Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

2026 Lexus TX: Subtle Tweaks for the Three-Row Luxury SUV

The 2026 Lexus TX arrives with the kind of quiet updates you’d expect from a brand that likes to play the long game. No radical redesigns, no jarring experiments—just a few thoughtful additions to keep Lexus’s three-row SUV competitive against rivals from Acura, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

For the new model year, Lexus slips in a fresh paint option—Matador Red Mica—available on non–F SPORT models, while the TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid gains a standard panoramic glass roof. More practical still, third-row passengers finally get standard modular cupholders, a small but meaningful nod to family-hauling reality.

A Familiar Lineup with Layers of Luxury

The TX continues to be offered in seven trims, ranging from the entry-level Standard to the posh Luxury, with multiple F SPORT Handling and Performance variants for buyers who want some extra spice. Like its RX and NX siblings, the TX rides on the GA-K platform, a modular setup shared across Toyota’s luxury and mainstream SUVs. Lexus says this chassis delivers “Lexus Driving Signature”—a carefully curated balance of comfort, agility, and predictability. In practice, it means the TX leans toward serenity, with enough responsiveness to keep things from feeling doughy.

Lexus engineers have stiffened the body with adhesives and spot welds, while aluminum panels up front and steel in the rear help balance weight distribution. The result is a large, three-row SUV that’s quieter, smoother, and a bit more nimble than its size suggests.

Powertrains for Every Taste

Lexus keeps the TX powertrain roster broad to appeal to everyone from suburban commuters to hybrid diehards.

  • TX 350: Powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (275 hp, 317 lb-ft), paired with an eight-speed automatic and optional all-wheel drive. This is the bread-and-butter setup, efficient enough but not particularly thrilling.
  • TX 500h: The F SPORT Performance trim brings a turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder good for 366 hp and 406 lb-ft. It pairs with Lexus’s DIRECT4 AWD system and adds rear-wheel steering, giving this big SUV surprising agility.
  • TX 550h+: The headline powertrain. A 3.5-liter V-6 plug-in hybrid delivers 404 hp and up to 33 miles of EV-only range. With Level 2 charging, the battery fills in about three hours. This model, built in Indiana, is Lexus’s first PHEV assembled in North America.

Ride and Handling

Front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link suspension keep the TX planted, while higher trims get Adaptive Variable Suspension for more nuanced damping. F SPORT Performance models also include Dynamic Rear Steering, which turns the back wheels in or out of phase with the fronts depending on speed—tightening parking-lot maneuvers and stabilizing highway lane changes.

Braking and steering responses have been tuned to deliver the “predictable, linear feel” Lexus likes to talk about. In other words, smooth and drama-free, which suits the TX’s mission as a luxury family hauler more than a back-road bruiser.

Practical Luxury

Inside, the TX plays to Lexus’s strengths: quiet cabins, upscale materials, and tech that leans more toward convenience than cutting-edge gimmickry. All models get a 14-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and seven USB ports. The third row is adult-usable, with 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind it—generous for the segment. Fold down both rows, and capacity expands to nearly 97 cubic feet.

Second-row seating can be had as either a bench or captain’s chairs, the latter with heating and ventilation. Modular cupholders abound, storage cubbies are plentiful, and an available Mark Levinson 21-speaker system ensures no one complains about road trip playlists.

Lexus also piles on driver-assist tech, from adaptive cruise with curve speed management to lane tracing and proactive driving assist. Subscription-based goodies—like cloud navigation and a digital key—add another layer of modernity.

The 2026 Lexus TX doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but it doesn’t need to. With three powertrain flavors, genuine three-row usability, and Lexus’s trademark comfort, it slots neatly into the luxury SUV space. The subtle updates—a new paint color, a glass roof, a couple more cupholders—aren’t earth-shaking, but they reinforce the TX’s role as a comfortable, versatile, and tech-forward family hauler.

If you want drama, look elsewhere. If you want dependability wrapped in Lexus refinement—with a plug-in option for guilt-free commuting—the 2026 TX makes a compelling case.

Pricing

Source: Lexus

NEW CARS

2026 Lexus RX Sharpens Its Look, Expands Performance Options

The Lexus RX, long the sales king of suburban cul-de-sacs, enters 2026 with subtle but notable upgrades that add polish to its already broad lineup. Lexus hasn’t reinvented its bread-and-butter luxury crossover, but it has tightened the stitching, sharpened the looks, and expanded the performance options for buyers who want more than a silent glide to Whole Foods.

2026 Lexus RX 450h

What’s New

Wireless phone charging is finally standard across all trims (about time), and the RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid now gets a new Premium grade, slotting neatly between the existing trims. The F SPORT Handling and F SPORT Performance models—arguably the most interesting RXs—can now be dressed with the new Appearance Package. That bundle includes black exterior trim, a set of 21-inch black-finish split-spoke wheels, and orange brake calipers that scream “I lift, bro” in a segment better known for yoga mats and baby seats. Inside, gray stitching dresses up an otherwise all-black interior.

Platform and Packaging

Still riding on Toyota’s GA-K platform, the RX uses high-strength steel and clever bracing to deliver rigidity without excess weight. Lexus promises sharper handling and a low center of gravity, though at 192.5 inches long and 66 inches wide at the rear track, this is still a sizable machine. The rear multi-link suspension and well-placed battery packs in hybrid models free up respectable cargo and passenger space, while a lowered loading floor makes Costco runs less of a CrossFit workout.

