2024 Lexus TX550h+ Luxury First Test: Plug In To a New Reality
Is the top-dog Lexus TX 3-row SUV as good if it’s a plug-in hybrid?
Pros
- Plug-in hybrid is nice to have
- Roomy in all three rows
- Quiet and smooth ride
Cons
- We’d prefer power to be more balanced front to rear
- Gas engine kicks in at higher speeds even in EV mode
- Gear shifter can be clunky
The 2024 Lexus TX is the luxury three-row SUV that had been missing from the brand’s lineup. This is the Lexus version of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, which gave Lexus' parent company a much-needed max-passenger SUV that was still reasonably sized. Toyota’s luxury arm makes up ground by offering the TX with a choice of three powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid with 39 miles of electric-only range.
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Experiencing the 2024 Lexus TX550h+
That version, the TX550h+ tested here, teams a 259-hp, 247-lb-ft 3.5-liter V-6 with front and rear permanent-magnet electric motors. Combined output stands at 404 hp, and the TX550h+ merges its electric and gas power sources with supreme smoothness, both at full throttle and while cruising around town, aided by the continuously variable transmission providing seamless “shifts.” There is a strong pull and plenty of power on acceleration, and the V-6 sounds good doing it.
Pushed hard, this SUV launches with no fanfare but plenty of punch—the electric helpers mean you would be forgiven for thinking the V-6 was turbocharged. Toyota’s hybrid expertise and experience is on full display here. The engine note is subdued, even under full power, which preserves the luxury experience Lexus works hard to provide. And its general quietude helps this plug-in masquerade as a full EV when the engine is off.
The TX550h+ defaults to EV mode at startup, which is good for 39 miles per EPA tests. The two-motor system does a good job keeping the gas engine at bay as long as the battery is charged, but we encountered a speed threshold around 70 mph where the gas engine often kicks in regardless of battery state.
Still, efficiency is admirable, with an EPA rating of 29/28/29 mpg city/highway/combined. Fold in the motors, and the plug-in hybrid earns a 76 mpg-e rating with a charged battery. It also has a range of 450 miles, so prepare your bladder.
We have already tested the 2024 Lexus TX350 with its gas engine, which you can read about here. And MotorTrend spent some time in the TX500h hybrid in F Sport Luxury trim, too; that one is considered the middle tier with its 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and two electric motors combining for 366 hp and 409 lb-ft of torque.
At the test track, the TX550h+ plug-in hybrid registered a 0–60-mph time of 5.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 13.9 seconds at 101.1 mph. (We also performed these tests in EV-only mode; it took 11.3 seconds to hit 60 mph and 18.0 seconds to complete the quarter mile at 73.5 mph.) The lighter TX500h conventional hybrid achieved 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.7.
Feels Like Front-Wheel Drive
Every TX550h+ comes with all-wheel-drive but handles with classic front-drive dynamics thanks to the torque split that favors the front tires. At the front, you have 247 lb-ft of torque from the gas engine and 199 lb-ft from the electric motor; in contrast, the rear is fed 124 lb-ft from its dedicated motor. It means the SUV understeers when you reach the tires’ limits, and there’s a lot of front-wheel peel when exiting the turns under power. But if you drive it like you probably will—which is to say without aggression—this situation is a nonissue. And it can tow 5,000 pounds.
The TX and Grand Highlander both ride on Toyota’s TNGA-K platform. The one-rung-lower TX500h hybrid is positioned as the sporty member of the family, with agility-enhancing rear-wheel steering and mandatory F Sport trimmings such as a stiffer suspension. Yet the absence of rear-wheel steering in the TX550h+ did not diminish its performance, and the lack of F Sport bits is no bad thing, as some might find the sportier suspension a bit too much. The plug-in provides a comfortable, soothing ride—especially welcome after I had just thrown out my back.
How Well Does It Brake?
