Lexus TX Won't Get Grand Highlander's Cheaper Hybrid Powertrain

The2024 Lexus TXmay share a platform with theToyota Grand Highlander, but the two SUVs differ in their powertrains, especially on the hybrid variants where Toyota offers a base 245-horsepower hybrid option whereas the entry-level Lexus TX Hybrid is a 2.4-liter turbo hybrid option with 366 hp in the TX 500h. The TX 500h represents a $9,000 price bump over the base (non-hybrid) TX 350, so at the recent launch drive of the TX, we asked whether Lexus would consider a more attainable hybrid derivative to bridge that price gap. As it turns out, Lexus didn't think equipping the TX with the entry-level Toyota powertrain was the right fit for this new vehicle.

Lexus TX Chief Engineer Naohisa Hatta explained the decision. "Lexus is defining performance goals, which is different for each model," Hatta explained. "The performance [for the hybrid] didn't meet the needs for TX. The 2.4 is our core, F Sport is for dynamic driving, and the V6 is for luxurious driving with linear characteristics."

一个s a reminder, the Grand Highlander Hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to deliver 245 hp (torque is not rated). That output makes it the least powerful and slowest version of the Grand Highlander, though it does deliver the best fuel economy with a 34 mpg combined average. This option works fine for Toyota, but Lexus thought customers would want more power in the TX.

In fact, the TX outmatches its Toyota counterpart in both power and torque. The gas-only 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque in the TX compared to 265 hp and 310 lb-ft in the Grand Highlander. The story is the same for the hybrid, which produces 366 hp and 406 lb-ft in the Lexus versus 362 hp and 400 lb-ft in the Toyota.

Hatta admitted that the additional output isachieved using premium fuel, but specified that "the drive programs are different on Grand Highlander. The throttle position and the output relationship is different."