Exactly, that was one of the big things about Lexus cars, when you got into them they just felt like they punched higher than their price class, an ES felt like it competed with a 5 Series or E Class and a 3 or C just felt terrible by comparison.

The fact that you can sit in a TX and then sit in an Infiniti QX60 and that is heads and shoulders nicer and more luxurious inside for ~ $10k less than the TX is terrible.

 

Precisely, but I guess some people don't understand why the types like you and me are disappointed. When we shop new car (or new to me in my case) we look at all options across all brands.....Lexus used to be able to easily win at their price point or just outright.

Not today. They have gone the way of Acura/Infinity/Volvo/Cadillac and are "meh" but a good buy if you can get the pricing to a good deal. If they even went so far as to just toss the 3.5TT into everything it would fit in and offer and optional high spec material pack across the board this conversation wouldn't be happening.

 

Things that I thought felt really cheap in the TX included the side mirrors, they're a terribly grainy plastic and should be gloss black and they're right in your face all the time, the lower door and dash materials are really terrible and you can see exposed mold lines, etc. The headliner was stiff and scratchy and the A pillars hard to the touch, the console is very poorly made and flexes easily when laying your leg on the side of it, no sunroof even in a $60k spec model, no door sill plate trim in the rear, overhead console is crappy plastic straight out of a Toyota, no wood trim or carbon trim or anything like that at all, no real metal on the interior its all plastic. Outside the paint is flat and not impressive, the trim is poorly integrated and cheap feeling, the doors feel cheap and flimsy. None of those things are typically present in a Lexus. The materials higher up on the door and dash are actually quite padded and nice, the seats are nice...it just does not feel like a luxury vehicle. Even the paint which is usually a high point for Lexus is very pedestrian.

For the record, none of these things are an issue in the competition nor are they in my Pacifica. All the exterior trim is gloss black not grainy black plastic, hard materials low on the doors are common but they are formed and molded better. Nice wood trim options exist in everything...options for sueded headliners exist in everything, solid build exists in all of them. From a ride and drive perspective, its very similar to the competitors but doesn't wow on any level.

It wouldn't have been hard for them to make this a really nice vehicle...some nice wood trim, slightly better materials inside and out, some better interior colors, better styling in the front and it would be a real winner. Thats whats so frustrating, they totally cheaped out.

 

Genesis still not doing well.

Last year.
3 Series 25k
IS 22.5k
C Class 9.1k
G70 only 13.2k; long in the tooth IS still kills G70 almost 2:1.

Ageing ES 39k
5 Series 20.6k
E Class 9.8k
A6 5.9k
G80 only 5.3k; ageing ES certainly cheaper, but 8x more than G80 - no wonder bitkahuna says Lexus laughing all the way to the bank!

S Class 8.7k
7 Series 8.4k
Ageing LS 2.2k
G90 only 1.2k; all new G90 will not lift sales much compared to long in the tooth 5LS.

NX 74.5k
X3 48k
GLC 36k
GV70 only 25.8k; GV70 just 1/3 of NX.

RX 114k
X5 56k
GLE 27k
GV80 only 19.6k; GV80 nearly 6x less than RX.

IMO, Genesis is mechanically superb with RWD and double wishbone front suspension; however, IMO it is the styling.
When Koreans style a vehicle like the Chinese, it won't sell very well at all - Genesis needs "European-like" styling like the hot selling Hyundai Ioniq 5!
It's a catch 22 situation - Genesis can't get more dealerships, unless more sales.
Arguably, Genesis need European-like styling for more sales...

 

Again with the revisionist history lol. Genesis didn't have standalone dealerships in the US because the Hyundai dealers sued corporate, delaying the process for years. Also I recall you harped on the Ioniq 5 for styling too, so not sure your opinion in that regard has much weight. The matter of fact is that Lexus is more of a competitor to Hyundai at this point than it is to Genesis with the vehicles it's building and the prices they go for, barring low-volume exceptions like the LC and BOF trucks. Nevermind Genesis, I dare Toyota OR Lexus to build a 3-row EV SUV like the EV9, which also goes up to $80K and has far more going for it than the TX.

The thing is that there is a clear divide between Genesis and Hyundai. People who buy a Palisade can still see the GV80 as an aspirational product. Those who sit inside a Grand Highlander and than a TX will wonder where the heck the $10-$20K difference comes from.

 

No way friend, Lexus is way better than Hyundai.

Not in same league. IMO 🚁

 

Lexus as a brand is certainly above Hyundai, but Genesis is making more competitive cars in the traditional segments than Lexus. Genesis has a better flagship sedan, better midsized crossover, better sedans (they have two enthusiast sedans vs 1), better small SUV (GV70 runs circles around the NX). I think the Palisade honestly is nicer than the TX for dramatically less money...Genesis has the EV edge obviously too, but Lexus is better with the PHEVs with options in the TX and NX...Genesis also lacks an answer to the X7/GLS, the GV80 is too small.

But, I would choose almost every Genesis over the competing Lexus today, except maybe the IS which is more updated than the G70. Wouldn't even consider an NX over a GV70, wouldn't even consider an ES over a G80, nor an RX over a GV80, LS over a G90...and honestly I would buy a top spec Palisade before I bought a TX, but the winner in that segment in terms of luxuriousness is the Lincoln Aviator or Infiniti QX60.

As a brand experience though Lexus is still way better than Genesis with better dealers, more prestige...

 

To put it in a nicer way, Genesis isn't using Lexus and its Toyota-derived FWD offerings as the benchmark for their models. But Hyundai is - that's how we got the Palisade.

Indeed. Lexus dealerships and service is a huge part of the reason why I think people keep coming back despite models like the TX. That alone may be worth it for some people over the GH.

 

If I liked the styling I would buy the TX over the GH for the service and the brand, but I actually prefer the way the GH looks.

 

Another new Lexus model thread that goes into death of the lexus discussion and pretty much talks about anything but Lexus TX.

I thought mags loved TX?

 

I haven’t read any magazine reviews but I have watched some YT reviews and the consensus I have watched is that they would choose the GH

 

Strange the ones I watched preferred the TX. Depends on who you follow I guess.

 

that was from when lexus was trying to enter the market with a new brand and flagship.

and this doesn't say best in the world either. lexus sought to win on drivetrain refinement and build precision, and nailed it.

different times, not a flagship.

no, you got it because your wife wanted sliding doors and you liked he phev feature, or at least that's what i recall.

to you.

you are entitled to believe whatever you want and you've used the word 'wrong' a lot lately.

absolutely not trying to hassle you, but you seem to be the most passionately 'disappointed' about lexus first real 3 row crossover. lexus won't have you as a customer, but i think they'll do well, which means they know their target market better than you.

the tx is not for enthusiasts.

 

How is the Camry a great product? It's nothing special at all and not even price effective for its "job"

 

Here are some cherry picked ones, but overall it is better reviewed than NX or RX.

It is going to be a smash hit for Lexus, probably enough to take it to the first place in 2024 in USA, as long as they dont have new issues with production like they had over the past few years.


CD:
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...exus-tx-drive/

Autoblog:
https://www.autoblog.com/2023/10/11/...-drive-review/

Topgear - has it as best Lexus currently sold - 8/10
https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/lexus/tx-us