The delight and the anguish of today’s SUV market is that there are so many choices, and that’s just within one automaker’s lineup. Thanks (I think) Lexus!
Buyers requiring a luxury-leaning 3-row SUV that will accommodate mostly adults have choices out the wazoo and Lexus offers seven of them, with three powertrains. Not to confuse matters more, but its heritage brand, Toyota offers seven too, all costing a bit less. We’ll get to pricing in a bit.
This week’s people mover is the Lexus TX 350 Luxury AWD, the third level up of four TX’s that are powered by an efficient 2.4-liter turbo I4 that creates 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. This is the base powertrain and is linked to a fine-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission.
Power is sufficient, but feels mild, especially when wanting a quick jump up to highway speeds. The Car and Driver magazine folks put 0 to 60 mph at a modest 7.1 seconds. And not to complain, but there’s a good bit of engine growl when the accelerator is hammered. I liken it to my Subaru Outback’s Boxer engine, known for its thrashing sound. Turbos usually are quieter and for a luxury SUV, I’d expect quieter motivation.
That said, there are other choices with the TX, or its cousin, the Toyota Grand Highlander. Those are hybrids.
The Lexus TX 500h in F-Sport Performance Premium, or Performance Luxury trim jump the power up to 366 horses. That’s because it uses 2 electric motors to aid the 2.4-liter turbo I4. Power is smoother and quieter.
Climb atop TX’s trim ladder to the TX 550h (See my earlier review: 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury review – Savage On Wheels) and in place of the I4 turbo is a tried and true 3.5-liter V6 along with the two electric motors creating 404 horsepower and linked to a CVT. Again, smooth, quieter and much much peppier. Again, C&D puts 0-60 acceleration at 5.7 seconds for the 366-horse version TX and 5.1 seconds for the V6 powered TX hybrid. You choose!
While most of us would opt for more power, pricing can play a role in that choice, even for luxury SUV buyers.
So, the base TX 350 starts at $57,090, the Premium which adds some wanted goodies starts at $59,890 and the tested Luxury trim lists at $63,840 with delivery. There’s an F-Sport model above that at $66,360 and it puts its emphasis on sportier handling and ride.
Move to the hybrids and the F-Sport Performance Premium lists at $70,610, with the Luxury model hitting $73,760, so $10k more than the tested gas-only Luxury model. Depending on gas prices (currently low) it’ll take a while for that hybrid’s price difference to be paid for in lower gas use. But, and it’s a big one, you’ll have more power and smoother acceleration with the hybrid as you await the payback in better fuel economy. More on mpg in a sec.
Then there’s the 550h Luxury model with the V6 hybrid setup. It starts at $80,960. As always, performance comes at a price.
I’m not going to get into the finer details of all the Toyota Grand Highlander versions here but know that the base LE with the turbo I4 lists at $44,455 and the base hybrid XLE starts at $48,515 and goes up from there. Your choice, again!
From the Lexus side of things, you’ll not be disappointed with ride, handling and traction, nor interior comfort. All are aces.
Ride is particularly nice. Well-controlled over the roughest roads and even an uneven railroad track barely disturbs those relaxing inside. After bouncing around in a pickup last week, this was a particularly welcome ride.
Handling is light and fairly precise for a large 3-row SUV. This is based on a car platform, so handles more like a large sedan and is easy to maneuver. Plus, with AWD the traction was fine in several inches of snow we had during the drive.
Safety is well handled with Lexus’s Safety System+ 3.0 that includes all the equipment one expects now, including park assist with automatic braking.
Inside, the handsome Matador Red (no extra cost) TX one could enjoy tasteful touches of semi-aniline leather and suede on the light gray seats. These are comfy and supportive too with power front seats and three memory driver’s seat. Both front and second row seats are heated and cooled, the second row being Captain’s chairs here, a $680 option, meaning this TX will seat six instead of seven, if the center seat remained a bench.
