Lexus’s Steering Wheel Controls Are Driving Me Mad

TL;DR

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The Drive’s Jerry Perez reports that the touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls in the 2026 Lexus TX350 were difficult for him to use, sometimes bringing up menus when he brushed the pads. He also says setting cruise control took his attention from the road. This is a reviewer’s account of one vehicle, not a published safety finding or a confirmed Lexus response.

The Drive’s Jerry Perez criticized the touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls in a 2026 Lexus TX350, reporting that accidental contact could call up menus and that adjusting cruise control took his eyes off the road. His account is a reviewer’s experience with one vehicle; the report does not establish a wider defect or include a response from Lexus.

Perez describes the TX350 as quiet and refined, but says the steering-wheel controls quickly became his main frustration. Lexus calls the system “Touch Sensor” controls. According to his report, the wheel has two control clusters, each with four pads, and the pads can access multiple functions rather than assigning one physical button to each task.

The difficulty, Perez says, is how the pads respond. He reports that a light touch or a finger swipe could bring up prompts in the instrument display and head-up display. While turning or parking, he sometimes brushed a pad and saw a menu appear, then disappear as he moved his finger again. He says the prompts could be hard to read before they changed.

Perez says the right-side cluster, which handles cruise-control settings, was especially troublesome. He stopped using cruise control on the highway because he found setting it up difficult and felt it diverted his attention. Those descriptions reflect his own driving experience; The Drive report does not provide instrumented testing, a safety investigation, or evidence showing how often other owners encounter the same issue.

Controls That Compete for Attention

Steering-wheel controls are meant to let drivers manage common functions without reaching for a separate screen or taking their hands far from the wheel. If controls instead require drivers to interpret changing prompts, the interface may demand visual attention at moments when drivers need to watch the road. Perez’s account highlights that ease of use and predictability matter alongside a vehicle’s comfort and refinement.

The report does not show that the TX350’s system causes crashes or that Lexus has identified a safety problem. It does, however, offer a practical concern for shoppers: a control layout that feels intuitive in a showroom may be harder to use while turning, driving over bumps, or trying to set cruise control. Drivers considering the vehicle can test the controls themselves and judge whether the prompts are clear without prolonged glances away from the road.

How the Touch Pads Work

Perez’s report focuses on the 2026 TX350, a Lexus SUV he drove for several days. He says the vehicle’s quiet cabin and smooth powertrain made a favorable impression, but that his view of the steering controls was negative. The piece is an opinionated firsthand review, not a formal comparison of every Lexus model or trim.

According to Perez, the system uses swipe gestures and light pressure to access several functions from each pad. He contrasts that arrangement with controls that use a dial or a more distinct physical action to reveal additional options. He also refers to an earlier article by The Drive writer Andrew Collins, but the supplied report does not give details that would establish whether the earlier criticism involved the same vehicle or a specific change to the system.

“Lexus calls these “Touch Sensor” controls.”

— Jerry Perez, The Drive

Scope of the Reported Problem

The report documents one journalist’s experience after a few days in a 2026 TX350. It does not establish whether other drivers have experienced the same behavior, whether sensitivity can be adjusted, or whether the controls vary by trim, software version, or vehicle configuration. The supplied material also contains no statement from Lexus and no information about a service update, recall, or design revision. Perez’s concern about distraction is his assessment; no independent safety finding is cited.

What Drivers Can Check

No Lexus response or planned change is included in the source report, so the next company action is not known. Prospective buyers can ask a dealer to demonstrate the steering-wheel pads and try the audio and cruise-control functions while the vehicle is stationary. Any test drive should be conducted safely, with attention kept on driving. Further reporting from Lexus, owner feedback, or a documented software or hardware change could clarify whether the reported difficulty is isolated or more widely experienced.

Key Questions

What did The Drive report about the Lexus TX350?

Jerry Perez said the touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls in the 2026 TX350 were easy to activate unintentionally and difficult for him to use, particularly when adjusting cruise control.

How does the Touch Sensor system work?

According to Perez, two steering-wheel clusters use four pads apiece to access multiple functions through light pressure and finger swipes. He says the available prompts appear in the driver displays.

Has Lexus confirmed a safety defect?

The supplied report does not cite a Lexus confirmation, safety investigation, or recall. Perez describes a possible distraction based on his own experience, not a formal safety finding.

Did the reviewer dislike the entire TX350?

No. Perez praised the SUV’s quietness and refinement while criticizing its steering-wheel interface. His article separates that complaint from his favorable comments about the vehicle overall.

Source: rss