TX550h+ Trademark Suggests Possible New Lexus PHEV
Is the GX going away or simply getting a new name?
Replacement Incoming?
As most are well aware, the Lexus GX is getting a bit, shall we say, long in the tooth. The current-gen version of the big SUV has been around since 2009, when the second generation launched for the 2010 model year, which makes it ancient by automotive standards, even if it has been refreshed along the way. Thus, a recent trademark filing for TX550h+ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) raises an important question - might Lexus be getting ready to replace the GX?
Photos: Lexus
Previous Trademarks
Back in 2020, Lexus filed trademarks for TX350 and TX500h, which follows the automaker's conventional naming strategy. "X" stands for crossover or SUV, while the "h" signifies a hybrid, meaning that these previous trademarks are for a theoretically new TX model with both a standard gas-powered engine and a hybrid version.
Photos: Lexus
Falling In Line
The "+" stands for plug-in hybrid, as we've seen recently with the refreshed NX 450h+. Thus, it seems as if the long-rumored TX crossover/SUV will be offered with at least three powertrain options, which falls in line with most every other model in Lexus' lineup at the moment, or at least when we consider forthcoming PHEVs.
Photos: Lexus
Move To Unibody
Of course, it's been nearly ten years since the very first rumors of the TX's existence originally surfaced online. At that time, most speculated that the TX would indeed replace the GX, and would mark a move to a unibody configuration, making it a crossover instead of an SUV.
Photos: Lexus
Reconfigured Lineup
The unibody TX would still offer three-row seating - a highly coveted configuration among today's shoppers - though it would move away from a body-on-frame setup, which makes some sense since Lexus already has the LX as its flagship full-size SUV.
Photos: Lexus
