Is the Lexus TX Worth the Extra Money Over the Toyota Grand Highlander?
Does the Lexus TX have the goods to justify a $10K price premium over the Toyota Grand Highlander? Let’s dive in?
The Toyota Grand Highlander is a capable, spacious, and comfortable 3-row crossover. The Lexus TX is a capable, spacious, and comfortable 3-row crossover. They are made in the same plant in Princeton, Indiana by the same company although marketed under different brands. The dimensions and capacities of the vehicles are the same. They both use the same engine. However, the Lexus will cost you about $10,000 more to buy. So, the Toyota is the no-brainer choice, right? Well, it is not as easy as that. Like many things in life, it comes down to the details.
A video comparing the Lexus TX with the Toyota Grand Highlander was recently posted on the Performance Lexus YouTube channel. Performance Lexus is a Lexus dealer located in Ontario, Canada. Dustin Mason is the sales manager from the dealership, and he walks us through the differences and similarities of each vehicle. Each model is offered in various trim levels but like for like the Lexus is going to always be considerably more expensive. Is it worth that extra money? Mason seems to think so, but he does sell Lexus vehicles for a living. Do you think the Lexus is worth the extra coin?
Exterior Styling
Looking at these two vehicles side by side it is obvious that they come from the same family. It is like looking at fraternal twins. They are not identical but clearly related. Mason covers the styling cues in great detail in the video. Some of the highlights include the spindle grille on the Toyota which has long been a Lexus trademark. The Lexus has a new, slimmer and more aerodynamic badge. The headlights on the Lexus look a bit sharper than the Toyota. The side profiles of the vehicles are nearly identical. The main difference is the Toyota has black plastic trim around the wheel arches and side sills where those pieces are painted body color on the Lexus.
The rear of the Toyota and Lexus is where you will notice the biggest styling difference. The Lexus has a full-length rear light that sits below the LEXUS script displayed proudly in the center. On the Toyota, you get two distinct rear taillights without the full-length light between them. The Grand Highlander script is painted in body color which blends it into the overall vehicle. Overall, from an exterior styling perspective, there is very little to distinguish between the Toyota and Lexus.
Interior Comparison
It is on the inside that the Lexus begins to put a little distance between itself and the Toyota. The Toyota does have one advantage which is the third row has three seats whereas the TX has only two. However, the third row of the TX is a bit more spacious. There are less hard plastic surfaces, there is more leather and padding in the Lexus. The Toyota is not bad, but the Lexus does seem more luxurious. It is a similar story in the second row. The Lexus is just a bit plusher and has additional features like heated and cooled second-row seats. Moving the seats in the Toyota is a mostly manual process but in the Lexus the seats have more electronic controls.
In the front row, there are again many similarities between the two but a few key differences. The Lexus has a butterfly armrest for extra convenience. The shifter design in the Lexus is different and there are fewer physical buttons in the Lexus compared to the Toyota. That may be a positive or a negative for you depending on your preference. But both cockpits are a nice place to be.
Functionality vs Refinement
There are not many functional differences between the Lexus TX and Toyota Grand Highlander. They both use the same engine. The TX is rated for 10 more horsepower, but it requires premium fuel, so really it is a wash. The storage capacity is the same between the vehicles. Where the extra money for the Lexus goes is into refinement. It takes everything the Toyota offers and makes it just a bit nicer. The Lexus is a bit quieter, a bit more convenient, and just more refined overall. And there is one thing that is not called out in the video but I think is worth noting. The dealership experience is vastly different between the two. Going in for service on a Toyota is a no-frills experience. In the Lexus, you feel like you are checking into a high-end ski lodge.
Is the Lexus worth the extra money? That is a call that you need to make as an individual. The Toyota is a very nice vehicle that will last a long time and do everything the Lexus will. The Lexus just makes the entire experience a little bit nicer. How much is that worth to you?
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