2024 Lexus TX First Drive Review: Nailing The Family Luxury Recipe

如果你跳入TX期待最优质的cabin Lexus has ever built, prepare to be disappointed. Expect a Grand Highlander with nicer appointments, and you should be pleasantly surprised. The Black and Peppercorn (brown) interiors look a bit drab, but the available Birch interior, as pictured here, lightens the cabin significantly. Most trims come with NuLuxe synthetic leather, while the TX 350 and TX 550h+ Luxury grades get semi-aniline leather. Opting for the 500h F Sport Performance brings more bolstered front seats and a sportier steering wheel with perforated leather. The cabin is appropriately plush for the price point, but it doesn't stand out visually.

All TX grades get a 14-inch touchscreen with a familiar Lexus interface that is easy to operate. A seven-inch multi-information display (MID) lives in the gauge cluster on lower grades, while upper ones get a 12.3-inch one.

The layout is ergonomic and comfortable. We particularly like the configurable cupholders, which can be removed to create more storage space and can accommodate large water bottles with ease.

Power in the TX comes from one of three drivetrains. According to Lexus, base TX 350 will make up approximately 70% of sales, and it's powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It produces 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, managed via an eight-speed automatic transmission for either the front wheels or all four. Fuel economy is rated at 21/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD or 20/26/23 with AWD.

Upgrading to the TX 500h F Sport Performance adds a parallel hybrid system that boosts the output to 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It may have two fewer gears, but the 500h gets to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds compared to eight seconds in the TX 350 (7.8 seconds with AWD). Not only is the 500h quicker, the fuel economy is superior at 27/28/27 mpg.

Finally, the TX 550h+ arrives next year sporting a 3.5-liter V6 paired with two electric motors. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain sends 406 hp through an eCVT, making this the quickest TX at just 5.9 seconds to 60 mph. It can also travel 33 miles on electric power, and it boasts the best fuel economy in the range of 29/28/29.

Even on 22-inch wheels, the TX prioritizes comfort with a plush ride and minimal road noise. It's at least on-par with its competitors from Acura and Infiniti in this area. The F Sport Performance boasts a sportier adaptive variable suspension that sacrifices a bit of softness in favor of more body control. This variant is still plenty comfortable, but it's more thrilling to drive as a result. The TX 500h, which is only offered in F Sport flavor, also adds rear-axle steering. It makes this large vehicle feel nimbler while parking or taking corners.

Both turbocharged drivetrains are smooth, but the electrified performance from the TX 500h is clearly more eager to accelerate compared to the TX 350. It has far more low end torque and can coast on the electric motor to save fuel. As for the TX 550h+, the V6 engine and eCVT combination provided seamless power delivery, but the system does not simulate gears and can sometimes sound awkward when accelerating. Though it's the quickest of the bunch, the experience feels less sporty than the TX 500h.

Lexus has never offered a crossover with this much space, and nothing in this segment (besides the aging Buick Enclave, and the Toyota Grand Highlander with which it shares a platform) can compete with the TX in terms of cargo hauling. With the third row up, the TX can fit 20.2 cubic feet of space, enough to squeeze in seven carry-on bags. Upper trims get a powered third row (which is a bit slow to fold) that can drop to open up 57.4 cubes. With the second row folded - which involves a slightly overcomplicated process that requires you to pull two levers - the TX bests nearly everything in its class with 97 cubic feet of space.

As for passengers, the TX 350's second row offers seating for three across a bench or two in captain's chairs. All hybrid models come with captain's chairs as standard. Those passengers get a healthy 39.5 inches of legroom and available heated/ventilated seats. Even the third row is spacious with 33.5 inches of legroom.

The TX is exactly what Lexus needed. Now when RX owners grow their families, they won't be forced to leave the Lexus brand to find a more practical family car. The bulk of sales will be the TX 350, which starts at $53,700 with FWD, excluding $1,350 for destination. Upgrading to the Premium and Luxury grades brings the price to $57,100 and $59,600, respectively. Adding AWD costs $1,650 on all these trims.Pricing is slightly higher than rivalsfrom Acura and Infiniti.

There is a pretty sizable price increase for the TX 500h F Sport Performance Premium, which starts at $68,000. That's a $9,300 upgrade over a comparable TX 350 Premium AWD. The TX 500h F Sport Performance Luxury tops the lineup at $71,300, at least until Lexus reveals pricing for the TX 550h+, which only comes in Luxury guise.

Based on its impressive practicality and unique powertrains for the segment, the TX should be high on your list of luxury three-row crossovers. It's a winning recipe, and we are surprised Lexus didn't build it sooner.