Lexus needs a 550h+ Platinum F-sport model with Genesis GV80 interior. It needs the panoramic roof, aggressive Fsport bumpers, triple beam lights, rear wheel steering, massage seats x4, add heat and ventilation to 3rd row seats, heads up display, and 1 more small electric motor in the transmission to add 15hp and 100 ft/lb torque towards performance. Exterior could feature a more spindled grille like the previous RX models, power side steps, and carbon fiber or polished bits of trim. Maybe add a heads-up display, and standard rear tablets/tv monitors with power privacy shades. Call it the 600h
@@naveenthemachine Like I said, it has pano roof and the rest of "sports" junks for people who like the aggressive look....this is a 3 row SUV....who cares to impress the "NASCAR" fanatics!!!
The Toyota/Lexus camera sweep may not be very useful, but if you put the car in drive and hit the camera view button it will give you additional views that you can cycle through. Weird that they don’t come up in park but they can be helpful.
A few surprises when I drove the TX. Materials. Shiny gloss plastic around the cluster. Felt upscale Corolla vs. luxury like an up-trimmed GX. Driving - felt like sitting on top of the car vs. sitting in the car like my X7. Fair bit of plastic around the car. Instrument cluster was limited for what a digital display could be. Suspension was fine, but best version of this was the entry level 20" tires (no air suspension across the line). The sunroof omission was surprising - losing a mile or two wouldn't be a bad tradeoff.
Overall I like the TX and it is going to end up replacing our GH, I am kinda bummed they don’t offer the pano roof on the plug-in because we are looking to get the plug-in version. Hopefully they’ll add it in later and some triple beam LED’s, but what you’re really paying for is the plug-in system. 404hp plus 30mpg, and 33 miles of EV driving range is very hard to beat in this segment
I actually like the look of this car inside and out. The modular center console is a good idea but looks a little cheap. I suspect most people will leave it alone, so a more traditional console would have been nicer. Keeping the V6 was a good move and helps to set it apart from the Toyota GH in a meaningful way, along with the different interior and standard large infotainment screen. The one major misstep is lack of a pano sunroof, which could be a deal breaker.
People keep saying better options, so please list them. As far as I'm concerned 2GR V6 with D4S is one of the smoothest/ reliable engines on the market and combined with the plug in to increase mpg is definitely a winner. The 550+ is unrivaled for power/ reliability/ mpg/ space, which is what a family 3 row is all about, styling is subjective. Only down side is tech.
@naveenthemachine Telluride/ palisade/ mdx :are very comparable just poor mpg. Aviator/ wagoner / x7 /xc90:poor reliability/ mpg/ more expensive. Escalade is different class of car. Qx60/xt6 nobody buys these 😆 Next?
@@xr4zgr1zx mpg doesn’t matter in a luxury car. You want the luxury of mpg get a Prius or Camry hybrid Qx60 xt6 are so much nicer inside and better looking outside and have more features and upscale materials and a smooth v6 The tx is the worst of the bunch in the 3row segment along with the grand highlander. Previously the qx60 and xt6 used to be the worst but now the tx and grand highlander are now the worst in class
@naveenthemachine mpg doesn't matter in a car that's meant for road trips? Have you seen the gas prices lately and have you ever try to go on a road trip with anything that gets less then 20 mpg? Mpg doesn't matter in a sports car, but it does in this application. Maybe in your opinion it doesn't work for you specifically but the numbers don't lie. All subjectivity aside, just even the horsepower and mpg figures are better than any of the cars you previously mentioned.
That's because it's a gear driven CVT and not a belt driven CVT like Nissan or Honda. A lot of people think it's the same and the automatically hate on it when they hear CVT.
@@JacobTJ1 I think they didn’t want to use it for those applications because the clientele for those kinds of vehicles seem to irrationally care more about the vehicle staying as traditional as possible despite proven innovations for the sake of masculinity. When the tundra was first announced all of those folks went full pitchforks and torches bc Toyota dropped the 5.7 despite the 3.4 tt v6 being far more efficient yet still being more powerful. Imagine what they would do if Toyota put their CVT in their trucks.
@@huythai1222 yup that makes more sense, I am willing to bet you work for Lexus Engineering. I hope this CVT will eventually get popular before ICE fully concedes for the full EV revolution.
I noticed that the Lexus TX550h+ stubby center brake light is much shorter in length than the Toyota Grand Highlander's center brake light, which thus looks more elegant IMHO. But I haven't seen the center brake light turned on in either vehicle. In reality they may both have an equal length in bulb light. IOW, it may all be for show on the Toyota Grand Highlander's center brake light.
