What is a TX 500h? The TX 500h is a full size luxury SUV built in the Princeton, Indiana assembly plant and sold in North America by Lexus. Built on the same platform as the Toyota Grand Highlander, the TX is bigger than the latest Lexus RX, with a nearly 4 inch longer wheelbase, and almost 3 inches of extra width. Since it’s longer and wider, the Lexus TX 500h is a 3 row SUV that can seat 7 people and has a lot more cargo room.
The model lineup includes the TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance and TX 550h+. The main difference between them is what kind of power train you get with each one. The available engines are a 275 HP horsepower 2.4L liter turbocharged inline 4 cylinder engine, than a 366 HP total system horsepower 2.4L liter turbocharged inline 4 engine with Lexus Hybrid Electric Drive, or a 406 total system horsepower 3.5L liter V6 engine with Lexus PHEV Plug-in Hybrid Electric Drive. Each driveline is unique to the model.
This week Lexus sent me a 2024 Lexus TX 500h F Sport SUV with a base window sticker price of $71,300 to test drive and review. The options on the SUV are: the convenience package for $895, the technology package for $2,380, the cold area package for $100, the 120 volt 1,500 watt power outlet for $560, the Lexus logo puddle lamps for $175, a set of wheels locks for $150, the rear carpeted cargo mat for $150, and the door edge protector guards for $155. The manufactures suggested retail price, MSRP, including the $1,350 delivery, processing and handling fee, is: $77,150.
After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to: $86,794. At just under $87 Grand this Lexus TX 500h is a full size luxury hybrid 3 row 7 seat SUV that has a greenhouse gas rating of 5, and a smog rating of 7, both out of 10. The gas mileage is 27 MPG city, 28 MPG highway, and it gets 27 MPG in overall everyday driving. All excellent numbers for a luxury hybrid SUV with the appointments and F sport performance of a Lexus.
F Sport power comes from a 2.4L liter 4 cylinder gas engine with 366 total hybrid horsepower, bolted to a 6 speed automatic transmission, and then sent into a Direct Shift4 AWD all wheel drive traction control system. Ride and handling are greatly improved with F Sport suspension tuning, with performance dampers and dynamic rear steering.
Lexus connected technologies include a 14″ touch screen display with direct connect, cloud navigation, intelligent assist, destination assist, safety connect, service connect, remote connect, Wi-Fi connect with an AT&T hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless Apply CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto, and they all connect within a 4G network.
Safety start with the Lexus 3.0 safety system, lane tracing asset, road sign assist, pre-collision warning with detection, dynamic radar cruise control with curve speed management, lane departure alert with steering assist, intelligent high beam headlights, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, intuitive parking assist with automatic braking, and digital latch side door openers with safe exit assist.
The point of a luxury vehicle is to look special and feel pampered, and Lexus does that very well. The 500h F Sport TX SUV has F Sport Performance exterior styling with a special front fascia and rear valance, black roof rails, dark chrome window trim surround and power folding black outside side view mirrors.
Then you add in 22″ F Sport alloy wheels, auto leveling LED head lamps, LED fog lamps, leather trimmed F Sport heated and ventilated power front seats with drivers memory, heated and ventilated second row Captains chairs, an F Sport leather trimmed and heated steering wheel, F Sport aluminum pedals and scuff plates, power folding third seats, a panorama glass roof, a wireless cell phone charging pad, ambient illumination, and a Mark Levinson premium audio system with 7.1 surround sound decoding, 17 speakers, and 1,800 watts of power that makes the world seem like a much nicer place to be in. Mark Levinson audio is the best sounding system that’s in any luxury car today.
Call, click or visit your local Lexus dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on a new 2024 Lexus TX 500h F Sport SUV. And remember that the base price for a new TX sport utility vehicle starts at only $53,700. Lexus – Experience Amazing.
Be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, You Are What You Drive, and maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should Drive one, Buy one, Today. Have a great day, drive safely, and enjoy the ride, as the future looks nice and bright – Tony the Car Guy.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. Tony the Car Guy is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net
