Every 2024 Lexus TX, all three powertrains, got recalled in June 2024 because the driver's side curtain airbag could deploy outside the window opening if you had the window down during a crash. That recall has a remedy and it's been out since November 2024. What doesn't have a remedy yet: a transmission shudder on the TX 500h that owners have been reporting since the car's first model year, that Lexus dealers have told at least one owner is "normal operation," with no TSB or recall behind it as of this writing.
The TX is Lexus's first three-row SUV on a car-based platform instead of the truck-based GX and LX, and it comes in three powertrains with genuinely different risk profiles. Which one you buy matters more here than with most single-engine generations.
This Generation at a Glance
The Lexus TX launched for model year 2024 on Toyota's GA-K unibody platform, the same architecture underneath the Toyota Grand Highlander, and it's assembled at Toyota's Princeton, Indiana plant. It's Lexus's answer to the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Acura MDX, and Kia Telluride, and it slots above the two-row RX as the brand's volume three-row.
Three powertrains have been available since launch: the turbocharged four-cylinder TX 350, the hybrid TX 500h, and the plug-in hybrid TX 550h+. In mid-2026, Lexus paused production of the 550h+ after just three model years, with the automaker's own site now pointing shoppers toward the TX 500h and RX 450h+ instead and hinting the plug-in TX may return later on a different platform. If you're shopping a 550h+, know you're buying the end of a short run, not the start of one.
| Powertrain | Years Available | HP (combined) | Transmission | MPG (Combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX 350 (turbo I4) | 2024-2026 | 275 | 8-speed automatic | 23 |
| TX 500h (turbo I4 hybrid, "Hybrid Max") | 2024-2026 | 366 | 6-speed automatic + 2 motors | 27 |
| TX 550h+ (V6 plug-in hybrid) | 2024-2026 (paused after 2026) | 404 | eCVT + 2 motors | 29 (gas-only) / 76 MPGe |
Current pricing and inventory: Lexus TX market data, with per-year pages for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Powertrain & Trim Breakdown
TX 350 (2.4L turbo I4, 2024-2026)
The TX 350 is the volume powertrain: a 2.4L turbocharged four making 275 hp and 317 lb-ft, paired with an 8-speed automatic and available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. It's the same T24A-FTS engine family used in the current RX 350, and mechanically it's held up so far. No TX 350 source in this research points to a documented pattern of turbo failures or engine replacements at this age.
The recurring complaint is character, not durability. Owners on ClubLexus and in Edmunds and KBB reviews describe the engine as underpowered for a 4,400-plus-pound SUV and noticeably "growly" under hard acceleration, a letdown for buyers expecting something closer to the outgoing RX 350's V6 feel. That's a test-drive item, not a red flag.
What is a documented, TX 350-specific mechanical pattern: a clicking or popping noise from the front axle when accelerating out of a turn, sometimes appearing under 1,000 miles. Toyota issued a service bulletin (T-SB-0082-24) covering 2024 TX 350 and TX 500h for a front drive-shaft replacement, with insufficient factory CV-joint grease as the suspected cause. It's a known, serviceable issue, not a mystery, so ask whether a car you're looking at has already had the fix.
The other real cost surprise is the A/C condenser. The TX 350's open front grille design lets road debris reach the condenser directly, and multiple owners report sudden total AC loss from a punctured condenser, with dealers frequently denying warranty coverage as "road hazard" damage. Repair bills run $1,700 to $2,500. It's not a defect exactly, it's a design tradeoff, but it's an expensive one if it happens to you.
A separate, smaller item: some 2024 TX 350s with the T24A-FTS engine have triggered a check-engine light for DTC P05CE00, a cold-start camshaft timing code on cylinder bank 1. It reads as a software calibration issue rather than a hardware failure, and it's covered by its own bulletin, but it's worth asking about if the check-engine light has ever come on.
Beyond that: dashboard and moonroof squeaks show up repeatedly across ClubLexus threads, and one detailed case documented by TorqueNews describes an unresolved suspension-area noise that survived multiple dealer visits with no diagnosis. Most reports are minor rattles; a smaller number are the kind that eat a weekend at the dealer.
