2024 Lexus TX 500h F Sport – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

It’s bulky and clumsy, but it is a Lexus!

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

You probably think monster trucks are behemoth creations confined to stadium shoot outs. But there's a new trend in the auto industry aimed at selling tamed down civilian versions to the public. Call them mini monsters. Tesla's bewilderingly ugly Cybertruck is the most prominent example of this trend. But a rather less conspicuous SUV example has just emerged from the styling studio of Lexus designated the TX. From a size standpoint, the new-for-2024 three-row TX dominates the company's SUV lineup: In length (203 inches) and wheelbase (116 inches), the new TX is more spacious than the RX, GX, and even the Land Cruiser based LX. The new Toyota Grand Highlander shares its platform with the Lexus TX.

What makes this new addition to the Lexus family so distinct is its monster truck stance and appearance. Call it the New Brutalism, just like the slab sided architecture that dominated building construction around the world back in the 1950s, when concrete was king. Appropriately enough, our test TX 500h F Sport was painted a mind-numbing shade of concrete gray appropriately called "Incognito." Despite the fact that there was nothing pretty about the looks of our test TX. we had a freeway motorist pointedly pull abreast of our Lexus to give us a prolonged thumbs-up seal of approval. Must have been a Grave Digger fan.

The new world of Automotive Brutalism starts at the pavement, with set of giant 22 x 9J black F Sport rims shod with Continental CrossContact LX20 rollers (255/45R22). So tall (at 70 inches) and so square that it looks like the box it came in, the Incognito TX stands proud from most everything else on the road save semi-trucks. It also gets down that road with surprising alacrity if you opt for the hybrid version. Our test TX paired a 271hp 2.4 liter inline-4 with two electric motors (85hp + 101hp) to produce 366hp and 401lb.-ft. of torque. This hybrid combination is strong enough to propel the 5, 119lb. TX to 60mph from rest in 5.7 seconds, and cover the standing start quarter mile in 14.5 seconds at 95mph.

The interior space of the TX is so large that you can cram 97 cubic feet of cargo into the available space if you drop the second and third-row seatbacks flat. When I hoisted my bike into that chasm, it all but disappeared from view. With proper padding, I could have laid two more bikes over it without creating a problem. Pop all the seatback up. and you've got a pair of luxurious second-row captain's chairs, plus a surprisingly accessible three-seat aft bench. The dark tinted rear tailgate window is so far behind the driver's seat that you can't see much of what's behind you. And since you can't actually see any of the TX's four corners from the driver's seat, you really need to opt for the $2,380 Technology Package. This rather pricey but essential grouping includes a panoramic view monitor, advanced park and remote park, a digital rearview mirror and a head-up display.

If you're looking to buy a sizeable tract of fast-lane real estate, the TX should prove the answer to your search. But don't look to this SUV for a rewarding driving experience. It's simply too big and clumsy on its contact patches to provide much of a genuine F Sport experience. We found that the amount of foot pressure needed for brake engagement varied considerably from one application to another. Also, the hybrid system offered regenerative braking when none was wanted or needed. This caused the TX to slow unaccountably with no prompting from the driver. We also could not figure out how to disengage the lane centering and cruise control functions. Despite a deep dive into the 608-page Owner's Manual, we only managed to discover that Lexus had this to say on Page 270 about the steering wheel mounted cruise control buttons: "the function of each switch differs depending on the conditions and setting." That less than helpful observation left us fighting off cruise control and lane centering for our entire week with the TX.

Your transportation needs will determine whether the TX makes sense as a transport. On the plus side are all the accustomed Lexus attributes, like meticulous attention to detail, Ritz hotel interior quality, surfeit of conveniently connected technologies, and fabulous Mark Levinson premium audio system. Whether those ironclad Lexus virtues outweigh the operational drawback of the TX is up to you.

2024 LEXUS TX 500h F SPORT

• ENGINE: 2.4 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC 16-valve, plus 2AC Motors and 1.4kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack
• HORSEPOWER: 366hp (combined)
• TORQUE: 406 lb.-ft.
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 27MPG City/28 MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $77,150

HYPES: Size, Interior Spaciousness, Luxe Detailing

GRIPES: Distracting Video IP Graphics, Annoying Cruise/Lane Departure

STAR RATING: 7.5 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman