The Lexus TX is a big, comfy SUV, but so are other luxury SUVs from competing brands
Is the 2024 Lexus TX a good road trip car? It really depends on how you look at it because if you’re looking right at it, then yes. It looks like something that could carry all your road trip needs. That said, not everyone needs this much vehicle for a road trip, especially if it’s just two people, which happened to be the case when my friend and I took the TX to Pittsburgh. On the flip side, two people could really get used to this amount of space when they’re doing a lot of shopping. I guess what I’m trying to say is the TX may not be your road trip vehicle of choice, but it’s definitely got its advantages. And it could certainly be worse, right?
What competes with the Lexus TX?
That said, while all of the above would make great road trip vehicles, Lexus/Toyota have great reliability and efficiency ratings, so that’s definitely a plus, especially if this is going to be your primary vehicle.
How much is the 2024 Lexus TX 500h in Canada?
Lexus TX 500h fuel consumption
In addition to the above pricing, keep in mind this vehicle requires premium fuel. While NRCan gave it a fuel consumption rating of 8.6 L/100 in combined highway and city driving, we never saw numbers quite that low. In fact, during our drive to Pittsburgh and back to the GTA doing predominantly highway driving — we didn’t do much city driving once we reached our destination since it was easier to just walk — we saw numbers hovering around the 10 L/100 km mark, which is actually closer to the TX 350’s average fuel consumption.
How comfortable is the Lexus TX?
The bolstered bucket seats are kind of like a hug and are pretty comfortable for long drives. Driving to Pittsburgh may not be quite the longest drive, especially considering we broke up the five-hour drive to grab coffee, then again to go shopping and once more for dinner, all before arriving at our destination. However, I will say that each time I got out of the vehicle, my lower back hurt a bit, but quite frankly, that could be a me-getting-old-problem and not the SUV’s fault. My friend sat in the front passenger seat throughout the drive and never complained about the comfort. Both front seats get heated and ventilated seats, but no massage function, which may have helped with that lower back pain.
What powers the Lexus TX 500h?
The 2024 Lexus TX 500h houses the same 2.4L turbo four-cylinder in the TX 350 but it also works with electric motors making it a hybrid powertrain that delivers a total output of 366 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque.
The big AWD Lexus was actually pretty comfortable to drive and didn’t feel as gigantic as it actually is, however, a large portion of the drive was on the open highway with no one around to make me feel uncomfortable. When we reached our destination of the hotel in Pittsburgh, we parked the Lexus in the underground parking lot. It wasn’t difficult to get into the spot because of a great backup camera but parking the SUV in tight underground parking spaces is definitely not something I’d want to do often, and so we left it there for the majority of the trip — and walked everywhere we needed to go — until we were ready to make the journey back home. Note that the TX does have a hands-free parking system, but it’s so hard to let go of controlling a vehicle this size, especially around other cars.
What features make the Lexus TX a good road-trip car?
Similar to size, I find myself getting used to a bunch of high-tech screens and gimmicks that are essentially just party tricks of sorts, and not actual needs in a family car. We were happily road-tripping well before lane-keeping technology, massage seats and whatever premium means to people in 2024. The difference is that all the new technology is distracting, specifically the nonsense that are the buttons on the Lexus’s steering wheel that are beyond frustrating. The centre screen is big but it also houses a bunch of touch options that are physical controls in the Toyota Grand Highlander.
The features that actually make this a good road trip car are the ones that make it a good overall vehicle, whether you’ve got a family to lug around or not. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can connect wirelessly and you can throw your phone into the wireless phone charger once it’s connected. There’s also a head-up display, but I’ve never been a huge fan when all the information is clearly displayed in the digital dashboard already.
And of course, the space. Whether you’ve got a car load of people or just tons of shopping bags, you’ll find 572 litres behind the third row which opens up to a roomy 1,625 litres when those third row seats are folded. And it’s super easy to access that extra space with the power folding seats. If you’re planning on towing, it’s rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Final thoughts on the Lexus TX 500h
Driving a Lexus definitely gives you a bit of status on the road. I saw a few people give the Lexus a second, or even third glance and a few even stopped to appreciate it. It’s a big, flashy SUV that owns the road. If that’s what you want, and if you’ve got nearly $100,000 to splash on a Lexus, then all the power to you.
But for me, despite my road trip being a very enjoyable one, it’s definitely not what I need. The company was far better than the car itself, and truly, the company is what makes a road trip special.
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