TX 500h (2.4L turbo I4 hybrid, "Hybrid Max," 2024-2026)
The TX 500h pairs the same 2.4L turbo four with a hybrid system Toyota calls "Hybrid Max," making 366 hp and 406 lb-ft combined through a 6-speed automatic and front and rear electric motors, standard all-wheel drive. It's the quickest, smoothest-feeling TX, and it's what the F Sport Performance trim is built around. Owners and reviewers consistently praise the acceleration (roughly 5.7 seconds to 60) and how quiet the hybrid system keeps the cabin.
It's also the powertrain with the most serious open question. Multiple independent ClubLexus threads, plus threads on the Lexus Owners Club of North America forum, describe a shudder or shake in reverse and rough, abrupt shifts in the 30-to-50-mph band, sometimes starting as early as 18,000 to 20,000 miles. The same complaint shows up on the mechanically related RX 500h, where it's led to at least one documented transmission replacement at 3,400 miles and, on a second car, a repeat failure after an earlier replacement. On the TX side, one owner reported the vehicle needed a transmission swap at roughly 200 miles.
Dealer response has been inconsistent. One ClubLexus thread has a service advisor telling an owner other customers reported the same reverse vibration but, without a TSB or recall to point to, called it "normal operation." Other owners in the same thread got a transmission replaced after Lexus corporate got involved. There is one real TCM software bulletin for the 500h, L-SB-0028-24, but it addresses a different fault code (P279762, an oil pump component issue) and does not cover the shudder complaint. Until Lexus issues something specific, budget for the possibility that a used TX 500h needs a transmission conversation with the dealer during your inspection, not just a test drive.
Real-world fuel economy runs shy of the EPA's 27 mpg combined rating, too. Multiple owners on ClubLexus and the dedicated txowners.com forum report 21 to 24 mpg in mixed driving and a low-fuel warning that arrives well before the 17-gallon tank should be empty, cutting usable range to roughly 230 to 300 miles. A sticking gas door in cold weather is a separate, smaller, but well-documented complaint; at least one dealer has acknowledged it as a known issue and is rebuilding the assemblies.
Two smaller, less consistent reports round out the 500h's file. One owner on a Lexus Owners Club thread described the vehicle refusing to shift out of park at roughly 1,800 miles, accompanied by dashboard warning lights, though this reads as an isolated incident rather than a pattern in the sources available. And several owners describe the power-folding third row as feeling less durable than a manual-lever setup, with one 22,000-mile owner citing repeated third-row mechanism trouble alongside general fit-and-finish complaints.
TX 550h+ (3.5L V6 plug-in hybrid, 2024-2026, production paused)
The 550h+ is the flagship: a 3.5L V6 plus two electric motors for 404 hp combined, an eCVT, standard AWD, and a plug-in battery good for an EPA-rated 33 miles of electric-only range and 76 MPGe. Once the battery's depleted it runs on the V6 at 29 mpg combined. It's Luxury-trim only, it's the most expensive TX by a wide margin, and reviewers who've driven it call the V6-electric blend genuinely quick (about 5.6 seconds to 60) without the coarseness of the turbo-four cars.
The buying consideration here isn't reliability so much as continuity. Lexus paused 550h+ production after the 2026 model year, and reporting from multiple outlets in mid-2026 describes the pause turning into an outright cancellation, with Lexus's own site now steering shoppers toward the TX 500h and RX 450h+ instead. No specific mechanical or supply cause has been confirmed publicly. If you buy a used 550h+, treat it like buying the last year of any discontinued model: verify parts and battery support with your dealer before you commit, since a shrinking production run means a shrinking pool of dealer familiarity with the car.
On the charging side, owners report roughly 10 to 11 hours for a full charge on a standard 120V household outlet; most report switching to a 240V Level 2 setup for practical daily charging. No source in this research documents a pattern of traction battery degradation or failure on the 550h+ at this age, which is worth noting given how much attention the 500h's transmission has drawn by comparison.
A professional CarPro road test of the 2026 550h+ Luxury AWD, priced at $78,560 with destination, described a comfort-tuned suspension with noticeable body roll when pushed hard through corners, consistent with a family SUV rather than the F Sport Performance's sportier calibration. That's the expected tradeoff for the 550h+'s extra weight from the battery pack, not a defect.
