Lexus has made a name for itself when it comes to providing three-row luxury in the Philippines. Although they started with solid sedan offerings like the Lexus IS, ES, and LS, their sales really rocketed with the introduction of their SUV line-up, and of course, the Lexus LM. Now, as they have the widest breadth of three-row luxury offerings, it begs the question: is there room for yet another one?
The TX is the newest nameplate in Lexus’s stable and with that, it doesn’t carry as much gravitas as the GX or LX. However, from a product standpoint, it’s hard to underscore the importance of the Lexus TX in filling a gap in the line-up by offering uncompromised seating for up to seven adults. Although the GX and LX do come with three rows of seats too, both pale in comparison to the TX’s capability of ferrying people in utmost luxury and comfort.
Everything starts out with its generous dimensions. Built on the unibody TNGA GA-K platform, the Lexus TX measures in at 5,167 mm in length and 1,990 mm in width making it longer and wider than the GX, LX, and even, surprisingly, the LM.
With a design dictated more by function than form, Lexus has, at least, managed to pepper it with some of their more recognizable aesthetic cues. Lexus calls this approach the “Unified Spindle” design and fans of the brand will quickly see hints of the LBX and RZ in here. The rear though is where the TX really shines as the wide haunches and planted stance make it downright regal. And while it’s hard to “sportify” a family-oriented SUV, Lexus has done that successfully with the matte black 22-inch wheels and this optional Incognito color.
Carrying the TX 500h badge, this TX gets a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder hybrid. The motivation provided by the gas engine already puts out a healthy 271 horsepower and 460 Nm of torque. But because it adds not one, but two electric motors the combined total goes up to 366 horsepower and 554 Nm.
Remarkably, electrification here wasn’t simply done for the sake of maximizing every single drop of fuel. Instead, it’s about delivering some spirited performance too. Gone is the series-parallel setup that’s been at use over at Lexus for quite some time and in its place is a purely parallel hybrid. What this means is that the electric motors now have more flexibility on when it engages and disengages, including cruising at highway speeds. Better still, it’s managed to unlock a sense of directnes. It’s a hoot to drive with lots of usable power even from down low. 100 km/h arrives in as little as six seconds—mighty impressive for a 2.2-ton SUV. If anything, the TX 500h did give up some points in fuel economy, achieving just 9.17 km/L at a 23 km/h average speed.
As a three-row SUV, you’d never image the Lexus TX to be a tidy handler; but it is. Coupled with that quick and responsive powertrain, the TX 500h is eager and fun to hustle given its size. The TX 500h comes standard with Direct4. What this means is that the all-wheel drive is delivered electronically with no mechanical linkage between the front and rear axles. The entire system is transparent, although if you want to geek out, the system can vary power distribution from 100:0 to 20:80, depending on driving and road conditions. Adaptive Variable Suspension also happens to smoothen out the ride, although a bit of a caveat is that engaging “Sport” mode tends to busy up the ride too much.
Inside, the Lexus TX is familiar territory to current Lexus owners. The driving-related controls—the large heads-up display, fully-digital display, and multimedia unit—are all located with the driver’s forward sightline. The center screen itself is easy to use and navigate. Issues? Primarily, Lexus’s decision to put touch-sensitive control pads on the steering wheel. Not only are mis-presses commonplace, but because they have at least two functions built into them (you change them via the Mode button), you end up getting distracted half the time.
As always, the interior design is muted, but it delivers on the craftsmanship front with the use of first-class materials, top-notch build quality, and a long list of convenience features. The use of NuLuxe—a kind of synthetic suede-like material and leather—and a two-tone birch/black color scheme is refreshing and works well to give an airy and luxurious feel. Accoutrements here include a power adjustable steering column and front seats with heating and ventilation, a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, and yes, a 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium speaker system.
What is different here compared to other Lexus models is the sheer amount of space available. The second- and third-row seats are mounted a tad higher compared to the front seats, and that’s because the 1.4-kWh Nickel Metal Hydride battery is located beneath the second row. The middle Captain Seats are supportive and generous. Accessing the third-row is easy enough thanks to a slide assist walk-in mechanism. With a press of the switch on the seat shoulder, the seat tilts forward and the slide assist spring moves the second-row seats. The third-row itself is roomy and habitable even for long drives with its adjustable recline.
Equipped with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 standard, the Lexus TX adds the peace of mind a family-oriented SUV needs. The comprehensive suite of active safety equipment provides the highest level of driver support. All in all, these technologies are designed to help, for example, alert the driver of a pedestrian or vehicle in front of the vehicle or maintain a preset speed or following distance from a vehicle ahead. If it senses the driver has dozed off or worse, it can bring itself to a safe and full stop. Navigating tight parking structures is easy thanks to its multitude of sensors and an intuitive 360-degree camera.
In designing the Lexus TX, Lexus came up with a simple brief: three rows, zero compromise. This means that customers get the benefit of passenger capacity with the luxury and dynamics associated with the brand. Now, so far, Lexus Philippines remains coy on the TX’s chances arriving locally, but if it does come, it’s a worthy addition—after all, three-row SUVs, particularly in the luxury segment, is all the rage these days. All in all, it has the capability of establishing itself as an important addition to the Lexus line-up, much like the RX, and more recently, the LM has done.
