2024 Lexus TX – Worth the Price Premium Over a Toyota Grand Highlander?
The all-new Lexus TX and Toyota Grand Highlander share a lot in common, so is the former really worth $9k more?
The Lexus TX debuted a few months ago as that luxury brand’s very first three-row SUV – not including the cramped RX L, that is – and it did so to positive reviews across the board. The TX is a roomy and comfortable addition to the Lexus lineup, after all, one that can even be had as a plug-in hybrid, albeit with a rather pricey staring MSRP of $55k. However, it wasn’t alone, as the Lexus TX also has a less-luxurious mainstream counterpart in the Toyota Grand Highlander, which offers many of the same benefits with a far cheaper base price tag of $43k, leaving many to wonder – is the TX really worth the extra dough?
In this recent video from YouTuber AutoJeff Reviews, that’s precisely the question our host is seeking to answer, too. Right off the bat, he points out that the Grand Highlander can seat one more person thanks to its seating arrangement, and it has slightly more rear seat cargo space, to boot. At the same time, the TX obviously offers more in the way of luxury, as well as higher-end features, which is precisely what has set Lexus apart from Toyota since its inception.
However, when it comes to the basic interior layout, both of these SUVs are essentially the same, even if the TX has little nifty features like a power folding second-row seat versus the manual lever in the Grand Highlander. The Lexus TX in this test also makes more power with the same turbocharged 2.4-liter engine – 310 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque versus 265 and 310 in the Highlander.
While styling is subjective and some will obviously prefer one of these SUVs over the other, both also come equipped with an impressive array of safety tech and modern lighting elements, and the Lexus is dressed a bit sharper overall. According to our reviewer, both ride very smoothly on the road and feature quiet cabins, too.
However, at the end of the day, this comparison is all about which of these vehicles provides the best value. In this test, the Grand Highlander is fancier Limited trim with all-wheel-drive, leaving it with a sticker price of $54k. The TX, on the other hand, stickers for a far higher $63k in this case, which is a rather significant premium.
Thus, it’s not a huge surprise that our host dubs the Grand Highlander the winner, given the slim margins in terms of what the TX has over it, which doesn’t add up to $9k in value in his mind. However, we don’t exactly feel like the Grand Highlander is going to steal too many sales from the TX, which has proven quite popular so far – and it even offers a PHEV powertrain as well, which is something Toyota currently does not with the Grand Highlander, even if it is rather pricey at just under $77k to start.
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