Braking is smooth in everyday driving. In hard brake testing, we experienced screeching tires, a little juke to the left, and a decent dose of nosedive for a more dramatic emergency stop than in most luxury SUVs. But the results were good. It only took 121 feet to bring the regular hybrid to a stop, and the heavier plug-in hybrid was even more impressive, stopping in 117 feet. For comparison, the 2024 Acura MDX SH-AWD Type S three-row luxury SUV took 123 feet to stop. You and your family might be more startled after a panic stop than in some competitive SUVs, but know you are in good hands safety-wise.
The lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control functions can be activated with buttons on the steering wheel and adjusted after using the pedal to set the speed. Lane centering was middle of the pack. It doesn’t jerk the SUV back into the center of the lane like some systems, but it does allow you to stray a little too close to the lines for comfort at times.
Interior as Cocoon
The TX surrounds passengers with a nice array of high-end and soft-touch materials. Our evaluation vehicle had a two-tone black and white interior with white leather-trimmed heated and cooled seats. A swath of white material broke up the black doors, and there’s a suedelike material on the dash in front of the passenger, a nice break from plastic. The heated steering wheel and seats get warm, not hot. The seats, which are also ventilated, are quite comfortable.
A 12.3-inch digital instrument clusters bleeds into a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen to cover two-thirds of the dash in a single housing that curves around the driver and creates a cockpit feel. We appreciate the physical buttons for both driver and passenger to adjust individual temperature, and there’s a physical volume control. Everything else is operated by touch via the screen. I did have difficulty pairing my phone to connect to Apple CarPlay, but this may be a one-off issue most people won’t experience.
The center console has a wireless phone charger; big, square cupholders; and buttons to turn off traction control, activate Trail Mode, or save the battery charge for later use.
Fiddling With the Shifter
The pistol-grip shifter in the center console can be clunky at times to put in gear or Sport mode. The full suite of more comprehensive drive modes is accessed behind the shifter on the console.
The Luxury trim’s second row has a pair of heated and ventilated captain’s chairs that offer two USB ports and a power outlet. For a seven-passenger layout, you can order a bench seat instead with three sets of seat belts. There are large square cupholders between the captain’s seats.
A button on top of the second-row seats power-flips and slides them forward for access to the third row. The SUV rides high, so it’s a step up for a small child, but once in, they should be able to crawl between the seats to get to the third row, which only seats two.
The third-row seats power fold almost flat. From the cargo hold, there are buttons to fold and raise the third-row seats, but you must manually pop off their headrests. There are cupholders and another power outlet for those in the very back.
How Much Does the Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid Cost?
The TX550h+ Luxury Direct4 starts at $78,050 and is well equipped at that price, with a long list of safety and driver assist technologies, 22-inch wheels, a Mark Levinson audio system, and other amenities.
Our car added an $895 Convenience package with front cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist, and a digital key; a $100 Cold Area package with windshield wiper deicer; and a $2,380 Technology package that includes a panoramic view monitor, advanced park assist, and a head-up display. Throw in a few more minor extras, and the total price tag came to $82,389. Yes, that’s a big chunk of change, but this top-of-the-line TX’s power, efficiency, and comfortable ride means it has a lot to offer for the money. It just might be our favorite TX of all.
Alisa Priddle joined MotorTrend in 2016 as the Detroit Editor. A Canadian, she received her Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been a reporter for 40 years, most of it covering the auto industry because there is no more fascinating arena to cover. It has it all: the vehicles, the people, the plants, the competition, the drama. Alisa has had a wonderfully varied work history as a reporter for four daily newspapers including the Detroit Free Press where she was auto editor, and the Detroit News where she covered the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, as well as auto trade publication Wards, and two enthusiast magazines: Car & Driver and now MotorTrend. At MotorTrend Alisa is a judge for the MotorTrend Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year. She loves seeing a new model for the first time, driving it for the first time, and grilling executives for the stories behind them. In her spare time, she loves to swim, boat, sauna, and then jump into a cold lake or pile of snow.
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