We drive and review the 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ and find out if it's the BEST 3-ROW Luxury PHEV

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:30 Exterior Styling
1:59 Cargo Space
3:36 Powertrain
5:02 Pricing
7:19 Interior and Tech
10:41 Driving
17:33 Off Road
19:59 Verdict

When Lexus lengthened the RX to create the RXL it simply wasn't up to the task in the highly competitive Luxury three-row market and the only other ways to get a third-row seat were the GX and LX, but now with the introduction of the 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ they may have a winner on their hands.

The TX is built on the same platform as the Toyota Grand Highlander, which I tested last summer, and it’s significantly bigger than the latest RX, with a four-inch-longer wheelbase, almost three inches of extra width, and an overall length of just over 203 inches which is just short of 17 feet.

Boxy Styling

Unlike in the RX, there's no curved roofline here, instead the rear end is squared-off maximizing space for both people and cargo. At the front Of course, it sports the unmistakable Lexus spindle-shaped grille with body-color horizontal slats, the good news is it tones down the TX's styling, and I like it.

All TX 550 h+ models are luxury trim and come with 22-inch wheels wrapped in Continental all-season tires with brakes that are upgraded to aluminum  6-piston front calipers with larger discs.

Under the hood

Lexus offers the TX with three powertrain options, all of which, can tow up to 5,000 pounds. The biggest seller will be the Lexus TX350, which uses a 275-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter I-4 and an eight-speed automatic transmission with front- or all-wheel drive.

Next up is the TX500h F Sport Performance hybrid, which combines the same turbo engine with an electric motor between it and a six-speed automatic transmission. That combination powers the front wheels, and a second electric motor powers the rear axle. Total output for the TX500h is 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.

Finally, my tester has the most interesting powertrain It’s a plug-in hybrid blending a 3.5-liter V-6 with 259 hp, a 179-hp electric motor, and at the back, a 101-hp electric motor. It uses a continuously variable automatic transmission on the front axle. The total output is 404 hp. (Lexus doesn't quote torque numbers)  The third motor on the rear axle kicks in during low-traction situations and under full throttle for maximum output.

The lithium-ion battery also provides up to 33 miles of EV-only driving range, while overall fuel economy is 29/28/29 mpg city/highway/combined. 0-60 takes 5.6 seconds.




2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Numbers

BASE PRICE: $68,730
PRICE AS TESTED: $75,930
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, AWD, 7-passenger, 4-door SUV
ENGINE: 3.5 VL V6 engine with DIRECT4.
ELECTRIC MOTOR: Two-motor transaxle 
COMBINED POWER: 404 hp
TRANSMISSION: Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable
BATTERY: 18.1-kWh lithium-ion
EV RANGE: 33 Miles
0-60 MPH: 5.6 sec
CURB WEIGHT: 5,400
CARGO CAPACITY: 20.1 ft³ behind 3rd row, 57.4 cubic feet with 3rd row folded, 97 cubic feet with 2nd row folded  
FUEL ECONOMY: 29 mpg hybrid combined and 76 mpge electric
EV RANGE: 37 MILES
OUR OBSERVED: 36.1 mpg
PROS: Super smooth, beautiful interior, tons of space
CONS: Could use more physical buttons