@@jissanhuq3792 I ain’t paying all that money for a basic Lexus…These automakers have started to lose their minds in pricing these cars. Then you have to deal with stupid dealer markups
A great review as usual . . very refreshing to see Alex with you. I've been watching his reviews for years, too. I enjoyed the "back and fourth" of the conversation with the two BEST RU-vid auto reviewers online. ( Lexus STILL has to do something about the use of the awfully ugly grill before I'd ever own one again - some of the others who had those type of grills have made them less aggressive, maybe one day Lexus will )
Really they can never win with their grill. The previous 'predator' grill some said was too big and busy while some liked it, here they tamed it down more and now people dislike it being too plain Just do what you're doing lexus lol, people will hate it regardless
@@chibbyylolI think Lexus should give up and stop making cars. It’s clear they’re not able to compete with the best in the segment. Genesis Hyundai Kia Mazda Acura are doing better at that
@@naveenthemachine at some points I'd think you were actually serious but it's pretty blatant now you're trolling just to troll; criticizing is one thing but comments like "should just give up and stop making cars" is just absurd
@@chibbyylolbecause they’ve tried and failed to impress. They keep missing too many marks even when brand new Other brands like Hyundai Kia genesis Acura honda Mazda bmw Mercedes Audi never miss. I repeat they never miss. They always surpass expectations
All these companies just need to create a van with 8.5" of ground clearance and 30" Wheel total diameter in a 3 row, 8-9 passenger configuration + trunk space in a full size width and it will sell like hot cakes. All these crazy house prices are increasing multi-generational households in america and people need bigger people movers that don't scrape the curb
Buy a used Sienna, install the Journeys Off Road lift kit, and save your money for a house. Why spend $80k on a Lexus that will be worth half that in only a few years?@@TheMrHueyFreeman
@@naveenthemachine except reliability...we considered the GLS, but will wait for this one instead.....that GLS has got too much problems and its 3rd row is too small for our teenage kids.
As a 2023 palisade calligraphy owner I was looking forward to this when I first saw it and this is crap in my opinion when we are looking at a 80k+ price tag. It’s just so underwhelming IMO. My palisade from the looks looks like all 3 rows of seats are nicer and offer more but I guess this engine is worth 30k more. 🤦♂️. At this price I rather move into a Mercedes or bmw for a bit more or even the MDX type s. Again I do think it’s nice but not nice enough for this price.
No it’s not nice I told all of you that the Tx was such a disappointment. None of you listened. You all said the Tx will be better than a palisade I said it wouldn’t. But turns out I was right 😁.
$80k+ with no massage….FWD Toyota platform…with no sunroof….come on Lexus. And they didn’t make any effort of making the exterior looks much different from the GH, it doesn’t even have passenger memory seats…I’ll take a MDX Type-S any day.
Always love your collaborations with Alex on Autos, but this situation highlights something few testers ever cover: having passengers for "people mover" cars. Most car reviews feature only 1 person in the car, while these vehicles are bought with the intention of moving large families around. Road tests of these cars should factor in the weight of fully laden vehicles.
The 255 tires are narrow on paper, but they don’t look too narrow and probably help with gas mileage. I’m guessing it’s a pretty wide rim (9” or 9.5”) to still give it a decent look.
Damn,why didn't this come out sooner. Skipped the highlander and gx for got the gls, but this and the new gx looks great. Oh well, the gls is perfect for us atm.
None of you proved me wrong as to why the tx is so good. I called it in June 8th that this was going to happen and that’s exactly what we got. The tx is such a letdown and idk why any reviewer bothered wasting their time with this Japanese GM suv when they could have spent that time driving competitive SUVs over and over again So in fact it’s you who lost.
Taking a look at the current Toyota/Lexus lineup. Since the Crown has traditionally been a Lexus GS why not rebadge the current crown as a GS with lots of horses power (throw gas mileage out of the window) and clean up the style with Lexus touches?
The current mirai platform was supposed to be what underpins a next gen GS as the platform is just a shortened version of the LS rwd TNGA-L. Unfortunately the ES does sell better and having both midsizes would cannibalize whatever sales are left in midsize luxury sedans.
I see too much piano black plastic and not enough wood. Wood would make the interior feel warmer and cozier. Wood and a little bit of metal would also make the interior look more sophisticated, which for me is part of the Lexus brand.
It's a real shame. Lexus used to be known for opulent wood and beautiful interior colors...now the interior is very austere with no wood (just "black grained trim") and very boring colors. I think Lexus lost the plot in their drive to decontent while charging $$.
