Lexus TX500 vs Infiniti QX60: Which Large Luxury SUV Is the Best?
Both the Lexus TX500 and Infiniti QX60 are fairly new large luxury SUVs, but both couldn’t be much more different otherwise.
Lexus is in the midst of a major lineup overhaul – one that’s arguably much-needed given the age of its outgoing models – but one of the more notable changes to those offerings is the addition of a new one – the Lexus TX. Here we have the very first proper three-row Lexus crossover ever made – excluding the patched-together and now-discontinued RX L – and that makes it pretty important in the U.S., where folks buy those sorts of vehicles in large quantities. However, the Lexus TX isn’t exactly what one would call a value play given its MSRP of $55,050, which is several thousand more than some of its competitors – like the Infiniti QX60 – which makes one wonder – is it worth that extra outlay of cash? That’s a question that was recently asked in this video from Sam CarLegion, but we’ll take a bit of a deeper dive into what makes these two so different.
Infiniti is yet another luxury brand that doesn’t change up its vehicles very often, instead choosing to play the long game with minor updates along the way. However, the QX60 did just get a redesign for the 2022 model year, so it’s quite fresh at the moment and ripe for comparison to the new-for-2023 TX, and with a price tag of just over $50k, a more affordable alternative, to boot. Of course, cheaper doesn’t always mean better, so we’ll take a look at the many factors that shoppers will take into consideration.
Trims and Configurations
The Lexus TX can be had in multiple flavors, a list that includes the regular TX 350, TX 350 Premium, TX 350 Luxury, TX 500h F Sport Performance, TX 500h TX F Sport Performance Luxury, and the TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid. All can be had with all-wheel-drive, though the first three can also be ordered with front-wheel-drive. The QX60, on the other hand, is offered in Pure, Pure AWD, Luxe, Luxe AWD, Sensory, Sensory AWD, and the top-trim Autograph, which is also available with all-wheel-drive or without.
Powertrains
The Lexus TX offers a variety of powertrains including the base turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 275 horsepower, while the F Sport Performance gets a hybrid assist and a total of 366 horsepower, and the PHEV, which mates a 3.5-liter V6 and a hybrid system to generate 404 horsepower. As for the QX60, there is just one option – the 3.5-liter V6, which makes 295 horsepower. Fuel economy ranges in the TX from 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway for the base model to 27 mpg city and 28 mpg highway for the hybrid, while the QX60 gets 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for front-wheel-drive models and loses one mpg for AWD.
Seating and Tech
Both of these luxury SUVs offer up three rows of seating with space for seven, though both can also be fitted with captain’s chairs (as is the case with the Autograph) that reduces that number to six. The TX comes with a standard 14-inch infotainment screen and a 12.3-inch digital gauge display, while the QX60 gets a standard 12.3-inch screen and an optional 12.3 inch digital gauge display.
Conclusion
It’s pretty clear, right off the bat, that the Lexus TX500 offers much more in terms of sheer variety, whether that be with its powertrains, trim levels, and pretty much everything else. With hybrids enjoying tremendous popularity in the sales room at the moment, it seems like a massive oversight that the QX60 is only available with a regular old gas powertrain as well, which may ultimately prompt many to look elsewhere – even in spite of its lower price tag.
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