Trim Levels
| Trim | Available On | Key Equipment | What to Pay Extra For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | TX 350 | NuLuxe synthetic leather, heated front seats, power liftgate | Skip if you can find a Premium for similar money |
| Premium | TX 350, TX 500h | Panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, power-folding third row | The glass roof and folding third row are the two most-used features |
| Luxury | TX 350, TX 500h, TX 550h+ | Genuine leather, heated second row, upgraded ambient lighting | Worth it if you carry rear-seat passengers regularly |
| F Sport Performance | TX 500h only | Sport-tuned suspension, unique styling, Mark Levinson audio (Luxury) | The suspension tune, not the badge, is the real differentiator |
| F Sport Handling (2025+) | TX 350 only | Adaptive variable suspension | Adds genuine handling improvement to the base powertrain |
Several dealer and buyer's-guide sources make the same practical point: a fully loaded TX 350 Luxury costs less than the cheapest TX 500h, and most owners don't keep the vehicle long enough for the hybrid's fuel savings to close that gap. If straight-line power and hybrid smoothness aren't the point for you, the TX 350 Luxury is the value pick, and it sidesteps the 500h's open transmission question entirely.
Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen
| Year | Recalls | Key Changes | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 (incl. curtain airbag) | Launch year, all three powertrains debut | Caution: buy only if the airbag remedy is confirmed done |
| 2025 | 4 | F Sport Handling trim added to TX 350; instrument-panel and label recalls | Best value: recalls addressed, price drop from new |
| 2026 | 4 (incl. rear axle campaign) | 550h+ production winding down | Best overall for TX 350/500h, but check the axle campaign |
NHTSA data (verified directly against NHTSA's recall API for every campaign below) shows the TX carrying four open or completed recall campaigns in every model year of this generation so far, though the specific campaigns differ:
- 2024: the curtain-airbag recall (campaign 24V461000, roughly 145,000 units across TX and Grand Highlander) is the one to confirm was completed before you buy. The remaining three (an instrument-panel display bug, a rearview-camera freeze, and a separate rearview-image bug) are all software fixes.
- 2025: carries the instrument-panel and rearview-camera software recalls plus a minor mislabeled load-capacity sticker (campaign 26V179000). None of the 2025 campaigns are structural.
- 2026: drops the airbag and instrument-panel issues that hit earlier builds, but picks up campaign 26V437000, a rear axle carrier that Toyota says "may have been manufactured with insufficient material strength and could break." Toyota's remedy notices were still going out as of August 2026, so a 2026 TX you're looking at now may not have the fix yet. Ask specifically about this one.
Owner-reported complaint volume backs up the "2024 was the rough launch year" read: one third-party aggregator tracking NHTSA-linked complaints counts 74 for the 2024 model year against 32 for 2025, with airbag-related reports the single largest category, followed by unspecified structural complaints, electrical system issues, and powertrain reports. In CarScout's own NHTSA-sourced data, the 2026 TX shows 8 total complaints logged so far, with 2 injuries and no reported crashes, fires, or deaths. Treat any "recalls: 0" claim about this generation with suspicion. Every model year so far has at least one open or completed campaign.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
If you're looking at a TX 350:
- Start the car cold and turn hard out of a parking space. A clicking or popping noise from the front end is the drive-shaft issue covered by service bulletin T-SB-0082-24. Ask if it's been replaced.
- Run the AC on max and check for weak or absent cold air. A punctured condenser from road debris is common enough on this generation to check before you buy, not after.
- Listen for dashboard, moonroof, and door-area squeaks over rough pavement. Minor is normal for this generation; a noise the seller can't explain is worth a second opinion.
If you're looking at a TX 500h:
- Put it in reverse from a stop and feel for a shudder or shake before it settles into motion. This is the generation's most consequential unresolved issue.
- Take it through a stretch of stop-and-go driving and pay attention to shift quality between 30 and 50 mph. Abrupt or hesitant shifts are the same complaint pattern.
- Ask for service records around the transmission specifically, not just general maintenance. A car that's already had the transmission addressed is a different purchase than one that hasn't.
- Check the gas door operation, especially if you're buying somewhere with cold winters.
If you're looking at a TX 550h+:
- Confirm the traction battery holds a full charge and delivers close to the rated 33 miles of EV-only range on a full charge.
