The Lexus RX has been an excellent choice among luxury crossovers for a long time — it is sleek, comfortable, and offers plenty of room for five. However, the extended, seven-passenger RX L was never able to find its footing in the market due to its too-tight third row. An absence of a proper three-row SUV left a sizable void in Lexus’ portfolio, and that is finally changing. Enter the 2024 Lexus TX 500h, aimed squarely at the Acura MDX and Infiniti QX60.
The TX’s styling left our team divided. Some were not fans of the overstyled front fascia, while others thought the dramatic styling is just what the doctor ordered among this current crop of plain-looking crossovers. The TX 500h model in particular comes exclusively with F-Sport dress-up such as gloss black roof rails, a more aggressive front grille and bumpers, and massive 22-inch alloy wheels for extra flair. The TX garnered more attention from onlookers than we had expected throughout our time behind the wheel.
All TXs come with a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the main difference between the base TX 350 and our TX 500h tester being the added hybrid powertrain. The TX 500h is rated at 366 horsepower — 91 hp more than the TX 350 — and 406 pound-feet of torque, giving it great power and response to get off the line rather effortlessly. The hybrid powertrain transitions between gas, electric, and vice-versa smoothly, and it is perfectly suited to this application to the point where we did not miss the RX L’s V6. Fuel economy is rated at a frugal 8.7 L/100 km city, 8.4 highway, and 8.6 combined. We observed a decidedly higher 10.3 L/100 km in our city-heavy commute in winter, and premium-grade gasoline is recommended for its 65-litre tank.
Built on the same platform as the smaller RX and NX, the TX drives pretty well for a three-row SUV. Lexus engineers made up for the lack of steering feel with an accurate and responsive rack that made the TX 500h a decent driver, and the combination of the rigid chassis and Lexus’ Dynamic Rear Steering system — exclusive to the 500h — made this luxury three-row fairly nimble. Those who plan to tow with the TX haul up to 5,000 pounds, regardless of the powertrain.
Inside, the TX is a pleasant place to spend time. The layout is visually appealing, the materials feel premium, and craftsmanship is top-notch. We also liked how Lexus neatly integrated the 14-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment with the climate controls, while also keeping physical knobs for temperature and volume. The display is sharp and high-resolution, especially when the TX’s 360-degree camera system is activated, and we thoroughly enjoyed the quality from the 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.
The TX 500h’s interior is among the roomiest we have seen without going to a full-size, body-on-frame SUV like the GMC Yukon or the Ford Expedition. There is plenty of headroom and legroom in all three rows, and the six-seat layout ensures good space and accessibility for anyone not riding up front. Cargo volume is also plentiful, measuring in at 572 litres with the third row up, 1,625 L with it stowed, and 2,747 with the second and third rows folded.
Onboard the TX, you will find a comprehensive suite of Lexus’ driver assists such as such as Proactive Driving Assist, Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision avoidance with pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle detection, and Front-to-Front Oncoming Vehicle Detection systems. Moreover, our tester’s F-Sport Performance 3 trim adds the Lane Change Assist, Front Cross-Traffic Alert, Traffic Jam Assist, Panoramic View Monitor, Driver Monitor Camera, and Advanced Park systems. These features are quite expansive even for this technology-advanced segment, and we are happy to see Lexus taking no chances when it comes to keeping its occupants protected.
The base TX 350 starts at an aggressive $68,750, while the TX 500h comes in at $84,200. Our particular TX 500h, with aforementioned F-Sport Performance 3 package, topped out at $90,200 as-tested, which is significantly more than the Infiniti QX60 Autograph yet in-line with the Acura MDX Type S Ultra. The QX60 is certainly the value pick, but it does feel a grade below the TX and MDX. If driving dynamics is not a priority, the TX has an edge over the MDX in terms of ride comfort and interior space, the while consuming about half as much fuel.
The 2024 Lexus TX 500h is a well-packaged, if not overdue product created based solely on consumer demand. Now that it has appeared in showrooms, Lexus will have a hard time keeping them in stock as the TX combines excellent utility, comfort, and fuel efficiency in a well-appointed package. It is about time Lexus finally gave consumers what they want, but the wait was worth it.
