2024 Lexus TX

Lexus took what was already good about the Toyota Grand Highlander that the TX is based on — like ample cargo capacity and passenger room — and added upscale materials, strengthened the body rigidity for better ride comfort and handling, and upgraded the door seals and introduced extra sound-deadening material to make the cabin quieter. On top of that, the powertrain lineup is reconfigured, with a plug-in hybrid now on the options list. The TX also comes with Lexus' new driver assist and safety tech suite — essential for transporting your loved ones on those long drives to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon.

While the TX makes a lot of sense on paper, other than a little extra leather and a new powertrain, there's not much that differentiates the TX from the Grand Highlander. Take the badges off the front, and only the most clued-in observer will be able to separate the premium SUV from its more pedestrian counterpart. To the design team who penned the TX: Congrats, you earned your early lunch break.

Once you're up and running, the base TX's powertrain comes off as just fine. The four-cylinder isn't exactly a powerhouse and it shows. It can feel labored on occasion (especially when pulling up steeper grades), and power dies off quickly as the revs rise. The transmission doesn't help matters either, occasionally picking the wrong cog at the wrong time. Taking manual control with the paddles at the back of the wheel doesn't remedy the situation, and requested shifts often take whole seconds before they're addressed. In the end it's all down to tuning, and a little refinement would have made a big difference on the road.

Take the next step up in the powertrain lineup for example. It's called the TX 500h F Sport Performance and it pairs the same 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with two electric motors, one at the front and one at the back to power the rear wheels. There is no physical connection between the front and rear, meaning all of the power that's sent to the rear wheels is controlled by that rear-mounted e-motor. It's what Lexus calls the Direct4 all-wheel-drive system.

Of the three, this powertrain is easily the most cohesive. Combined, the system makes 366 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. The engine is connected to a smarter, more responsive six-speed automatic with a hybrid electric motor sandwiched within the bell housing of the transmission. While there's plenty going on, it all translates to a smooth, linear power delivery. Under hard acceleration, you can feel the motor on the back axle surge the car forward in tidy lockstep with what the gas engine is doing at the front of the car. Acceleration isn't ferocious, but it does feel much quicker than the 350. And when decelerating the brakes present no weirdness in the regen-to-friction handoff — it's one linear motion all the way to the bottom of the pedal's travel.

Don't forget, either, that this is an F Sport Performance model that's supposed to exude the "Lexus Driving Signature." What that means is this TX comes with a unique wheel and tire combo, a much stiffer suspension, and Dynamic Rear Steering. All of this combines to make the most connected-feeling version of the TX. The steering is direct and quick, and direction changes are much snappier thanks to that rear steer. It's the most agile and most enjoyable version of the TX to drive quickly. But that's the issue — big three-row SUVs like this aren't supposed to masquerade as sports cars.

But if you want the most powerful (and what will likely be the most expensive) TX on offer, the 550h+ is it. It does feel the quickest in a straight line thanks to a total output of 404 peak horsepower from the V6 and electric motors, but the big difference is that CVT. Because there are no gears, the V6 never quiets down when you're accelerating. It constantly rumbles its way through the firewall, and after just a few minutes we were bemoaning the constant interruption in the 550h+'s cabin and resorted to putting in EV mode for most of our drive.

The more serene surrounding of the TX's cabin is broken up by irritating engine drone. We asked why Lexus opted to use a CVT — something that's typically reserved for economy cars — and we were told the company's plug-in hybrid system was designed to work with a CVT. Changing up the formula would require a powertrain redesign and that would mean both extra time and money spent on R&D for the TX. In the end, the 550h+ doesn't feel like a flagship model. It's the nicest inside, with the plushest materials and highest levels of equipment, but the 550h+ is the version of the TX that ended feeling the most compromised, and we can't shake the feeling that a traditional automatic transmission would have fixed that.

Both models are quiet inside, too, with very little road or tire noise making its way into the cabin. The TX can be caught out by bigger undulations in the road that make the body float around on its suspension for too long before settling back down, but a cushy ride is exactly what a big people hauler like this is supposed to have.

The firm ride in the 500h undoes a lot of what makes the base TX so great. It's jittery over small road imperfections, and the rear of the SUV steps out unpredictably when thumped over larger recesses like potholes and manhole covers. On top of that, there's a lot more noise being fed into the 500h's cabin because of the bigger wheels and more aggressive tires. We applaud the attempt to make an SUV that's more than just a box on wheels, and for people who crave a ride that's too firm and a cabin that's too loud for the type of vehicle they're supposed to be driving, this will be the pick of the litter. However, we can't help but think this powertrain in a vehicle that was quieter, more compliant on the road, and more comfortable would have made for a near class-leading machine.

The front seats feature comfortable cushions and enough bolstering to keep you from moving around too much in corners. It's the same in the second row — at least in the model equipped with captain's chairs that we were able to climb into. The third row isn't quite as accommodating, with flat bench seats and more plastic trim in the surrounding area. At least the seats have power recline and decent padding.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard with plenty of power ports available throughout the cabin — seven USB-Cs and three outlets in total. Also available is an optional head-up display, which is useful for keeping pertinent information in your direct line of sight while you concentrate on navigating through traffic.

Finally, every TX comes standard with an impressive array of electronic driver assist and safety systems to help you on the move. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 — which includes adaptive cruise control, precollision safety systems, and lane keeping and lane departure systems with steering assist, just to name a few — helps you traverse suburban chaos and reduce the stress and fatigue common on long commutes and road trips. If you'd like even more assistance, an available Advanced Park system helps with perpendicular and parallel parking. For you audiophiles, there's a 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround-sound system available with any powertrain.