You’ve heard of the saying: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”.
Rumor has it that Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, screamed it to his kilted troops way back in 1314, inspiring them to pummel the English in the Battle of Bannockburn.
Me, I like the W.C. Fields version: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it”.
The saying could also be attributed to Lexus, for its efforts to build a three-row SUV, with a third row that anyone taller than 4′ 6″ could fit without having their knees jammed up by their ears.
Remember the now-discontinued RX-L, the slightly-elongated version of the best-selling RX? It came with a third row boasting the kind of kneeroom normally reserved for Allegiant Air.
And getting back there required the contortionist skills of a Cirque du Soleil performer. Or Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible.
So enter the new, mid-size 2024 Lexus TX, with a family-friendly third row big enough for 95 percentile adults not to feel too cramped, and Little Leaguers to be able to positively stretch out.
It’s based pretty closely on Toyota’s Grand Highlander SUV, sharing its chassis and greasy bits, and a lot of its body panels.
Three versions of this new TX are on offer, kicking off with the TX 350 with 275-hp turbo four-cylinder power and priced from $56,400. It’s available in Base, Premium and Luxury models.
Step up to the TX 500h with hybrid power giving a combined 366-hp, F Sport adaptive suspension and standard all-wheel drive, with prices from $70,700. Here, take your pick from Premium or Luxury offerings.
The new flagship TX is the TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid that combines a 3.5-liter V6 with electric motors to give 404-hp. Plus 33 miles of electric-only driving range. Prices here start at $79,400.
I’ve just spent a week driving the “starter” TX 350 with optional all-wheel drive and painted a rich shade of cherry that Lexus calls Matador Red Mica. Very nicely equipped it stickered at $56,900.
See it in the metal, this designed-for-the-US, and built-in-Indiana soft-roader should appeal to those, like me, who pretty much hated the gaping, so-called spindle grille of the RX-L. And pretty much every other Lexus SUV.
Here, the hourglass shape has been tamed down, with horizontal slats now merely hinting at the shape. That said, it’s as if Lexus designers have gone too far in softening down the look. Now the lack of shiny chrome, and acres of unadorned black plastic, take away any visual interest. Dare I say it all looks a little dull?
Thankfully, the bold, Nike-swoosh-like LED lights, a silvery strip between the lights, and dark gray finished 20-inch alloys at each corner break-up the generally tofu-bland appearance.
Climb aboard and, like the exterior design, the cabin is just a little blah, with nothing to really distinguish it as a Lexus. Thankfully our test car’s seats and door panels were in a light, chalky-white to break-up the endless black.
But comfort and space are what’s important here. The front seats are super-comfy and supportive, the second-row bench has stretch-out legroom, and the third row makes the TX a genuine seven-seater. With the middle and third rows folded, there’s as much load space as a Mayflower moving van.
On the road, that 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-4, coupled to an eight-speed automatic, delivers surprisingly lively performance. It’s quiet and refined too, only sounding breathy when revved hard.
It also has the muscle to haul a 5,000-pound trailer, yet on the highway can average an excellent 27mpg.
Yes, if you can stretch to the 500h hybrid version, the 366-hp and 406 lb-ft will liven-up the TX’s performance considerably and improve economy.
But with this new TX, Lexus has tried and tried again, and succeeded in coming up an appealing three-row family hauler.
