SUV Comparison: 2024 Lexus TX 500h vs Toyota Grand Highlander (2024)

Many three row crossovers bill themselves as family-oriented rides. To me, that means they’re spacious, easy to use and relatively affordable, like this 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. But if your checklist of automotive must-haves goes beyond those bare necessities, perhaps you should check out a luxury option, like the 2024 Lexus TX 500h.

Article content

While we’ve become pretty familiar with our long-term Grand Highlander, a quick comparison with its Lexus equivalent has us rethinking just how good the Toyota is, and how much (more?) value you actually get with a luxury vehicle. Simply put, is a high-end nameplate like Lexus worth a $20,000 markup? Driving’s Renita Naraine and I took a closer look for this premium versus mainstream comparison.

Overview of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Article content

In case you haven’t been following our long-term testing of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, here’s what you need to know:

While the Grand Highlander starts at $53,555, our Hybrid Max Platinum trimmed model is $68,515. That means it’s fully loaded with all the bells and whistles, but more important than all that, it features a gas-electric hybrid powertrain with 362-turbocharged horsepower.
Unlike the normal hybrid (sans Max) versions, and the budget-oriented gas model, this is supposed to offer a balance between performance and efficiency. And for the most part it works, as the vehicle is rated for 8.8 L/100 km. How easy it is to achieve those figures is a whole other situation (Renita: You can say that again!).

Article content

Overview of the 2024 Lexus TX 500h

Article content

Lexus takes the Grand Highlander and wraps it in a premium package. That’s not a cheap transformation, as the base TX 350 starts at $72,090, while the higher-end TX 500h is around $87,540. Our tester is the 500h with the $6,000 F Sport Performance Package, leaving it with an as-tested price of $93,540, which is pretty steep for a family hauler.

Though it has the same wheelbase, height and width, the Lexus is a smidgen longer. The Lexus rides on 20-, or 22-inch wheels, depending on the trim, while the Toyota ranges from 18 to 20.
How much of an impact do these exterior trimmings make? Both Renita and I were caught off guard by the number of people commenting about the Lexus, demonstrating that the badge definitely holds high regard to some.

Article content

Interestingly, the Lexus drops a powertrain compared to the Grand Highlander and is offered with a 275 hp turbo four in the 350, or a 366 hp turbo hybrid in the 500h, which is just 4 ponies more than the Toyota. That somehow makes it a bit more efficient than its mainstream sibling, with an expected combined fuel efficiency of 8.6 L/100 km.

Lexus vs Toyota: Interior overview

Both of these crossovers are designed to accommodate three-rows of adult-sized humans, and they get pretty close to delivering on that promise. However, as they’re billed as family friendly, we have to point out that you can get the Toyota in seven or eight-passenger configurations, while the Lexus will only offer six or seven seats.

Article content

While there is enough headroom in the back of these vehicles, the third row legroom is a bit tight (Renita: Speak for yourself, I fit perfectly well back there, but I’m also barely 5-feet), thanks to a stadium-seating style setup. Crucially, kids — or Renita — should have no problem in either of these options.

In this top-trimmed Toyota, you get a mix of leather and suede upholstery, which looks pretty sharp. The seats are pretty comfortable too, and I don’t think there’s a huge difference in terms of seat design. There are some harder plastics found on the lower panels of the cabin, which makes sense as it’s easier to clean the mess that goes hand-in-sticky-hand with having kids. I wouldn’t want fancy fabrics that I need to use specific chemicals just to scrub.

Article content

Article content

What stood out to me are the plentiful USB ports, all the better for charging devices that may help entertain those sticky kids. There’s also three-zone climate control, and second row seats can be heated or ventilated too, which is always a nice bonus, though kids won’t be able to take advantage of those until they’re out of car seats. Both cars also have sunshades for the rear passengers, too.

What makes the Lexus SUV stand apart from the Toyota?

It feel like we keep saying “both cars,” and discussing so many features that both cars share, so now let’s talk about what the Lexus gets that the Toyota doesn’t. First of all, it has slightly fancier headlights that have an auto-levelling feature and can swivel when you’re cornering. Inside the TX, there are 21 speakers, which is 10 more than you get in the Grand Highlander. There’s also a 1,500W power inverter, so you can plug in some small appliances or whathaveyou. The Lexus also has a hands-free parking system which is a nice addition when trying to pilot this behemoth of a vehicle. The infotainment system is also slightly larger in the Lexus, but keep in mind, it also integrates a few controls that are physical switches on the Toyota.

Article content

With that in mind, it’s important to show off just how advanced the Grand Highlander is. Like the Lexus, it has all the features you’d want from a top-trim vehicle, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless phone charging tray, a digital dashboard and a head-up display. We actually found the Toyota setup to be easier to use, as it features more physical switches, especially on the steering wheel, as the Lexus wheel has these difficult to use touch-sensitive buttons that are gimmicky and unintuitive.

Do the Toyota and Lexus have a different drive feel?

While the interiors have minute differences, the drive experience of each SUV feels very different. In the Toyota, you can instantly tell how fast it feels, the steering is much lighter, and overall, I really enjoyed driving it. It feels very natural to live with, though Renita would agree it’s not as easy as say, a minivan (Renita: You can’t really beat sliding doors, can you?).

Article content

Article content

The Lexus, on the other hand — still not a minivan — felt a bit heavier and less engaging. Ideally, it should feel as quick as the Toyota, but it doesn’t. The suspension in the TX is also a bit stiffer than in the GH; that’s not very premium of Lexus. That said, the TX is a lot quieter than the Grand Highlander, which might lead to that slow-paced, more isolated feel on the road.

One thing that’s clear about these vehicles is that fuel efficiency isn’t the priority, despite the hybrid gas-electric powertrains. In Hybrid Max guise, we struggled to see figures below 10 L/100 km on the Grand Highlander. Sure it’s quick, but that’s a steep penalty for its hustle, especially since this powertrain is rated to return 8.8 L/100 km combined. The standard Grand Highlander Hybrid models may be less powerful, but easier to match the rated 7.0 L/100 km of fuel consumption.

Article content

The same can be said about the Lexus TX500h — its powertrain is essentially identical to the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max, and yet we were still surprised at how much fuel it consumed. Even on a long steady road trip, we saw fuel consumption around 10 L/100 km, which is way off NRCan’s 8.6 L/100 km combined figure, and closer to the non-hybrid TX 350’s 10.6 L/100 km. Lexus shoppers don’t have as much choice when it comes to saving fuel. Lexus also recommends premium fuel, while Toyota makes do with regular grade gas.

How much can these three-row SUVs hold and tow?

Both cars — yes, we’re back to both cars — have about the same cargo space between them. You’ll find 586 litres behind the third row of the Toyota, 1,640 litres behind its second row and when all seats are folded down, 2,761 litres behind the first row. The Lexus has about fifteen fewer litres of space in each compartment, which isn’t really noticeable once you start packing your groceries back there. However, one thing that stood out to me in the Lexus are the power folding seats, which is super handy, and way more useful than having to fiddle with levers and straps.

Article content

For families on the go that need to tow, both vehicles are rated to tow 5,000 lbs.

The verdict

When it comes to families, sticking to a budget is very important. Kids are expensive, and if you have a big family, the extra $20-grand you’d spend on a Lexus over a Toyota could be going to a lot of awesome things (Renita: Diapers, diapers, more diapers and millions of baby wipes).

Unless you’re really dying for a premium badge (and the attention it brings), more speakers and some other non-critical features, we’d easily recommend the mainstream Toyota Grand Highlander over its pricier Lexus alternative.