Three-row luxury crossovers are all the rage right now, with cars like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class selling incredibly well for both brands. Lexus has somehow been left out of the segment, however, with its only three-row SUVs being body-on-frame, off-road capable behemoths, the GX and LX. However, customers and dealers who want something more just might get their wish, with Auto News reporting that a three-row Lexus TX crossover will arrive in mid-2023.

According to the report, a three-row Lexus TX will be built alongside the upcoming Toyota Grand Highlander. At this time, Lexus hasn’t officially confirmed the TX, and I’ve reached out to Lexus for comment, although last year Toyota confirmed that a three-row Lexus SUV was in the works.

In August 2021, Toyota announced an $803 million investment in its Princeton, Indiana plant that would “introduce two all-new three-row SUVs designed with America’s active millennial family in mind. , only one will bear the Toyota name, while the other will officially introduce the Lexus lineup to Toyota Indiana.

Lexus dealers have long wanted a big luxury mover, something not built on a heavy-duty, body-on-frame chassis, but rather something more comfortable and roomy, like the aforementioned BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. Currently, the only such car in the Lexus lineup is the RX 350L, a longer wheelbase version of the standard RX, but still doesn’t offer the kind of cabin space or people-moving capability like a true three-row crossover.

Dealers are chomping at the bit for a Lexus TX. John Iacono, chairman of the Lexus National Dealer Advisory Council, said the TX “can’t come fast enough,” knowing it would provide something Lexus dealerships currently don’t have. “The only vehicle we currently have in this size is the RX L. It has done a good job for us, but it’s not the vehicle we expect,” Iacono said. Automotive News.

Iacono thinks the TX will appeal to younger buyers, in their 40s and 50s, who need the extra room for their family but don’t want the more rugged nature of the larger GX and LX models. According to Toyota, the next three-row Lexus crossover will be available with up to eight seats, hinting at three-passenger bench seats for the second and third rows. A potential hybrid option is also possible, as the Highlander Hybrid is built at the same Princeton, Indiana plant.

It’s a no-brainer for Lexus to make a three-row crossover, similar to its competitors, given their popularity. With Lexus not too far behind 2021 luxury sales leader BMW, a three-row TX could provide the boost it needs to place it above. The Lexus LX and GX are both great SUVs but, being built on the Toyota Land Cruiser chassis, both are off-road SUVs that have nice interiors. Neither are built from the ground up to be luxury crossovers, so it’ll be interesting to see what Lexus can do with more interior space and a greater emphasis on comfort.

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