Is it worth the premium over the Grand Highlander?
Roseville, Calif. -Introduced a year ago, the 2025 Lexus TX 350 delivers luxury, technology and practicality, making it a solid choice among the class of three-row midsize SUVs.
However, because they resemble each other so much, we wonder if it’s smarter to go with the Toyota Grand Highlander. The luxury TX 350 and the Grand Highlander share many similarities, including the exact same platform, similar engines and nearly identical interior space.
Pricing
One major difference is price. The Grand Highlander, a stretched version of the popular Highlander, has a modest starting price ($40,900) compared to the TX 350, which starts way higher at $55,200. That makes the decision here an easy one – go with the Grand Highlander.
We previously offered our opinions on the Grand Highlander and will break down the TX 350 below.
We found nothing overwhelmingly impressive regarding the family-friendly TX that stands out above its competitors, which includes the Acura MDX, Cadillac XT6, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, and Volvo XC90. That’s not a criticism, just a fact.
Performance
Take performance for example. While not lackluster, the TX 350’s turbocharged 2.4-liter, four-cylinder that generates 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque won’t leave anyone dazzled. It feels underpowered from a starting point, going a modest 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds. If more power is desired, there’s also the TX 500 hybrid or the TX 550 plug-in hybrid.
What we do like is TX 350 gets impressive fuel economy (21-27 mpg) for a large SUV. There’s nothing special about its towing capacity, maxing out at 5,000 pounds. And if you’re interested in off-roading, the TX isn’t equipped for that type of journey.
The luxury SUV provides a smooth ride because its suspension pays a high premium on comfort over sportiness. The TX 350 gives the driver a feeling of control in all driving situations, including parking lots where maneuvering can be a challenge.
Among the standard driver safety features include a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, road sign assist, and blind spot monitor.
AT A GLANCE -2025 LEXUS TX 350
- Performance: turbocharged 2.4-liter, four-cylinder, 275 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 21-27 mpg
- Price estimate: $55,200 to $77,300
- Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles; Drivetrain: 6 years/70,000 miles; Roadside assistance: 4 years/50,000; Corrosion: 6 years/unlimited
Interior
Depending on one’s interior preference, the TX can seat seven passengers across its three rows or six if the optional second-row captain’s chairs are chosen. Either choice is a good one because TX 350 has very good passenger room and cargo space – 20.2 cubic feet. The third row can accommodate adults in a comfortable fashion, a rarity in many three-row SUVs.
The Lexus SUV comes standard with a 14-inch digital instrumentation panel that takes a while to master. Standard features include heated front seats, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, wireless charging, 12-speaker premium audio system, and ambient interior illumination. We didn’t care for the confusing steering wheel buttons because they aren’t labeled.
As mentioned earlier, the 2025 Lexus TX 350 has some stiff in-house competition with the Toyota Grand Highlander. However, the TX provides luxury features that the Highlander simply doesn’t possess.
