luxury counterparts. Not so the Lexus TX. It has basically the same dimensions as the Toyota Grand Highlander, which is one of the largest non-luxury crossovers. As a result, its third row is spacious enough for adults and big teenagers, while more comfortably accommodating children. One point of difference, though: the TX only has two seatbelts in the third row and therefore a maximum of seven passengers (or six with second-row captain’s chairs). The Grand Highlander is 8/7 depending on the second-row. And should you be wondering about how the Lexus GX and LX compare to the TX in terms of interior space, the answer is, they’re not even close.
Cargo space is similarly best-in-class. Indeed, the TX swallowed all six suitcases of our standardized luggage test behind its raised third row – a feat matched only by the Grand Highlander, Jeep Wagoneer and extended-length truck-based SUVs.
What are the Lexus TX fuel economy, range and performance specs?
There are three models that correspond to different powertrains: TX 350, TX 500h and TX 550h+.
