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From a Volvo S90 to a Full-size 3-row SUV: My 2025 Lexus TX 350 Review

22nd April 2025, 18:33 by Kanad Kalasur

The contenders: BMW X7, Mercedes GLS 450, Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Acura MDX, and the freshly minted Lexus TX

BHPian himavanth_m recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Prologue

Back in 2019, I didn’t really need a car—because, frankly, the New York / New Jersey public transport system had me living the good life—no gas, no parking, no tools, no insurance, no problems . Trains were on time (mostly), buses were frequent (sometimes), and my legs worked just fine.

But weekend hikes and road trips started becoming a regular thing. The ones reachable by public transport and a hopeful 2-mile walk from the last stop, I did them all. Twice. After a point, even the squirrels started recognizing me. And when I looked beyond the reach of mass transit, renting a car every weekend quickly started burning a hole in my wallet deeper than the potholes on the Jersey Turnpike. Fun? Yes. Sustainable? Not even close.

So, I did what any spreadsheet-loving data analyst would do—I hunted for value. And bam! Enter the 2018 Volvo S90 Momentum—luxury, legroom, and half the original price. Thank you, first-year depreciation. You’re brutal… but also beautiful.

Here’s my Swedish chariot somewhere in the wilds of Maine—looking all business class

Stretch limo vibes. This thing is loooooooong.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I loved the S90. It had that Scandinavian cool: minimalist design, elegant vibes, rear legroom and more rear legroom . But—ride quality? Yeah, no, no, no!!

My S90 came with those optional 19-inch wheels that look fantastic in pics but feel like medieval torture devices on US Northeast roads. Every bump and pebble on the road felt like the car was filing a personal complaint directly to my back . At some point, I had to admit defeat—my spine wasn’t built to absorb the emotional baggage my suspension kept unloading.

And with a growing family it became crystal clear: I needed something with more seats… and more importantly, suspension that didn’t transmit Morse code every time I hit a pot hole .

The checklist was simple. I wanted:

A comfortable ride
Three-row adult seating
Did I mention a more comfortable ride?
All the safety bells and whistles
And oh yeah… a ride that actually feels comfortable (please, universe)

The Contenders
Just when I had almost made peace with the idea of settling—or worse, restarting the YouTube binge cycle—January rolled around, and with it, a little miracle: Lexus resumed TX sales.

Naturally, the hunt was back on. So I started with test drives.

BMW X7 - “Luxury, power with an expensive price tag”

Interiors were proper first-class—leather, metal, ambient lights that made me feel mildly important.
The straight-six engine with the gear box? Silky smooth.
Tech cockpit with the curved display was slick

Why I walked away:

The price shoots up faster than your heart rate once you start adding options ( I really wanted the soft closing doors, 2nd sunroof for 3rd row and much more).
Run-flat tires made the ride... felt like a trip down the Volvo memory lane.
And then there’s BMW mileage. Let’s just say it’s more ‘impressive’ in how quickly the tank empties.

Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 - “A magic carpet.”

What I loved:

Air suspension = pure wizardry. Floated over bumps like a hovercraft.
Cabin space and layout felt genuinely luxurious

Why I passed:

No good finance deals. A little out of budget. No good pre-owned ones that I liked.
Third row while decent, still not for adults over long drives.
And Mercedes maintenance? Beautiful to drive. Expensive to own. I like surprises—just not from repair bills.

Audi Q7 - "A driver’s SUV that thinks it’s a sports sedan—but forgot it also needs to carry seven people and their stuff"

What I loved:

Surprisingly agile
Impeccable build quality—everything felt tight, precise, very Audi.

Why it didn’t make the cut:

Third row was more symbolic than functional. Great for kids. Or contortionists.
Cargo space was basically a formality with all seats up.

A side note: I still don’t know where the 5.1 meters of length went in the Audi Q7. The BMW X7 and Lexus TX are just 5.2 metres, a mere 10 cm more!