Powertrain Smorgasbord

As before, the RX menu offers something for everyone:

  • RX 350: A 275-hp 2.4-liter turbo four paired with an eight-speed automatic and available AWD. Smooth, torquey, and adequate for most buyers.
  • RX 350h: A 246-hp hybrid with a nickel-metal hydride battery. Efficiency is the headline here, not speed.
  • RX 450h+: The plug-in hybrid gets the NX’s 2.5-liter four and lithium-ion pack. With 38 miles of EV range, 85 MPGe, and a 6.2-second sprint to 60, it’s the sweet spot for green-leaning luxury buyers.
  • RX 500h F SPORT Performance: The wild card. A 366-hp turbo-hybrid with Lexus’s DIRECT4 AWD system, six-piston brakes, and available rear-wheel steering. Lexus wants you to believe this is a performance SUV. Michelin Pilot Sport rubber and a bespoke suspension tune make a convincing case, though it’s still more commuter missile than Nürburgring slayer.
2026 Lexus RX 350

Tech and Comfort

Inside, the RX continues its “Japanese minimalism meets tech lounge” vibe. A 9.8-inch touchscreen is standard, but most buyers will spring for the crisp 14-inch unit. Lexus’s latest Drive Connect infotainment system is fully cloud-enabled, voice-controlled via “Hey Lexus,” and comes with a generous three-year trial. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and six USB-C ports are scattered throughout the cabin.

As for creature comforts, Lexus offers six interior colorways, available Mark Levinson audio with 21 speakers, and mood lighting with 64 selectable colors. Optional ventilated rear seats and power-folding second rows remind you this is a Lexus, even if you checked the sporty F SPORT box.

Safety and Driver Assistance

The RX comes with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which now includes Curve Speed Management (slowing for corners during adaptive cruise), Proactive Driving Assist (gentle steering and braking), and the usual suite of lane-keeping and pre-collision aids. Remote Park and digital key functionality extend the tech halo further.

The Bottom Line

The RX has never been about thrills; it’s about quiet confidence, refinement, and bulletproof resale value. For 2026, Lexus layers on just enough athleticism and tech to keep it competitive with German rivals without alienating the loyalists who’ve been keeping dealers busy since the Clinton administration.

Is the RX 500h F SPORT Performance truly a performance SUV? Not quite—but in the world of Lexus, where subtlety trumps drama, it’s about as rowdy as things get. For everyone else, the plug-in 450h+ and its usable EV range will probably be the smarter play.

The 2026 Lexus RX arrives in dealerships later this year. Expect pricing to stay close to the current range, with most buyers easily eclipsing the $60,000 mark once they start ticking boxes.

Pricing

Source: Lexus

NEW CARS

Smart Gets Serious: The Smart #5 Takes on Munich

Once upon a time, the word “smart car” conjured up an image of something small, quirky, and—let’s be honest—a bit like driving around in a designer toaster. Cute, clever, city-bound, and as far from an SUV as you could possibly imagine. Fast forward to 2025, and smart has clearly been downing protein shakes and hitting the automotive gym. At this year’s IAA Mobility in Munich (September 8–14), smart is rolling out its entire portfolio, headlined by the new smart #5—a premium mid-size SUV that’s here to prove that the brand has grown up, bulked up, and is ready to spar with the big boys.

And it’s already collecting trophies. The #5 has just bagged a Red Dot Design Award for Product Design, which is shorthand for: “Yes, it looks good, and no, it doesn’t resemble a hairdryer anymore.” Instead, what you get is a spacious, versatile, tech-laden electric SUV running on a cutting-edge 800-Volt platform. Translation: faster charging than your phone and enough range to turn the term “range anxiety” into nothing more than a punchline.

Inside, it’s all about space, flexibility, and brains. The intelligent cockpit and advanced driver assistance systems are designed to make driving easier, safer, and—dare we say—more enjoyable. The #5 promises to handle everything from daily school runs to long-haul road trips, all while whispering “premium” in your ear with every soft-touch surface.

But this is Munich, and smart isn’t just here to show us a sensible SUV. Oh no, they’re throwing art into the mix. Enter the Keith Haring Art Car, a one-off sculptural statement on wheels, created in collaboration with the Keith Haring Foundation. It’s funky, bold, and just the right amount of “look at me.” Smart’s booth at the Summit will use Haring’s work to celebrate the idea of streets as living canvases—a reminder that the brand has always been about urban mobility and breaking conventions.

Elsewhere, at the Open Space on Odeonsplatz, smart is going full lifestyle brand: the #5 Premium, #5 Summit Edition, and #1 BRABUS will all be on display, alongside interactive art studios, photo booths, and activities for families. It’s not just a car showcase—it’s a playground for anyone who likes their EVs with a side of culture.

And of course, no TopGear-style reveal would be complete without the spicy bit: the smart #5 BRABUS. Yes, the German tuning legends are back at it, sprinkling horsepower, aggression, and just enough lunacy onto the SUV to make sure it can keep up with the Teslas and Porsches of the world. If the standard #5 is the stylish all-rounder, the BRABUS version is the one that shows up to the party in a leather jacket and dares you to race it.

So, what’s the takeaway? Smart is no longer the brand of tiny cars that squeeze into half a parking space. The new smart #5 is bigger, bolder, and more ambitious—a proper SUV that might just redefine how we see the badge. Add in a bit of Keith Haring street cred, and suddenly smart isn’t just about moving people. It’s about moving ideas.

The press conference kicks off September 8 at 10 a.m., Hall B2, booth B01. Expect premium EVs, a splash of art, and probably a few raised eyebrows from those who thought smart would never grow up.

Source: Smart