With the fifth-generation Lexus RX having made its debut at the beginning of this month, the just-launched SUV has been confirmed to go on sale “with just two rows,” a Lexus spokesperson has revealed to Motor1. This means that the seven-seater RX L has seen its sunset along with the previous-generation RX.
It won’t be the end of the unibody seven-seater presence in the Lexus line-up, however, as this has been previously rumoured to be succeeded by a three-row SUV called the TX. This has been revealed as part of the brand’s mass-EV showcase late last year, albeit showing up in a rather low-key manner at the time.
Rumours of the TX nameplate have been around as early as 2009, though this much earlier application was thought at the time to be for a smaller vehicle. More recently, Lexus Enthusiast came across filing applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the TX350 and TX500h.
If the just-launched RX is used as a parallel, the ‘350’ would mean the use of the T24A-FTS turbocharged 2.4 litre petrol engine, while the ‘500h’ suffix similarly could mean the addition of a rear-axle mounted electric motor augmenting the same 2.4 litre turbo petrol engine.
In the 2023 RX, the 2.4 litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine produces 279 PS and 430 Nm of torque, and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission which sends drive to either the front or all four wheels, depending on variant.
As for the RX 500h, the parallel hybrid system employs a six-speed automatic gearbox where the internal combustion engine powers the front wheels while the electric motor drives the rear wheels, yielding 373 PS and 550 Nm in total system output.
GALLERY: 2023 Lexus RX
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