A few months after the unveiling of the Toyota Grand Highlander, Lexus finally got its interpretation of this midsize SUV.
Designed specifically for the North American market, the new TX wants to appeal to larger families. The luxury brand also took advantage of the event to lift the veil on the latest version of its GX, whose utilitarian identity is clearly visible.
But first, let’s look at the TX. Adding to the Lexus lineup, this SUV is virtually identical to the Grand Highlander in all dimensions, in addition to sharing its platform. At 5.2m long, nearly 2m wide and 1.8m tall, it’s rather chunky to make the third row more comfortable. Note the enhanced level of finish that the Lexus badge commands as well as the presence of the new 14-inch infotainment screen linked to the digital instrumentation.
Behind its hourglass grille, which is more discreet because it is painted the same color as the bodywork, this TX has three engines. A 2.4L four-cylinder turbo (274 hp) serves as the base engine. Lexus offers two hybrid engines after that: that same 366-hp supercharged 2.4L four-cylinder hybrid and a plug-in hybrid package consisting of a 3.5L V6 producing 406 total hp. The latter can travel up to 53 km in electric mode, according to Lexus. Both have an electric rear motor for all-wheel drive.
Dusting off a model whose foundations date back more than a decade, Lexus hopes with this new generation of the GX will arouse the interest of customers who would naturally be attracted to the Land Rover Defender.
Cubic, it plays in the neo-retro style, resolutely inspired by the Toyota Land Cruiser which has already shone on steep trails. Benefiting from shorter overhangs than the one it replaces to better negotiate with obstacles, this GX 2024 is also 70 mm longer, a gain that can be observed mainly on the wheelbase side (60 mm). The beltline has also been lowered, for visibility.
The midsize SUV is still based on a ladder frame. This GA-F platform, used by many late-model Toyota and Lexus pickup trucks and SUVs, introduces a multi-link rear suspension. Only one engine was on the menu when it was introduced: a 3.4L twin-turbo V6 (349 hp) guided by a 10-speed transmission and relaying its torque to a more efficient standard four-wheel-drive system. It can tow up to 3600 kg and a hybrid version will eventually be offered.
The Lexus TX will arrive in Canada in the fall while the GX will arrive in the country at the dawn of 2024.
