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Lexus TX
New Car Reviews

2024 Lexus TX 350 review: Not your average three-row luxury SUV

Pop quiz! How many automakers debuted all-new crossovers or SUVs in the past five years? If that sounds like too long a list, let’s cut out the seemingly never-ending crop of new EVs… Now the list gets pretty short pretty fast. But fully four have come from Toyota and Lexus: the revived Land Cruiser and its GX sibling, plus the Toyota Grand Highlander and now, its luxurious Lexus TX variant.

The Grand Highlander and TX target a much different market segment than the LX and GX, though. By squeezing three rows of seats into a compact unibody chassis, the Grand Highlander I tested last year drove just like a car. And that’s the whole point: to avoid the hefty driving dynamics of a body-on-frame vehicle while also fitting adults in the back row without too much contortionism required. 

Now, the TX arrives as a Grand Highlander that received a high-school rom-com makeover, with a range of powertrain options that cost enough to make the gradewalk differentiation between RX, GX, and LX at the top of the Lexus food chain a little more complex. But where the LX is a massive SUV that even non-car people will immediately notice how incredibly it drives, the RX is sporty and compact (but also ugly and annoying), and the GX caters best to an off-roading crowd, the TX ticks boxes in the middle ground for city commuters or large rural families alike.

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Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Price and specs

Base price:$55,050
As-tested price:$67,925
Engine:2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four
Transmission:Eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain:All-wheel drive
Power:275 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque:317 pound-feet @ 1,700 rpm
Weight:4,730 pounds
0-60 mph:7.8 seconds
¼-mile:15.5 sec @ 91.2 mph
Tow rating:5,000 lbs (w/ optional equipment)
Top speed:112 mph
MPG:20 city, 26 highway, 23 combined
Fuel capacity:17.8 gallons
(1/4-mile performance estimates from Motor Trend instrumented test.)

Lexus TX 350 Luxury exterior design

Still recognizably related to Grand Highlanders, little differences on the TX’s exterior make a big difference in first impressions. My loaner’s Celestial Silver paint job actually ends up on the bolder end of the scale—unusual for a silver car—because the smoothed lines end up somewhat reminiscent of a Naboo royal starship from Phantom Menace. The wide grille and body-colored fender cladding end up disappearing better into darker tones, which serves the TX’s overall form somewhat better.

But generally, the TX again occupies another middle ground in terms of exterior design, carrying over some swooping Lexus styling cues of old without edging into the boxy angularity introduced on the flagship LX giant and applied entirely overboard on the new adventure-centric GX. A few concessions to contemporary competitors shine through, too, mostly in the form of metal trim above most side quarter windows and almost snake-eye headlight housings.

Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle
What’s hot?– Silent, serene ride becoming of Lexus
– Smooth suspension and confident AWD handling
– Premium leather and touchpoints
– Snappy 14-inch touchscreen

Lexus TX 350 Luxury pricing breakdown 

A base TX starts at a competitive MSRP of $55,050, but pricing escalates quickly from there. This tester with the base 2.4-liter inline-four and Luxury trim comes out to $67,925, with the added Technology Package ($2,150), Convenience Package ($895), Mark Levinson sound system ($1,160), and second-row captain’s chairs ($680) making up the big-ticket items.

Adding $12,000-plus in options may not factor in for most buyers of the lowest-spec TX, but stepping up to other drivetrains bumps up the sticker shock even more. The TX500h with a hybrid version of the 2.4-liter engine starts at $69,350. And the top dawg TX550h+ swaps in a plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V6 engine good for 404 horsepower and 33 miles of electric range, but that starts nearly in LX territory at $78,050.

Lexus TX 350 Luxury interior and tech

After driving almost every trim level of the Grand Highlander last year, the first thing I noticed about the TX probably helps to set it apart the very most: supremely comfortable seats bedecked in supple semi-aniline leather upholstery. Adjusting the driver’s bucket with generous lumbar support and a counterintuitive combination of firm padding but opulent cushion somehow boggled my backside. And the TX arrived almost immediately after driving a new Aston Martin. Not bad, Lexus.

Meanwhile, the TX adds a couple more inches of touchscreen to reach a 14-inch diagonal measurement, with a snappy interface that looks somewhat familiar. Physical climate control dials mix with a frustrating combo of the home screen and menu pages for selecting temperatures and fan settings, but at least a little nub of a gear shifter hasn’t given way to the all-too-common dial knob.

The digital gauge screen provides clear, if slightly dim, vehicle information while driving. And the Mark Levinson Surround Sound system cranks tunes up nicely, though on my own TX I might fiddle with the equalizer to boost a bit more bass to match the crisp mids and trebles.

Of course, typically overaggressive Lexus driver aids fit into the technology discussion, too. Though not as bad as the RX, the TX still dings incessantly for driver inattention—ironically pulling my eyes toward the gauge screen instead of back to the road. Lane tracing works well most of the time but gets overwhelmed by traffic or curves in the road, and startling automatic emergency braking while backing up sometimes creates the impression of a collision that didn’t actually happen.

Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Swaddle the whole fam in Lexus luxury

A cozy, competent urban runabout

Driving around town, the TX’s compact footprint for a three-row SUV makes navigating narrow streets, parking lots, and traffic a cinch. Despite moderately thick C and D pillars, excellent visibility also helps a ton. The stellar suspension absorbs speed bumps, potholes, and driveway entrances with the smooth substantiality expected of a luxury vehicle. To be clear, it’s not quite on the LX’s level, but Lexus clearly made suspension a priority while working over the Grand Highlander chassis.

Sound deadening also helps to create a serene cabin, which drone from the petite turbo-four only occasionally intrudes upon. The ride quality and insulation only get better at highway speeds. Hitting 90 miles an hour almost happens too easily since so little wind and tire noise enters the cabin. Head into a stiff breeze or up a steep hill, though, and the engine noise once again crops up.

The TX 350’s mill produces plenty of torque at 317 pound-feet, and the eight-speed auto shifts quickly without lurching, but the engine’s soundtrack reveals the force necessary to haul around 4,730 pounds of curb weight. A bit more exhaust burble would go a long way toward matching the confident ride quality while bolstering the physical impression of real-world performance, even if a 0-60 time of just under eight seconds seems a bit underwhelming on paper.

Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

Driving out of Los Angeles toward the Mojave Desert early in the morning, I turned on the adaptive cruise as an experiment to compare to the exasperating RX. On the TX, Lexus’ intrusive driver aids perform better, if only slightly. As on the Grand Highlander, adjusting the adaptive cruise control speed and following distance requires using unlabeled buttons on the steering wheel that reveal their purpose strictly on the head-up display. 

The Lexus RX I drove also dinged constantly, citing driver inattention any time I wore sunglasses, but I can happily report the TX can handle shades without a similar problem. But similarly enthusiastic automatic emergency braking frequently left me looking around to see what I backed into to cause such a sharp stop.

The TX 350 also marked my first time ever trying an autonomous parking function in any car. Perhaps we can blame the first attempt on driver error, as I pulled up slightly in front of the wide open spot as if to parallel park normally. Pushing the button then prompted the TX to back in perpendicular to the curb. I tapped the brake pedal and reset directly next to the open spot, and with three back-and-forths, the TX parallel parked itself… 30 inches from said curb. I then corrected it with another back-and-forth adjustment. It’s not terrible, and it’s kind of fun to just let Lexus take the wheel, but I’d be curious to try in a tighter situation with a car that I don’t have to give back a few days later.