- Ask the dealer directly about parts and service support given the paused production. This matters more here than on any other TX powertrain.
On every TX, regardless of powertrain: run the VIN through a recall check before you commit, and confirm with the selling dealer that every applicable campaign, especially the 2024 airbag recall and the 2026 axle campaign, has actually been completed, not just scheduled. If the touchscreen gets stuck or freezes during your test drive, holding the power button and volume knob together for a hard reboot is the general Lexus fix for infotainment freezes on this generation; ask the seller if it's happened before and how often.
Running Costs
| Powertrain | Combined MPG | Key Maintenance Items | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TX 350 | 23 | Front drive-shaft, A/C condenser | Standard Lexus scheduled maintenance otherwise |
| TX 500h | 27 (21-24 real-world reported) | Transmission monitoring, gas door | Real-world mpg runs meaningfully below EPA rating |
| TX 550h+ | 29 gas-only / 76 MPGe | Home charging equipment (240V recommended) | 33-mile EV range covers most daily commutes on electricity alone |
Lexus's brand-wide reliability data is a genuinely mixed picture for this generation. J.D. Power scored the TX at 81 out of 100 in its first model year and 80 in each of the two since, solid but not the brand's strongest showing, while Lexus as a whole ranked first in J.D. Power's broader 2025 dependability study. Consumer Reports called the 2024 TX's reliability "about average" and rated the 2025 and 2026 model years above average, with the TX Hybrid earning an "excellent" score in CR's most recent test. Warranty coverage is the standard Lexus 4-year/50,000-mile basic term across every TX powertrain.
Independent estimates put brand-wide Lexus repair costs around $551 a year against an industry average closer to $650, though repair-cost trackers don't yet have enough TX-specific data to break that number out by model. Insurance quotes for the TX vary widely by source, roughly $2,500 to $3,070 a year depending on the estimator and your own driving profile, so treat any single number as a starting point rather than what you'll actually pay.
FAQ
Is the Lexus TX 350 reliable? So far, yes, mechanically. The engine and transmission haven't shown a documented failure pattern. The known issues are a front drive-shaft clicking noise (covered by a service bulletin) and vulnerability to A/C condenser damage from road debris, both fixable and both worth checking before you buy.
What year Lexus TX should I avoid? None of the three model years so far is a clear avoid, but 2024 carries the most recalls and the highest owner-reported complaint volume, including the curtain-airbag campaign. Buy a 2024 only after confirming every recall on that specific VIN has been completed.
Is the Lexus TX 500h transmission reliable? This is the generation's open question. Multiple owners report a shudder in reverse and rough shifts between 30 and 50 mph, with no TSB or recall addressing it as of this writing. Some cars show no issue at all. Test-drive specifically for this before buying a used TX 500h.
Should I buy a Lexus TX 550h+ now that production is paused? A used one is still a fully functional plug-in hybrid with strong reviews and no documented battery problems. The risk is longer-term: with production paused and Lexus pointing customers toward other models, parts availability and dealer familiarity could thin out. Confirm support with your dealer before buying.
How does the Lexus TX compare to the Toyota Grand Highlander it's built alongside? They share the same GA-K platform and similar base powertrain performance, but the TX starts roughly $14,000 higher than a comparable Grand Highlander. The airbag recall hit both vehicles identically. If you don't need the Lexus badge and interior materials, the Grand Highlander is the same mechanical package for less.
Bottom Line
The TX 350 is the safe pick of this generation: adequate power, a known and serviceable list of minor issues, and no open reliability questions bigger than a rattle. The TX 500h is the quicker, quieter choice, but buy one only after a reverse-gear and 30-to-50-mph shift test, since the transmission shudder some owners report doesn't have a fix yet. A used TX 550h+ is a genuinely good plug-in hybrid, just confirm parts and service support given the paused production before you sign anything. Whichever one you're looking at, run the VIN through a recall check first. CarScout members can track new listings and price drops on specific TX trims and years at usecarscout.com.
Sources
Data sourced from NHTSA's recall and complaint database, EPA fuel economy data, and real owner experiences from ClubLexus's TX Models forum, txowners.com, the Lexus Owners Club of North America, and consumer review platforms including Edmunds, KBB, and Consumer Reports. See the full Lexus TX market data for pricing and inventory.