The 2025 Lexus LX 700h, and being just nice enough

What is luxury in a car? Used to be the most advanced technology, but much of what’s on a Mercedes S Class can now be found in a Hyundai. Maybe it’s prestige? I guess – but when a BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe gets the same badge as an M8 Competition, it doesn’t do any favors for the M8.

So then it must be performance? Yea – performance. That’s where this 2025 Lexus LX 700h rises above.

…Right?

The 2025 Lexus LX 700h Overtrail Overview

I just got home from a car show – it was filled with exotic things. Ferraris, McLarens, Porsches. The big ones too, like a Carrera GT.

They sell you cars like that based on performance, and well look at them – who wouldn’t want to experience a car like that every day? But the reality is that a Carrera GT is a waste. You might have fun driving it, but you won’t be using more than maybe 40% of the car’s ability at any given time.

Still…does make you smile.

So here comes the top dog in the Lexus SUV lineup: the 700h Overtrail. It’s based on the Toyota Land Cruiser, but the LX used to be a ‘Cruiser clone. That job now falls to the Lexus GX 550, which frees up this LX to add more performance (for more price).

See this isn’t just an LX – there’s a 600 version that’s cool and all, but THIS is the 700h Overtrail. It gets a hybrid powertrain with over 100 pound-feet more of torque, 33-inch all-terrain tires, front and rear electronically locking diffs, and a metal skid plate that helps to protect the battery.

Like those fancy exotics at this morning’s show, there’s a lot of performance here. More than you need. Can it put a smile on my face like those cars do?

Performance Score: 7. Just add dirt. Or tow something.

The Overtrail offers prodigious off-road ability, but its body-on-frame construction means you’re about to experience the five D’s of Dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.

Engine

Numbers are funny things. 457 horsepower sounds like a lot. 583 pound-feet of torque sounds like a whole lot. And they are, for the most part – but they have a big job to do.

First, the V-6. It has a giant one-inch punch of torque off the line, right at 2,000 RPMS. That smooth surge continues right through the tach, until you reach the horsepower’s limit at 5,200. There’s little point in revving out this twin turbo’s guts to its 6,000-RPM redline – no juice up top. How nice too, that the LX can tow up to 8,000 pounds.

The engine works seamlessly with a front-mounted hybrid motor that donates 48 horses and 104 pound-feet of torque to the cause. I suppose it’s what you want in Lexus’s top model – all the V-8s are gone. Which is a shame because a Range Rover gets a BMW-sourced one. 

Transmission

Lexus transmissions aren’t always smooth, but the ten-speed unit in this LX is perfectly suited for the job. It never hunts or draws attention to itself, and comes with a host of things to keep you moving forward.

That transmission is attached to electronically controlled front- and rear-locking differentials (an Overtrail exclusive) and a two-speed transfer case with a Torsen limited-slip center differential. All this is then overseen by Multi-Terrain select – you just turn a dial in the cabin, and the LX figures out how to adjust the four-wheel drive system.

It all works seamlessly, and never even hinted at trouble on the dirt trail I take these sorts of things behind my house. But how much of these systems you’ll use on a daily basis, only you can answer.

Chassis and Steering

A body-on-frame chassis might work for a 4Runner, but it’s a tough sell for the big Lexus.

First, some advantages. It’s better suited for off-road adventures, and offers a cushy ride. Just like carbon fiber gives a McLaren chassis the stiffness and lightness it needs, this body-on-frame construction provides the LX with its off-road chops. And this ain’t one of those old Chevy Suburbans, with shakes and rattles over every dip in the road. It’s put together nicely.

But this is a L-E-X-U-S – the Lexus. There might be a TX with a unibody that’s meant for a smooth ride, but this LX should ride like an S Class. Perhaps the trim level is to blame – dedicated off-road tires are never good for the ride. But there’s also an adaptive air-suspension (active height control), so the LX has the goodies. Maybe that’s why I expect more.

The steering is alright – appropriately hefty and precise enough to keep it all under control. The lesson here: take this thing in the dirt, or waste its real potential.

Brakes

When you weigh over 6,000 pounds, it can sometimes feel like New York City sewer cover-sized brake discs aren’t enough. But rest assured, the pedal on the LX is grippy and offers enough confidence to push with minimal butt-clenching.

That said, when you do need to give a firm step of the brake, this thing will dive forward like a submarine. It’s not the only big SUV to do it, but the Yukon and Discovery felt like they both had a bit more overall control.

Lifestyle Score: 8. Tight rope

I do admit to being a bit confused at first. There was always a Lexus GX and LX, but the GX used to be based on the Toyota 4Runner platform. Now it’s a Land Cruiser clone, and one with a third row to boot.