A road tripper for the more dynamic family

From the Mojave Desert, I then took a quick rip up the back roads toward Wrightwood, California. Dark clouds up the hill looked threateningly close to snow, and though the TX handled every mountain corner of clean asphalt without breaking a sweat, those eco-friendly Goodyear Assurance tires seemed unlikely to handle any real slip-and-slide particularly well. As I hauled through corners, thick sway bars, and sublime dampers preventing much in the way of body lean, I also played with the paddle shifters to keep the 2.4-liter mill in its happy place. But as great as paddles are, modern turbocharger wastegates make torque curves flat enough that revving to the moon becomes unnecessary. 

Still, the sheer pace I managed in a TX on eco tires surprised me. Both the Toyota and the Lexus versions provide real passenger car performance with full-size interior volume, as I learned when I pulled over to shoot some pics and folded down the rear seats. With the third row of seats up, my little duffle fit just fine, but tapping a button to fold them down opened up a cavernous cargo compartment. Then, I flipped a few levers on the second-row buckets to tilt them down, as well. 

With everything folded, Lexus claims the TX can hold 97 cubic feet of cargo. More importantly, from my perspective, the rear now looked plenty large enough to carry bikes or skis (the largest objects I tend to schlep around). I even feel optimistic about testing that all-wheel-drive system in the snow and dirt with more legit tires.

The TX also earns up to a 5,000-pound tow rating, so a trailer hitch bike rack might fit into the mix quite well, too. Fixed roof rails ready for crossbars mean that a roof box, necessary when traveling with seven or eight passengers and luggage, can be mounted with ease. But in fairness to the entire goal of the Grand Highlander and TX alike, for most trips, the interior should do just fine. 

Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle
What’s not?– Base 2.4L engine comes up lacking
– Typical Lexus intrusive driver aids
– Frustrating climate controls
– Hybrid options add up quickly

Goldilock’s Lexus crossover?

Headed back down the hill towards LA, I pondered all the various ways that a TX with each powertrain could fit into the expanding Toyota and Lexus lineup. Comfortable and capable, with enough space for a large family or friend group, smooth and easy to drive, all within a luxurious passenger compartment—the TX isn’t too much bigger than an RX from the outside but much more spacious on the inside. And it’s so much smaller than the other Lexus three-rows, the GX and LX, that the efficient layout almost reminds me of EV packaging. An impressive achievement, to say the least.

Lexus TX
Image credit: Michael Van Runkle

The powertrain options and concomitant pricing hikes combine to make the TX unique. Want to spend LX money on a powerful plug-in hybrid? Go buy a TX550h+. How about finding a truly luxurious ride without feeling ripped off? Yep, the base TX will do, even though all cars are terribly expensive these days. But I suspect the mid-level 2.4-liter hybrid takes the cake, able to merge easily between comfort in the city and longer road trips with the fam. Maybe even a bit of sportiness enters the equation, too, which the base TX 350 Luxury proved possible over a week’s worth of driving.

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2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
FeaturesNew Car Reviews

The 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance is the purveyor of modern luxury muscle

Twenty-five years ago, I bet if you asked the average new car buyer looking for a luxury four-seater what their top choices were, what they’d say would be quite different from today. These days, the general populace seems to lean more and more towards crossovers and full-size SUVs for one reason or another, which is a far cry from two decades back when sedans ruled this space. By that same token, for those who wanted a top-performing, naturally aspirated V8 powertrain with some sporty chassis tuning thrown in, even that wasn’t as particular of an ask as it is today. And it really is quite a particular ask now, because only one brand offers such a thing in the compact (or what we’d call a midsize back then) executive class: The 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance.

The Lexus IS 500 is a rare bird in our modern era. Prevalence of crossovers aside—the Nagoya, Japan brand has plenty of those, too—there is truly nothing else on the market with this flavor of power plant. A quarter-decade back, I’m not sure people would think of Lexus as the last bastion of rear-wheel drive V8 enthusiasm with four doors, but it is. 

And It’s also quite good at it: Here’s why the IS 500 is not only a well-appointed everyday luxury sedan for the price but amply fun to drive as well.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

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Price and specs

Securing the highest spec costs just $65,670. Not bad for potentially the last naturally aspirated V8-powered sedan ever made, that’s also loaded to the gills with amenities. However, if you’re more keen on getting in as cheaply as possible, all it takes is $61,170, including Lexus’ $1,150 delivery fee. By comparison, the 2024 BMW M340i—a ravenously fun sedan in its own right—starts at $59,590, though doesn’t possess as entertaining of an engine.

Base price:$61,170
As-tested price:$63,600
Engine:5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8
Transmission:8-speed automatic
Drivetrain:Rear-wheel drive
Power:472 hp @ 7,100 rpm
Torque:395 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm
Redline:7,100 rpm
Weight:3,891 lbs
0-60 mph:4.4 seconds
MPG:17 city, 25 highway, 20 combined
Observed MPG:19.3 mpg
Fuel capacity:17.4 gallons
Acceleration figures published by Lexus

The base 500 isn’t a bad place to be, either: the F Sport Performance possesses 19-inch Enkei wheels, dual-stacked exhaust pipes (a nod to the IS F and RC F), unique F Sport exterior badging and accouterments, F Sport suspension tuning, and a Torsen limited-slip differential. LED headlights and exterior lighting are present, as is a push button start/stop, an extensive list of tech and safety amenities (more on that later), a comfortable NuLuxe leather interior with a 10-way power adjustable driver seat, Bluetooth, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Moving up to the F Sport Performance Premium swaps the Enkeis for beautiful 19-inch forged BBS wheels (optional on F Sport Performance), and tacks on a handful of exterior upgrades like upgraded headlights, dark chrome window trim, and some neat/unique paint choices. Inside, it gets a Mark Levinson 17-speaker 1800-watt stereo, plus a handful of finer luxury details mixed in. If it were my money, I’d save a couple grand and do the F Sport Performance with those BBS wheels added on.

Design, interior, and infotainment

As far as modern four-door luxury goes, the Lexus IS 500 is certainly a looker. It’s got an overall muscular shape, particularly in its hips, and my tester’s bright and gorgeous Blue Vector paint is contrasted by dark F Sport exterior trim accents and satin black BBS wheels made for one sharp package. The cherry on top are LED headlights, aggressive front fascia, and staggered wheels wrapped in 235-front and 265-rear Summer rubber—these help it pass the Look Back After Parking Test for sure.

Opening the front driver door reveals a spacious environment filled with clean design and all the airiness. It’s a very pleasant place to be. The soft yet nicely bolstered NuLuxe sport seats are quite comfortable and supportive and possess both heating and cooling. The center console and dash area are nicely appointed with real, physical toggles and buttons, and in spite of some piano black plastic here and there, it all feels very solid to the touch. Dual-zone climate control is standard, as is a big sunroof for increasing airiness even further.

Space-wise, my six-foot-three stature had plenty of leg and headroom, and ingress and egress were easy with its big front doors, though I wish I could’ve telescoped the wheel a tad closer to my torso. Rear seat room was great below the waist, though a little tight for someone of my height.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

With plenty of physical buttons and a very nice, logical layout, Lexus’ infotainment is one of the better systems I’ve operated in recent years. While the love-it-or-hate-it touchpad is still present (personally, I don’t mind it, and it’s far easier to work than Acura’s), the standard eight-inch touchscreen responded quite well to inputs, and Lexus’ software was generally easy to navigate, save for making a few minor customization changes like touchpad sensitivity, as well as connecting Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, the latter isn’t wireless.

When it comes to advanced driver assistance technology, a lot is standard for the price. Lexus Safety System+ 2.5’s features begin with frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beams, as well as pedestrian and bicyclist detection. Additionally, dynamic radar cruise control is in the mix, which operates in a smooth and predictable fashion, and will even stop and crawl along in traffic. Lane tracing assist works generally well, though has some trouble maintaining the center of the lane on the highway, especially if markers are a bit worn.

What’s hot?– Excellent overall power
– Makes an excellent noise
– Great looks
– Solid ride quality
– Confident well-planted handling
– Good steering
– A comfortable and relaxing place to hang out in
2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

Japan’s manic muscle car in a tidy tuxedo

The main draw for the IS’ 500 designation is its engine: Lexus’ 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE. Producing 472 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque, this mighty IS will hit the 60 mph mark from zero in a reported 4.4 seconds. Not bad for a 3,891-pound sedan. Fun fact: It’s the same basic engine found in Lexus’ RC F GT3 race car, just with a few tweaks and displacement bumped up to 5.4 liters. This mighty beast helped Vasser Sullivan Racing win the driver’s, team’s, and manufacturer’s championship in IMSA’s 2023 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro class.

Unlike other modern V8-equipped hardware, the IS 500 is a little down on low-end torque. It’ll move along just fine below 4,000 RPM, but to get the full experience of all five liters, you have to make sure it’s revved out—I doubt most folks in the market would complain about this, though, as it’s an overall smooth engine at any rpm.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

Then, when it comes to any situation that requires wide open throttle, the symphony of induction and exhaust is nothing short of brilliant. While this all-aluminum unit has a faintly lumpy, conventional-sounding V8 burble at idle and lower revs while cruising around town, it perks up nicely in the mid-range and doesn’t stop roaring until its 7,100-rpm redline. An actuator in the intake system opens up around 4,000 rpm to let in even more bass-filled induction roar, too, and it’s a very welcome addition to the overall experience.

It may be a little slow down low in the tachometer, but it more than makes up for it up top. In addition to its beautiful five-liter soundtrack, its linear power curve gets a tad steeper past 4,500 rpm. For reference, it’s like a cross between Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote and BMW’s legendary 4.0-liter S65—some American flavor in the way it burbles in the low and midrange, yet it spins up quite smoothly and quickly up high like the near-race-level Bavarian creation. Additionally, the torque shove never gets old, so it’s quite difficult to drive with optimal fuel economy in mind.

Image credit: Peter Nelson

F Sport Performance = An F-Lite for the day-to-day grind

When the IS 500 first came out a few years ago, the talk of the town was whether it was the successor to Lexus’ M3 fighter from ten-or-so years ago, the beloved IS F sport sedan. Also known as the luxury sport sedan for folks who don’t want to deal with moody European reliability. Having driven both on very fun SoCal roads, I must affirm that it’s not, but it’s still quite good for what it is.

Think of it as an F-lite: The F Sport Performance’s modus operandi is solid overall handling and steering. 

Around town, Lexus’ adaptive variable dampers’ sportiest Sport S+ mode, the 500 was quite compliant and daily-able. By that same token, its steering was comfortably light and easy to spin around in easy-going day-in, day-out driving. The package dealt with Los Angeles’ roughest surfaces quite well. In fact, I didn’t notice much of a difference between Sport S+ and the supposed-to-be-softer Sport S, although there was some definite softening up in Normal. I could feel its Summer tires’ thinner/harder sidewall over particularly brutal roadway imperfections, but it was still quite solid and well-damped across all modes.

Then, the 500’s eight-speed conventional automatic transmission shifts smoothly and often enough to help offset its thirsty powerplant—no complaints there. Again, top marks for daily-bility.

Then, to bolster its one-car-to-do-it-all appeal further: This thing is so much fun on twisty roads.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

A fun sedan that can dance with the best of ’em

Those aforementioned adaptive dampers are wrapped in double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension that keeps the IS 500 F Sport’s body roll well contained in twisty, mountain-top sweepers. There’s still some lean to it—it’s a big, comfortable sedan, after all—but not to the point of easily upsetting the tires’ contact patch. Grip levels felt ample and hard to shake while sailing this 3,900-pound Japanese sedan through the San Gabriel Mountains’ famous sweepers at speed. The front end was vague, as was turn-in a few degrees off-center. But the steering loaded up nicely off-center in the corners, which, combined with a pretty quick steering ratio, made for an engaging experience. 

