2024 Lexus TX vs 2024 Buick Envista

The 2024 Buick Envista, while sharing its platform with the Chevy Trax, took a distinct styling path with its sloping roofline, giving it a "crossover coupe" appearance reminiscent of high-end models like the BMW X2, X4, and X6. This design choice, while potentially compromising rear visibility, was deemed acceptable. The front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with daytime running lights positioned above the actual headlights, which were integrated into vertical elements flanking the grille. This sleek design was a first for Buick, setting the Envista apart from models like the Envision and Encore GX. The ST grade was marked by black exterior trim and 18-inch wheels, while the Avenir trim boasted bright exterior trim and standard 19-inch wheels. Inside, the Envista's cabin, though similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, albeit with a somewhat artificial texture. Despite its entry-level status, the Envista's interior was a step up from the Trax, featuring a flat-bottom steering wheel and an eight-way power driver's seat standard across all trims in Canada.

The 2024 Lexus TX, based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, presented itself as a luxury SUV with a more upscale appearance compared to its Toyota counterpart. The TX's styling was more conservative than other Lexus models, appealing to those who found previous designs too bold. The TX 350, the likely volume seller, featured a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with standard all-wheel drive. The Ultra Luxury package added premium touches like upgraded ambient lighting and semi-aniline leather upholstery. The interior, while luxurious, was criticized for its dark colour scheme, even with a panoramic sunroof. Despite this, the TX 350's interior was deemed luxurious enough to bear the Lexus badge, offering a comfortable ride with commendable body motion control and quiet highway driving. However, the brake pedal was noted to be too soft, though easy to modulate for smooth stops.

The 2024 Buick Envista was powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This setup, shared with the Chevy Trax, offered a refined driving experience, delivering power smoothly akin to a larger engine. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, distinguishing it from the Encore GX. The base models featured a torsion-beam rear suspension, while models with 19-inch wheels had a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension, enhancing ride quality. The front suspension was a MacPherson strut setup, with Buick-specific bushings and damper tuning to minimize road noise. During testing, the Envista ST with Watts Link suspension handled bumps well but felt unsettled on imperfect straightaways. Despite this, the Envista provided a more premium feel than the Trax, with quieter acceleration and a more comfortable ride.

The 2024 Lexus TX 350 was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, generating 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. Lexus claimed it could accelerate to 100 km/h in about eight seconds, though it felt quicker due to its torque delivery. The TX 350's fuel economy was rated at 10.3 L/100 km in combined driving, slightly better than the previous RX L model. However, during testing, it averaged 13.8 L/100 km. The TX 350's suspension offered a balance between road feel and comfort, with commendable body motion control and accurate steering. The interior remained quiet on highways, though the brake pedal was noted to be too soft. Overall, the TX 350's performance was adequate for typical driving situations, though its engine note was somewhat grating.

The 2024 Buick Envista was 36 centimetres longer than the outgoing Buick Encore, with a 14.5-centimetre wheelbase stretch, resulting in increased interior space. Rear-seat legroom grew by 7.6 cm, and shoulder room in both rows increased by about 5 cm. However, the coupe-like design reduced headroom, particularly in the second row. The seats were comfortable for the price point, and a power moonroof was optional on Sport Touring and standard on Avenir. The Envista's car-like design offered good outward visibility and easy manoeuvrability in tight spaces. Cargo space was 586 litres with the rear seats up and 1,189 litres with them folded, less than the Trax and the old Encore.

The 2024 Lexus TX addressed previous shortcomings in Lexus's three-row SUVs, offering a more spacious and comfortable interior. The TX 350 test unit featured premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery, with heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel standard in Canada. The second-row bench seat was comfortable, though not as welcoming as the front seats. The third-row seat was habitable for adults, a significant improvement over previous models. Cargo space was 572 litres behind the third row, 1,625 litres with the third row folded, and 2,746 litres with the second row down, offering ample space for road trips.

The 2024 Buick Envista came standard with an 11-inch touchscreen and 8-inch digital instrument cluster, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface was similar to the Trax, with easy-to-use controls and retained buttons for climate and audio. However, the centre stack's tilt towards the driver made controls a bit of a reach for passengers. While the Envista lacked some optional tech features like a head-up display, it offered a good amount of features for its price range.

The 2024 Lexus TX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a digital rearview mirror, with a head-up display, surround-view camera, and semi-autonomous parking assist available in the Executive packages. The Lexus Interface infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen, offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Drive Connect subscription added cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The TX also included free 10-year subscriptions to Service Connect and Safety Connect, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system was available in the Executive package.

The 2024 Buick Envista's crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. In Canada, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard.

The 2024 Lexus TX was equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and more. Proactive Drive Assist was also part of the system, though it was not entirely transparent in operation. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a safe exit assist system. The Executive packages offered front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist.