There are so many large luxury SUV models today that it's easy to think the world doesn't need one more. Still, as Lexus re-shuffles and refreshes its SUV offerings, the company decided that one more is exactly what the market needs. And, after spending a week being cosseted and entertained by the company's new 2024 TX 500h+ plug-in hybrid (PHEV), I confess that I have to agree.
The TX is a new 3-row SUV, slotting into the Lexus lineup as a more luxurious alternative to the other big, new Lexus, the 2024 GX, which will offer a more rugged flavor.
The starting price on the new Lexus TX is in the mid-$50,000 range for a base TX 350 with front-wheel drive (FWD). The TX you see here is a top-range TX 550h+ Luxury PHEV with all-wheel drive (AWD) and a manufacturer's suggested retail price of around $80,000.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Lexus TX competes in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, Upper Midsize Premium SUV owners rated their vehicles in 10 primary categories.
Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from what they like most about Upper Midsize Premium SUVs to what they like least:
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $81,755, including the $1,350 destination charge.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Though large in stature, climbing into the front seats of the Lexus TX is a cinch. No folding running boards or the like is required here; just get in and go.
Up front, the brown leather seats (Lexus calls the color Peppercorn) have more bolstering than you'd typically expect in this category. Still, despite that, they're incredibly comfortable, while the combination of sueded sides and perforated centers give them a subtly sporty look.
The seats feature heating and cooling—quite effective on both ends of the spectrum—and are power-adjustable with three memory positions for the driver. A massage feature is the only thing missing.
Lexus positions the two command chairs in the second row slightly higher, giving good forward visibility. This should help passengers with sensitive stomachs. Those seats are likewise heated and cooled, offer adjustable recline, and second-row passengers have their own HVAC controls to dial in a perfect temperature without bothering their parents. Two USB-C ports plus a 110-volt outlet ensure their devices won't complain, either.
Finally, there's room for two more travelers in the third row, for a total of six passengers. (Other trim levels hold seven with a bench seat in the second row.) The second-row seats in the 550h+ Luxury trim fold forward at the touch of a button, making entry into that third row relatively easy. There's generous legroom back there, though headroom is tight for taller adults. That third row even has power-adjustable reclining seats.
Vents in the roof ensure the third row stays heated or cooled, while another pair of USB-C ports will keep devices charging.
Materials everywhere are top-notch, and all the physical controls have a great feel.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Lexus Interface infotainment system, accessed via a large, 14-inch, landscape-oriented touchscreen, is clean and simple to use. It features:
While the touchscreen is quick and responsive, and the straightforward UI offers generously sized touchpoints, Lexus also integrates a voice assistant that is quite comprehensive. It tackles basic tasks with ease, like receiving an address or finding the closest Starbucks. It even handles more nuanced requests, like "I'm hungry" or "I'm hot."
The bulk of the physical controls live on the steering wheel. The left and right stalks both feature four-way D-pads, though they do not act as you might expect. Give any direction a quick tap, and nothing happens. These controls are touch-sensitive, and it's not until you rest your thumb upon them for a moment that they are enabled.
Once enabled, the TX's heads-up display shows an overlay of what each control does. The right is mainly for cruise control and drive-mode changes, while the left handles media and phone calls. But, again, they will only do something once they've registered the presence of your thumb. Raising the speed on the cruise control, for example, requires resting your thumb for about a second before you can press up.
Whether using the touchscreen or the thumb controls, cycling through audio inputs is quick and easy. The sound quality from the 21-speaker Mark Levinson system is excellent, clear, and powerful without being overwhelming.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The 2024 Lexus TX relies on a PHEV system pairing a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine with two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. Systems like this sometimes feel a bit schizophrenic, with uneven power delivery and unpredictable responses. However, the powertrain here is remarkably smooth and responsive. Regardless of whether you're hypermiling in Eco mode or toggled up to Sport mode, the motors and engine work seamlessly to provide smooth, steady acceleration, and lots of it.
The total system power is 404 horsepower. Lexus doesn't quote a system torque figure, but it must be high because this big machine accelerates well. And, thanks to the standard AWD system on the 550h+ Luxury trim, there's plenty of grip, too. This is not a proper, off-road machine, but the TX always retained its footing, even in cold, wet conditions.