People often point to older BMWs and Mercedes as having a certain bank vault feel to them while rolling down the road—the IS 500 is the modern iteration of this, and especially when it comes to staying composed in the twisties.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson

Then, if you’re ever in a situation where traction control happens to be off, and you need to make an especially tight U-turn, or you’re inclined to expedite warming up the rear tires with some playful opposite lock through a wide-open intersection, the 500 has you covered. Oversteer is wonderfully controllable thanks to the Torsen limited-slip differential at the rear axle, especially with a committed right foot to dispatch as much of that 395 pound-feet of torque as possible.

Finally, keeping a handle on all that power and grip are two-piece 14-inch front and 12.7-inch rear brake rotors. The initial bite was soft, and they were a bit vague to modulate, though that’s to be expected for something with daily versatility in mind. The pads held up reasonably well at a quick pace in the twisties and only started to overheat and fade after 20 or so minutes of harder driving. But I bet this could be easily resolved with some better aftermarket pads.

2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
Image credit: Peter Nelson
What’s not?– Infotainment can be a tad confusing
– Slightly lacking in low-end torque
– Little communication from the front end in corners at high speed
– Brakes are a little soft and lacking in modulation

A final bastion for V8 sport sedans

In spite of its appealing specs that make for one entertaining and versatile driving experience, it’s still a little surprising that Lexus is the last operation on the block to offer a rear-wheel drive luxury sedan with a revvy and ever-entertaining V8. It’s actually utilized this formula for decades in one way or another, but seems to always be overshadowed by the likes of BMW or Mercedes-Benz, which definitely adds to the appeal.

Good on Lexus for sticking to its guns. 

EVs, PHEVs, and standard hybrids are great, as is lively turbocharged fare, but the versatility and potency of a V8 will always be music to enthusiasts’ ears (pun intended). And with everything else around it, like nicely tuned suspension and solid luxury chops, it’s an especially compelling final iteration. It’s all but certain that another all-motor V8 four-door luxury sedan will never come along, but luckily, the IS 500 F Sport is a solid overall last chapter that’d put a smile on any enthusiasts’ face day in and day out.

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Toyota bz4x
News

LG will supply EV batteries for Toyota electric cars

Toyota has over 20 million hybrids worldwide, more than any other automaker. So, no one can question that Toyota has been at the forefront of hybrid electric vehicle production, which was an important step in the electrification of the automobile. But as the world moved towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs), Toyota began to fall behind. However, in recent months, Toyota has made numerous announcements about its commitment to producing more BEVs across its product line. They have even said they plan to have 30 BEVs across their product line and up production to 3.5 million globally by 2030.

Anyone can see that this is a lot to get done in a short amount of time, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Toyota. And they’ve just made a major move to help solidify that goal by signing a deal with LG Energy Solution to produce NCMA battery modules at LG’s facility in Michigan. Investing 3 billion dollars to fit their factory with the needed assembly lines to meet their 2025 goals of producing 20 GWh annually. The modules will then be shipped off to Kentucky, assembled into complete batteries, and find their way into Toyota’s planned 3-row electric SUV.

A picture of LG Energy Solutions in Holland, Mi
Image credit: LG Energy Solutions

“Having secure supplies of lithium-ion batteries at scale with a long-term relationship to support Toyota’s multi-pathway approach and growth plans for BEVs in North America is critical to achieve our manufacturing and carbon reduction plans,” states Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, Toyota’s North American president and CEO. “Working with LG Energy Solution, we are excited to be able to offer products that will provide the performance and quality our customers expect.”   

Image: Lexus

LG, like Toyota, has a long history of supplying quality products to companies and consumers around the world. This is their largest agreement with an automaker for battery production and also means they now supply batteries to the Top 5 global automakers. And if all goes as planned, this partnership should help to push Toyota to the upper echelon of the BEV market. Soon, it won’t just be hybrids like the Prius making headlines, but a Toyota-branded electric car as well.

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