2025 Lexus LX700h Hybrid Road Test and Review

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series sold outside the U.S., the Lexus LX has a dual mission, that of a serious, purpose-built off-road-capable machine and the brand’s cushy and leather-lined luxury flagship. For 2025, Lexus adds two new variations of the square-jawed flagship SUV: the LX 700h gas-electric hybrid and an Overtrail model with even greater off-pavement capability.

Including the $1,350 destination charge, the LX 700h ranges in price from $115,950 to $141,950. Available LX 700h trims include the aforementioned off-road-focused five-passenger Overtrail, sporty seven-passenger F-Sport Handling, well-equipped seven-passenger Luxury, and limousine-like four-passenger Ultra Luxury. All feature standard four-wheel drive (4WD) with driver-selectable low and high ranges, a locking center differential, adaptive shock-absorber damping, and driver-adjustable ride height.

The Lexus LX competes with the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Land Rover Range Rover, and Mercedes-Benz GLS Class.

First Hybrid Version of the LX

With the new LX 700h, Lexus has achieved its goal of offering a gas-electric hybrid or battery-electric version of each of its products in the U.S. It joins the gas-only LX 600 which is powered by a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 with a substantial 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Upgrading to the LX 700h increases output 12 percent to 457 hp and boosts torque 22 percent to 583 lb-ft. The LX 700h’s gas engine does most of the work, but the added oomph of the electric motor integrated into the 10-speed automatic transmission gives the hybrid version of the LX slightly improved acceleration. According to Lexus, the LX 700h can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, a half-second quicker than the non-hybrid LX 600.

Because the electric motor takes over when the LX 700h is coasting or stopped in traffic, its fuel economy improves a smidge over that of the non-hybrid LX 600, with EPA estimates showing a 2 mpg improvement in the city rating from 17 to 19 mpg and a 1 mpg boost in combined city/highway driving from 19 to 20 mpg.

In order to shoehorn the nickel-metal hydride hybrid propulsion battery under the LX 700h’s cargo floor and third-row seat on models so equipped and keep a full-size spare tire, Lexus had to reduce the size of its fuel tank to 17.97 gallons from the non-hybrid LX 600’s 21.14 gallons. The resulting 15 percent reduction in fuel tank size results in a shorter 358-mile EPA-estimated cruising range, down from the LX 600’s 401 miles. The towing capacity of the LX 700h, however, remains at an impressive 8,000 pounds, same as the non-hybrid LX 600.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Mission Control

Between the newly all-digital driver display, 12.3-inch Lexus Interface infotainment touchscreen for navigation, phone, and audio content, a 7-inch lower auxiliary touchscreen for the four-zone automatic climate control, front-seat heating and cooling, drive modes, and off-road assists, and a head-up display at the bottom of the windshield, there are lots of screens to keep an eye on. But there’s also a bunch of physical switches on the dash and console, which is kind of refreshing in this age of the overuse of virtual on-screen controls in other SUVs that require an abundance of menu surfing. That said, most controls are within easy reach with the possible exception of the exterior mirror switches on the front door armrests which are small and difficult to see in bright sunlight. Other standard LX niceties are a center console cool box, auto closing doors, a leather-wrapped power tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, thematic ambient interior accent lighting, and a power tilt-and-slide moonroof.

The 10-speaker Lexus sound system that comes standard in the F Sport Handling and Overtrail won’t disappoint, but the 25-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system standard in the Luxury and Ultra Luxury models puts interior occupants in a rolling concert hall. The Mark Levinson system is also optional in lesser LX models and is the cherry on top of what is an exceptional all-terrain luxury SUV flagship experience.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Sitting Pretty

Getting in and out is made a bit easier with the LX’s standard illuminated running boards. Also, a console-mounted switch, one of many in the LX, allows you to adjust the ride height. It can be lowered about an inch to aid ingress and egress, say for mobility-impaired seniors, shorter-statured riders, and kids, or raised a few inches for off-pavement adventures.

As you might expect in the top offering from Toyota’s luxury brand, the LX 700h’s power-operated, heated and ventilated driver and front passenger seats welcome lucky humans with a savory blend of support in all the right places and all-day driving comfort. Perforated, creamy-soft semi-aniline leather seat coverings amplify the premium feel. And as luck would have it, it’s time for your massage. The Ultra Luxury version of the LX 700h gets a massaging driver’s seat and Luxury, F Sport Handling, and Overtrail models add a standard massaging front passenger seat as well. The massage function is customizable, allowing the lucky massage recipient to select a specific area such as the upper body, lower body, shoulders, or lumbar region, as well as the intensity of the experience. Personally, I preferred the way the mild-intensity lumbar massage left me refreshed, finding the more intense sessions and lower-body workouts a bit intrusive.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Home, James