It even sounds good when pressed hard. You wouldn't expect an SUV like this to sound like much. Still, the engine note on the Lexus TX is surprisingly present, especially in Sport mode when the continuously variable automatic transmission holds a higher rev. Toggle over to Normal or Eco, though, and it's much quieter.
Though hardly an engaging handling machine, the Lexus TX proves to be a reasonably fun drive through the corners. The steering has a decent feel, though it's overly weighted in Sport mode. Thankfully, creating a custom drive mode with maximum engine responsiveness and reduced steering resistance is easy.
What you can't customize, however, is suspension stiffness. The TX rides on non-adjustable MacPherson struts. That's a seeming handicap in the big luxury SUV space, but the suspension here is so well-tuned that I don't think most will mind. It handles bigger bumps and road imperfections smoothly, yet it doesn't float and meander down the road.
The Lexus TX is very nice to drive and engaging enough to be exciting but not so lively that your passengers in the way back will complain.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Every 2024 Lexus TX offers a comprehensive suite of active safety systems, including:
That infrared driver monitoring camera sits on the top of the steering column, ensuring it's positioned correctly to see your eyes regardless of where you have the wheel aligned. From there, it can detect driver distraction and will chime whenever your eyes spend more time on roadside attractions than traffic. This can be annoying, but do your duty as a good driver, pay attention to the drive, and it won't be a problem.
The Lexus TX's adaptive cruise control system worked well in thick and thin traffic, identifying slowed and even stopped vehicles in time to adjust speed smoothly. The active-steering lane-keeping assistance system also did a great job keeping the big TX centered. However, unlike the hands-off offerings from BMW and General Motors, this is still a hands-on system.
In short, Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 was a good companion and a genuine assistant, not an annoyance.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Third-row seats fold into the floor at the touch of a button, quickly and easily expanding the cargo space from 20.2 cubic feet to 57.4. Second-row seats go flat, too, but Lexus did not design them for easy removal. Still, fold them down, and you have a whopping 97 cubic feet of volume at your disposal. A few integrated tie-down points on the side make it easy to secure cargo.
Regarding day-to-day storage practicalities, the TX offers a generous selection of cupholders and an armrest storage compartment that's big enough, even for utilitarian purses. Still, you won't find much in the way of clever storage compartments beyond that.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the gas-only TX 350 achieves 23 mpg in combined driving with either FWD or AWD. The AWD-only 550h+ PHEV, meanwhile, gets an EPA-estimated 27 mpg. In my mixed testing with a partially charged battery, I saw slightly worse: 26.1 mpg. Still, for an SUV of this size that drives this well, that's a respectable figure. Driven like this, with its 14.5-gallon tank, the TX is good for 379 miles of total range.
Note that since the TX 550h+ is a plug-in, it can go up to 33 miles on a charge on battery power alone. In this mode, the TX frequently summoned the gasoline motor on steeper hills, so staying truly emissions-free is difficult. Still, if you have a shorter commute or can charge at work, this could be a very frugal SUV.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not tested the 2024 Lexus TX. Likewise, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not formally tested this SUV.
A base, 2024 Lexus TX 350, with FWD, starts in the mid-$50,000 range, with AWD costing a further $1,600. Stepping up to the Premium trim costs about $3,000 more, and the Luxury trim moves things to just over $60,000.
The TX 500h F Sport Performance Premium starts at just under $70,000, while the Luxury version adds another roughly $3,000.
Finally, there's the Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury, which starts at just under $78,000. All prices exclude the $1,350 destination charge to ship the SUV to your local dealer from its assembly plant in Princeton, Indiana.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Cadillac XT6 ranks highest in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV segment. The BMW X6 and the BMW X5 are the next highest-ranked models.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the BMW iX ranks highest in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV segment. The BMW X5 and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport are the next highest-ranked models.
Other competitors to the 2024 TX include the Audi Q8, Genesis GV80, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The new Lexus TX is large and somewhat imposing but offers surprising finesse and performance. It's unexpectedly pleasant to drive and comfortable to inhabit, regardless of your assigned row. Fit and finish are nice, the technology package is comprehensive, and ultimately, there's a lot to love about this big SUV.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering everything from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
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