The design is going to have to grow on me. The front end gives me way too much Toyota vibes. Not necessarily a bad thing but I’d rather have a more traditional Lexus style design. I love the fact that they are using a V6, however, they compare ruined that with the CVT transmission. It would’ve been almost perfect if they would’ve used an 8 speed or 10 speed transmission. The size is awesome, I’ve been hoping that Lexus would make a bigger SUV that actually has a decent 3rd row seat unlike the GX and LX which is ridiculous. The size is perfect but the styling, powertrains and price is the dealbreaker for me which is more than unfortunate.
Agreed. The tx is dated and it just went on sale I knew this was going to happen 😁. I called it on June 8th when it was unveiled that the tx is a letdown and it’s dead on arrival😁
As mentioned, In the US when a PHEV SUV exceeds $80k that vehicle is no longer eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. There are other criteria, but the TX appears to meet those. I bet no moonroof on the PHEV is more for cost than weight. I bet they get the MSRP (excluding destination costs) right under $80,000, even when loaded, at least for the first year. It would make no sense to have a PHEV be $81,000 or higher when making selling other for $80k means it only costs the consumer $72.5k.
@@upperleftnorthwest4278 Not necessarily. Starting in calendar year 2023 there are requirements regarding where A PORTION of the battery critical materials come from and where A PORTION of those materials are assembled into a battery. Only 40% of these minerals must come from the US OR a country that the US has a free trade agreement with. This portion of the critical minerals can also be recycled in North America to qualify, not just the US and regardless of origin. Additionally, 50% of the value of the battery assembly needs to occur in North America, not just the US. The percentages necessary increase over the next several years. If only one of these tests is met the maximum credit is $3,750. The maximum credit is $7,500 if both are met.
@@paulmorrow8372 neither the NX or RX plug in hybirds currently qualify for either portion of the tax credit & if the TX plug in is going to be the same then it probably wont qualify either. People will have to rely off of state phev credits
@@upperleftnorthwest4278 the RX and NX PHEV’s are both manufactured in Japan, not the Ontario, Canada facility. This is what disqualifies them. To my knowledge, the TX550h+ will be assembled in Indiana.
The Volvo has a much better interior. More luxury, better leather and wood (better interior materials overall). Same goes for BMW and MB, this car interior is not really luxury, mostly faux leather surfaces and no wood!
Sounds Lexus/Toyota they did a lot of de-contenting to reach a price (or as suggested in the review: weight) point. No pano roof, no spare, no adjustable suspension and who knows what else... All for what ~$85K. Should sell like hotcakes!
They have absolutely botched the trim packages, it's inexcusable. The 500h can't be had with the Luxury trim and is saddled with that pathetic 4cyl. The 550h+ is the most expensive but is hampered by a CVT, and worse, doesn't have BASIC luxury features like adaptive dampers and rear wheel steering, even though the next trim level down has those. And no sunroof on the top trim!?! Their product planners should be fired. This model is arriving 5-10 years too late and they still screwed it up.
I called it all over the internet saying the TX was dead on arrival. And I’m so glad it turned out that way 😂😁 Maybe everyone shouldn’t have laughed at me
I am hearing that there will be a “ultra-luxury” TX550h+. While not nearly as expensive, it will be more like a “US Toyota Century”. I am betting that many things left out of the TX550h+ are to keep it under the $80K limit for the tax credit. The “ultra luxury” will blow past that.
Except it lacks Lexus personality both in exterior aesthetics as well as as interior luxury…. may as well just get a highlander and save yourself the $$$
Exterior 6.5/10 - it's just ok looking. Interior 3.0/10 - the interior doesn't look luxury in this video to me it looks to much like like a regular Toyota to me. Lexus had the best interiors a few years ago. I have not seen this in person. My opinions are based solely from what I've seen in this post.
Yes if you look for more cargo and passenger space and more refined engine. Especially if you want to keep it for a long time. For the XC90 recharge, that’s if you want more power and lesser efficiency while having European luxury experiences. It’s best if you lease the XC90 since the turbocharged engine in the XC90 could be problematic due to its complexity engine design and lesser refinement. Either choice will be your own decision.