Folks always praise Lexus seating and those second-row seats will easily slide forward for entry to row three’s bench. With that second row just a scooch forward there’s plenty of knee room for adults in row three, although a person’s feet rest higher than in row two, so knees will be elevated some.
The dash and doors are black topped with gray suede door inserts and a gray-silver trim on the dash and front of the console. A black suede dash trim on the passenger’s side looks a little out of place, and the black headliner makes the interior feel darker than need be. There IS a standard giant solid glass panoramic sunroof. Power the shade back to help brighten the interior.
Thankfully the dash is low with good sight lines and the large touchscreen seamlessly merged into the dash’s center for easy use and viewing. All the buttons and knobs make sense and the heated steering wheel and front seats have an automatic setting so one needn’t fuss with them once set.
Plaudits to the fancy 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system too, although that adds $1,160 to the price tag. Note, a 12-speaker system is standard.
I was impressed with the 20 cubic feet of cargo room behind row three, more than in many SUVs. Plus, Lexus includes power buttons to lower and raise the third row from inside the rear’s power hatch. Convenient!
Folks planning to tow should find the 5,000-pound towing ability of the TX to be sufficient. If not, move up to Lexus more trucky GX or LX models. Those are designed more for the off-roaders anyway, while TX is for suburban wanderers.
Two demerits for TX, the lack of a standard navigation system, although wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, so easy to plug in a phone for nav service. Still, this IS a luxury ute.
The other wrist-slap is the touchy Toyota/Lexus driver attention alert system. It remains super sensitive, barely letting a driver glance in a rearview mirror without chiming to warn of inattention. Annoying!
I guess I had a bit of a problem too with all the add-ons here, 13 options on an already luxury level SUV. Those pushed that $63,840 base up to $74,379. I’d expect some of these (looking at you puddle lamps) to be standard. Naturally one could move up to F Sport to get a few more features at a $66k price tag, but then you get a stiffer sport suspension, which is NOT needed for Midwest driving.
Good news on assembly though. That occurs in southern Indiana, so no tariff issues for now.
Finally let’s consider gas mileage. The EPA rates the TX 350 at 20 mpg city and 26 highway. I got 21.2 mpg in a mix, during 20-degree weather mostly. A front-drive model is rated 1 mpg higher. For comparison’s sake, I averaged 34.5 mpg in the TX 550h driven last year, but again, it costs roughly $15k more.
So many choices from Lexus and Toyota, and that doesn’t even factor in the sturdy competition, such as Volvo’s XC 90, Acura’s MDX or Lincoln’s Aviator, and more.
FAST STATS: 2026 Lexus TX 350 AWD
Hits: Roomy people hauler with adult-friendly three-row seating, comfy ride, easy handling, AWD. Big info screen, heated wheel and heat/cool front and second row seats, 360-degree camera, wireless charging, panoramic sunroof, HUD, Levinson audio, power hatch, power down third row seats, solid safety systems, rear sun shades.
Misses: Low on power, noisy acceleration, super sensitive driver attention alert, no navigation system.
Made in: Princeton, Ind.
Engine: 2.4-liter turbo I4, 275 hp/317 torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Weight: 4,575 lbs.
Wheelbase: 116.1 in.
Length: 203.2 in.
Tow: 5,000 lbs.
Ground clearance: 7.9 in.
MPG: 20/ 26
MPG: 21.2 (tested)
Base Price: $63,840 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $59,785
Major Options:
Heated/cooled second row captain’s chairs, $680
Convenience pkg. (front cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist, digital key w/3-year 4G network trial), $895
22-inch alloy wheels, $2,140
Mark Levinson Premium audio w/21 speakers, $1,160
Tech pkg. (panoramic view monitor, Advanced Park w/remote park, digital rearview mirror, HUD), $2,380
Illuminated door sills, $470
Side puddle lamps/rear cargo lamps, $574
Mudguards, $170
Running boards, $375
Dash cam, $375
Black emblem overlays, $325
Crossbars, $420
All-weather cargo tray, $150
Test vehicle: $74,379
Sources: Lexus, www.kbb.com