In the range-topping Ultra Luxury version of the LX 700h, the 60/40 split folding second-row bench seat shown here is replaced with a pair of individual captain’s chairs and the third-row seats are removed. In the resulting high-zoot four-seater, the semi-aniline leather-covered heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs can recline up to 48 degrees and have specially bolstered seat cushions and headrests that are curved to create pockets that hug their occupants. They also provide the same massage functions as the driver’s seat. In addition to a generously sized center armrest, second-seaters get their own wireless phone charger, combination storage table and 7-inch touchscreen for dialing in seat heating and cooling, audio volume and tuning, and climate control settings. The only drawback is the loss of about three inches of legroom compared to that offered in other LX models with the second-row bench seat. For those riders wanting to totally tune out, the standard rear-seat entertainment system with wireless Bluetooth headphones offers individual video screens on the rear of the front seatbacks. Riding back there is enough to imagine oneself as a captain of industry.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Third Row Squeeze Play

On the other hand, squeezing past the collapsed and slid-forward second-row seat and into the third row is a task best reserved for the kids. Legroom and knee room is tight for adults. The best-use scenario for the power-folding 50/50 split third-row bench seat standard in the LX 700h Overtrail, F Sport Handling, and Luxury models is with one or both third-row seatbacks lowered most of the time to ensure adequate cargo space. In the Overtrail model, the third-row bench can be deleted for a more unencumbered cargo area.

Don’t worry about the third-row headrests blocking rearward visibility as these can easily be lowered flush with the seatbacks. It’s a moot point anyway as all LX 700h models come with a standard digital rearview mirror that receives a video image from the rear-facing camera on the liftback door, unencumbered by passenger heads or taller cargo items inside the vehicle.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Travel Lightly

In this worst-case scenario, the three-row LX 700h with its aft perches configured to carry humans, leaves a scant 7.23 cubic feet of luggage space behind the upright third-row seats. That’s about the same amount of trunk space as in the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro convertible and less than you’ll find in the Toyota GR Supra or BMW Z4 sports cars. If you want a roomy three-row Lexus SUV and don’t plan on taking frequent off-pavement adventures, check out the Lexus TX, which at 20.2 cubic feet, offers nearly three times as much cargo space behind its also more spacious third row. Or just lower both sections of the LX 700h’s third-row seat and have access to an ample 30.98 cubic feet of cargo space.

The LX liftgate is power operated and can be opened with a foot kick under the rear bumper. The shelf back there on three-row models is designed to provide a flat surface when the second and third-row seats are lowered but does make for a high liftover height for loading and unloading.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

The Dirty Truth

A separate drive activity gave me a chance to explore the new Overtrail version of the LX 700h in an off-road setting. Despite all of the luxury trimmings, the Lexus LX is at its core a Land Cruiser, which means it’s a capable and rock-solid 4WD player on the off-road stage. Standard on all LX models is a Torsen limited-slip locking center differential that splits drive torque an even 50 percent front/50 percent rear. Overtrail models add electronic front and rear locking differentials for ensuring even traction side to side and the ability for this Lexus to press on regardless even if one or two tires are grabbing at nothing but air. An underbody skid plate protects the transmission from jagged rocks, and knobby 33-inch all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels bolster the Overtrail’s grip on tricky surfaces and ability to confidently pick its way up and down rocky slopes.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Ahoy There

Okay, so common sense says not many owners of $115,000 luxury SUVs are likely to risk swamping their vehicle. Water ingested into the engine can cause a major mechanical failure, and it can fry electronics. But Lexus engineers anticipated that some off-road explorers may need to cross a meandering stream or power through a mud puddle, so they encased the LX 700h’s hybrid propulsion battery in a sealed chamber. The resulting water fording ability of the LX 700h is a generous 27.5 inches.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Comfortable Drive

Back on terra firma, the three-ton Land Cruiser-based LX 700h exudes a quiet confidence. Except during brief periods when it is powered solely by electrons, the torque-rich twin-turbocharged V6 delivers a hearty but hushed engine note. The sturdy, truck-based body-on-frame chassis construction brings a solid, granitic feeling of stability on the highway, with adaptive shock absorbers continuously adjusting suspension damping at each wheel in real time for an optimal ride-handling balance that’s appropriate for a flagship vehicle. Braking is a bit non-linear with lower braking retardation when the pedal is initially depressed but more effective when you push harder. The electrically boosted steering is well-weighted and precise. Keeping in mind that the LX 700h is a tall and heavy truck that’s designed to be unbreakable over sketchy off-road terrain, it manages to be a luxurious and relaxing place to spend time in daily use.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Linebacker in a Tux

Among the dozens of SUVs appealing to the public’s fascination with the idea of venturing to adventurous locations far from civilization and many more promising to coddle occupants with the kind of roominess and luxurious kit that once was the province of large sedans, the Lexus LX stands out as a product that successfully delivers both. With solid Land Cruiser-based underpinnings, the 2025 LX 700h builds on the brand’s well-earned reputation for quality and durability, adding a hybrid model for buyers who may want to reduce their carbon footprint and a new Overtrail edition that puts an exclamation point on the SUV’s off-road capabilities.

2025 Lexus LX700h ・ Photo by Ron Sessions