Acura MDX - “Great value, sharp handling, tons of features - but a generation old (current version from 2017) ”

What I loved:

Insane value for money—features galore for the price.
SH-AWD added a hint of fun in corners, even in an SUV this size.
Sporty looks, well-tuned handling, just a really competent package.

Why I ruled it out:

Road noise was a little too present—like a background podcast I didn’t subscribe to.
Third row space was still at a premium
And it just didn’t spark any real emotion. Great tool, solid buy… but no butterflies. - No offence to anyone owning an MDX.

At the end of this test drive tour, every SUV had its strengths. But none quite matched what the TX promised on paper.

Lexus TX 350 Premium- "A calm, comfortable cruiser that prioritizes your spine and your sanity"

Ride quality is easily best-in-class. (Mercedes GLS aside)
Spacious, quiet, and practical interior—real third row + actual cargo room with all seats up.
Clean, modern Lexus interior with a massive touchscreen, physical controls where needed, and no learning curve.

Why I still hesitated (briefly):

The 2.4L turbo is smooth and composed—perfect for daily driving, not for drag strips. As for the F-Sport Performance trim? I didn’t see the value in paying more to go only marginally faster while riding stiffer. I really wanted to please my spine this time.
The exterior design is... let’s just say, distinctive. Some will call it sleek and modern. Others might wonder if Lexus ran out of curves and settled for angles.

But when I stepped out of the TX after the test drive, I didn’t feel like I had to “tolerate” anything. No “I’ll get used to it.” It just worked. Smooth, quiet, spacious—and finally, a ride that didn’t feel like a low-key punishment.

After months of searching, it felt like Lexus had been quietly building exactly what I was looking for—while I was busy bouncing around in other SUVs.

And just like that, the hunt was over.

A couple of honorable mentions that didn’t make it to the test drive stage:

Toyota Grand Highlander
Honestly, I was tempted. Saving around $10,000 for what’s essentially the same platform as the Lexus TX—with better fuel economy (Hybrid) and a more practical.

Why? My better half took one glance at the interior and said, “I am not sitting in another Innova Hycross in US”
And just like that, it was out of the running—no questions asked.
No offense to Toyota, it’s supremely practical and probably the most sensible choice. But once that visual comparison was made, there was no going back.

Infiniti QX60—which never even got a chance to plead its case.

Why? Two words: depreciation disaster.
It looks nice on the outside and offers solid features, but buying a brand-new QX60. No Thank You! Which Color?
We started with Wind Chill Pearl (a.k.a. white), but my wife took one look and said, “It looks too big.” The TX isn’t exactly petite. In white it is Elegant! Maybe. But Subtle? Definitely not.

The only other color we both liked? Nightfall Mica (a.k.a really dark blue). But under sunlight, it has depth, flair, and just the right amount of mystery.

So Nightfall Mica it was. Classy, not white and it didn’t make the car look like a mobile glacier.

Which Variant?
Trim-wise, we quickly zeroed in on the TX 350 Premium—the clear sweet spot in the lineup. It ticked all the right boxes: ventilated front seats, a panoramic roof, the huge touchscreen, and a price tag that still made sense.

The Luxury trim didn’t offer enough to justify the premium, and the F-Sport Performance? No firm ride please!

We also knew we wanted the 6-seater setup with captain’s chairs and heated & ventilated second-row seats.

The Catch?
Our dream combo—Premium trim, 6-seater layout, ventilated second row, in Nightfall Mica—wasn’t exactly growing on trees. Actually, it wasn’t anywhere. It felt like Lexus made maybe… a dozen of them nationwide. Probably as a dare.

And just like that, the waiting game began. 4 Weeks was the delivery timeline given by the dealership. But after all the research, test drives, and “almosts” we turned down, this felt like the right one to wait for.

Finally on February 28th, I had the Lexus TX with me.

The wait is over. The TX has landed.

And when the Lexus arrived, the Volvo had to go.
Goodbye Volvo. You were long, sleek, and slightly traumatic. (Hope to write the Volvo S90 review soon - Drove 50,000 miles (~80,000kms) in 5 years