When Lexus announced the TX model, many people were wondering why when you can get the GX or the LX option. During the week I got to drive it, it was clear as to why they did. If you want something similarly priced to the GX but need more space, that’s where the TX slots into the Lexus lineup.

The model we got to review was the 350 F Sport Handling AWD. The color was Incognito which I comically labeled millennial gray. If you need a low maintenance color, you’ll want to pick the Incognito because after a week of heavy rain and dusty winds, it still looked clean. With the F Sport package, the black 22” wheels were a great combination along with the other black accents.

Getting inside, the light colored interior looked great but will be uncomfortable if your frame is larger. The seating area is fairly narrow and it wasn’t till the last day where I felt that I was breaking the seat in. The infotainment screen was big and clear, but stayed out of the way of my visibility. The Mark Levinson system was a massive disappointment, offering a very hollow sounding system no matter the setting. Save yourself the $1,160 and go with the base system. The impressive part was definitely the large amount of space you have in either the second or third row seats.

Under the hood, the TX 350 we had was equipped with the base 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, 8-speed auto, and the AWD option. The 2.4L offers 275 horsepower and 317 lb.-ft. of torque but it definitely felt way more than that. I would honestly say that the base engine works really well with the TX platform but if you have about $5,000 more to spend, you’ll want to opt for the hybrid variant to gain a full 7 MPGs during city driving. Where things get really quick is the 550h+ with it’s 3.5L V6 plug-in hybrid with its 404 horsepower. Comparing the base engine to the top engine, you’ll drop 0-60 times from 8.0 seconds, down to 5.9 seconds!

Overall, if you’re wanting a great people hauler with better refinement than the GX, but a price that’s lower than the LX, the TX is your “just right” option that even Goldilocks would pick.