As promised, the Lexus 'Double Feature' came to life on June 8, 2023, at precisely 8 PM Eastern (8 AM Western), which is an excellent symmetry, indeed. One of the main protagonists was, of course, the first-ever counterpart of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, the shorter-named Lexus TX.
One thing is for sure, so let us get it out of our systems: from many angles, the uninitiated might easily confuse the Grand Highlander with its more luxurious sibling, the 2024 Lexus TX. Besides, both will come from precisely the same place – Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Princeton, Indiana, the first time any Lexus vehicle is assembled there - let alone a Lexus that's great for the entire family.
Lexus says their big, family-oriented ritzy three-row crossover vehicle introduces the new Lexus Unified Spindle design language that "prioritizes aerodynamic handling and vehicle stability." We say they're borderline exaggeration with the grille treatments on recent introductions like the new RX or the mighty LX (just think of the Ultra Luxury trim!), and they're also playing a dangerous game of rebadge engineering with the Toyota Yaris Cross and Lexus LBX plus Grand Highlander and TX twins.
With that being said, it's safe to say they saw what Mitsubishi is doing to Renault models in Europe with the ASX and new Colt, and they already learned an important lesson. Well, it's 50/50, frankly – the front and rear treatments are significant redesigns in Lexus' usual key. However, the interior atmosphere exudes the Grand Highlander – TX connections in more ways than anyone might want to remember. Still, it might matter more to families that the third-row legroom is spacious enough to house adults, and the cargo space behind the third row is generous (20.1 cu. ft. or 569 liters).
The Lexus Driving Signature is here to stay as the 2024 TX is the latest Lexus to adopt the TNGA-K platform, thus offering "a low center of gravity and optimal weight distribution." Further improvements were made to enhance the low levels of NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness), with specifics adopted for a three-row CUV. Like the Grand Highlander, the Lexus TX will also become available with a choice of three powertrains – but once we go into details, things start to diverge slightly.
So, the TX 350 keeps the same 2.4-liter turbo inline-four mill but offers 275 hp instead of 265 ponies on the Toyota counterpart. It also comes with both FWD and AWD hooked to an eight-speed auto transmission. Next, the slightly longer TX 500h (203.5 inches or 516.89 cm) with DIRECT4 AWD has the 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain with 366 hp and 409 lb-ft (555 Nm) instead of 362 ponies for the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. Last but not least, TX ascertains its supremacy over the Toyota sibling with the plug-in hybrid TX 550h+ featuring a 3.5-liter V6 with 406 hp and an estimated 33 miles (53 km) of all-electric range.
Four trims will be available from the get-go: Standard, Premium, Luxury, and F SPORT Performance (available exclusively in conjunction with the TX 500h), and sales availability for the 2024 TX 350 and 500h is expected this fall. Meanwhile, the flagship TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid will reach nationwide dealerships at a later yet unspecified date.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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