The LX might be on the same platform, but it’s not samsies. Larger in every dimension, it’s a more useful truck for daily use. It’s so wide in fact, that Mrs. Machines couldn’t easily hold my hand – too far apart. Good car to consider if you heading toward a breakup.

The seats up front though – sooo comfy. Sooo soft. Not in the way an M5 seat might hold you in place, but for the kind of driving the LX is made for, perfection.

The third row offers more space than the GX’s silly first floor accommodations, but it’s a place still only meant for kids. The GMC Yukon does it better. Opting for that third row also kills any semblance of trunk space unless you fold them down, raising the question of “what child do I leave at Costco?”. It’s not just this Lexus’s issue, but if you need the third row, chances are you’re gonna need trunk space.

Fuel Economy: 5. It’s for us, not them

You may think that Toyota is eager to make you believe you’re going to save the planet in this hybrid. To their credit, the LX is not marketed or designed as such. The battery here acts more like a third turbocharger as opposed to a fuel-saving aid. And you cannot plug the LX in for juice.

You will get a combined 20 miles per gallon in this gigantic truck, and that’s really quite an accomplishment (it does make almost 500 horsepower and weigh 6,200 pounds, after all). As proof, the LX600 only does one MPG worse as you drive it through life without a battery. It’s better than the Infiniti QX80 too.

Features and Comfort: 7. The flagship?

You know what – not all that thrilled with this Lexus flagship. It’s missing an overall sense of gravitas that you might find in other big SUVs.

Button bender

Despite this car’s high MSRP, the options of colors are very limited. The Overtrail only gets black or tan leather as choices, and so we have Black semi-aniline with Black Open-Pore Wood trim. It doesn’t feel as soft to the touch as a Mercedes, and the wood isn’t as nice as what’s in a GMC.

There are no less than three screens to display information – the dashboard, infotainment, and HVAC controls. But the HVAC screen can play host to other info as well, such as the four-wheel drive system. Knowing where to look is a thing – plan accordingly.

Now, buttons. There are many of them, which I suppose is a good thing because buttons are better than all these haptic and screen controls. But it’s information overload – HVAC, dials and buttons for the four-wheel drive system and autonomous drive systems. Scattered all over the place too. Combined with the three screens, it’s a lot.

Elsewhere, it’s also a mix of good and bad. The 2,400-watt Mark Levinson stereo is really something to behold, but the sunroof is small and equipped with a shade you need to close yourself. Feels cheap, and it shouldn’t in a Lexus flagship.

Green bean

Lexus has been on a roll with their exterior styling. From the IS sedan to the GX, they all share a sliced-by-katana look that’s so distinctive.

This LX 700h shares the look, but it’s less extreme extent. A bit soft and rounded in the back, a bit generic in profile – I think the GX works better. Infiniti seems to have taken a bigger chance on the exterior of the QX.

That that’s not to say this isn’t a handsome thing. Painted in Nori Green Pearl (you only have four color options on the Overtrail), it’s a pretty color that’s enhanced with Black Chrome trim around the windows and bumpers. The Overtrail adds those 18-inch matte Gunmetal wheels, but other flavors of LX offer a variety of options.

Others SUVs to consider

• 2025 Land Rover Discovery
• 2025 Infiniti QX80
• 2025 GMC Yukon Denali
• 2025 Lexus GX 550
• 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
• 2023 Mercedes AMG G63
• 2022 Land Rover Range Rover

The 2025 Lexus LX 700h Overtrail is impressive, but leaves no impression

Everyone likes a good deal, even people who are more well-off than you and I. So when the original Lexus LS sedan came out, they priced it for significantly less than the equivalent Mercedes S Class. It wasn’t as nice, but it was nice enough. 

Lexus has sort of taken that thinking and run with it. What was that old slogan they used? The Relentless pursuit of Perfection? Maybe – you could argue that a car like the LFA was very precise. But it wasn’t a Lamborghini, no matter how loudly that V-10 wailed.

So here we are with the LX. Not as luxurious as a Mercedes, or as comfortable as a Land Rover off-road, it straddles the line between precision and price. Its biggest competition is that QX – feels pretty similar in terms of drive experience.

And yea, the price. $118,010 ain’t bad for a truck as capable as this. You will want for nothing, be it power or performance. And when a Range Rover drives by, with that stunning matte paint and glorious V-8, you can revel in the fact that you’ve saved many thousands of dollars compared to that fool behind the wheel.

And that your Lexus LX 700h is nice enough.