@@naveenthemachine I heard the EV range for the XC90 that was officially published was a bit overestimated. The best I heard people get is at 27-28 miles full charge. The EV range for the TX for now said 33 miles but I will wait and see how people get with the real world driving to see whether 33 miles is about right, lower or higher than expected. Yes the performance in Volvo is better due to more power and torque, but this engine is way complicated and actually less refined than the 2GR V6. But I’m glad Volvo simplifies the engine a little bit and not have supercharger and turbocharged together anymore. So yeah, most consumer (at least in CA), people would definitely lease it while people buy the TX (theoretically like the RX). To simplify it, the XC90 is for people who wants excellent European luxury, performance (if people willing to drive aggressively), and Swedish-built while the TX is only for people (mostly, not all, loyalists) that just wants the brand, don’t care about performance, and the V6 PHEV powertrain (really the only reason if people wants TX for some reason).
I'm very disappointed in the TX version due to it not being a 7 seater and only being a 6 seater I would have gotten this over the Grand highlander itself!
Disappointed in the design. It doesn't differentiate itself from a Toyota design. In fact, the front end looks just like the 2016 Highlander. This 550h+ with the V6, is what I'd want to buy. But not for $75,000 and up for a Toyota design.
I’m shocked they didn’t offer the dynamic rear steering on the 550h+. It seems odd to build a different e-axle for the 550h+. This seems to me they are doing everything possible to get the 550 under $80k for the tax credit eligibility. They could be also hoping that Congress slightly bumps up the $80k to account for inflation.
I expect no soft touch plastics on a luxury vehicle that will cost over $80K….not to mention it looks like a Toyota, no panoramic sunroof, the rear seat looks very Toyota as well, the console should be more substantial
@MrTeslaX true. I didn’t think about that. I forgot. But still, the TX is suppose to be ranked higher than RX and it stills just feel basic. Which is why I said LX for the flagship tag. But I just don’t understand why a person would pay 80k+ for this model when they can get the grand highlander for 10k less (max optioned)
@@dave7315 thanks for the response. I don't see any reason to buy TX over GH Hybrid Max unless you really care about the brand name. However, TX500h+ will be a different beast with V6+Hybrid but again it's gonna cost close to 80, not worth 20k+ over GH imo. I am currently considering 2023 GX460, GH Hybrid Max, or a used LX570. My heart and mind is set on LX but can't fathom 14mpg.
Lexus is getting so blatant with the Toyota part sharing. It is one thing to use the same platform and engine. It is another to copy and paste a Toyota product as a Lexus product to jack up the price. The GH is way better value even though the TX gets some exclusive features to make it seem more enticing. Both Toyota and Honda are getting so lazy with their luxury brands and are deliberately gimping their economy brands to give their luxury brands a fighting chance. When you compare the new Santa Fe and current Palisade, it is insane to see how much value they provide, and how many features they have that luxury brands do not provide. The Koreans focus on elevating both their economy brands and Genesis, rather than deliberately gimping their economy brand. Their new cars set standards for upscale economy that so called luxury brands like Lexus even copy.
I agree. But Hondas just fine. They’re better than Toyota and only Honda Mazda Acura can give the Koreans stiff competition. Toyota Lexus could only dream of such status
@@gerry9306 no Hondas better than Toyota. Better in every category you can think of. Otherwise Honda wouldn’t be the segment benchmark in their categories
@@naveenthemachine perhaps in your fantasies Naveen. Honda makes a good product but reliability analysis metrics show that Toyota is still the best in the world 🌎
You need to know that the Toyota group is one of the highest shareholders in Mazda, so even if the TX doesn't sell well but the CX90 sells a lot then Toyota Group will still make a profit from Mazda sales.
We all understand why this exists and it will surely print money if they can make them fast enough... but it just feels like a product that was released 4-5 years ago, not a 2024 model.
@@Simon-oq6dsthis is 2023 not 1998. You have to keep up with the joneses. Thats the way it’s going. The tx comes from borrowed time and it’s already ancient
$80K plus for a very “Toyota” looking SUV? It seems that Lexus is bringing down the look and quality of Lexus more to the level of Toyota and actually jacking up the price. Absence of wood trim aside the interior just looks too basic and plastic for a vehicle of this price. I mean with Genesis charging well over $80K for the GV80 premium and with this Lexus offering it would seem that the MDX and MDX Type S will fly out of the showrooms now because I’m guessing that the updated MDX which I would guess will arrive in 2026 will lean towards the plastic paradise blueprint of the Lexus products. Honestly I would take my chances with the reliability of the Germans at this point and get an X7 or Q7 if I’m going to pay $80K.
@@bradleyscarreviewsbut it’s worth it. You get a lot of car for that price You’ll clearly see where you money went in the genesis. But in Lexus not so much..
In general, it’s not as much of a gamble to go with the Germans if you can buy new. I love Audis but cannot afford to buy new and cannot afford the upkeep cost of used so I have to settle with a used Lexus or Acura product…
