Remember the original Toyota Prius? It pretty much coined the term Hybrid for the automotive world. And for a long time, that meant so-so performance and sparkling fuel economy. Along the way, Toyota improved performance along the way, and vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 Prime were one of the fastest Toyota’s ever, and of course, still had great fuel numbers. Oh and the new Prius is a stunner, too!
So, it became clear that Hybrids could do more than just sip fuel, and now we’re seeing hybrids everywhere – even in the new Porsche 911. So, when Lexus decided to make its flagship SUV, the LX, a flagship hybrid as well, we knew it would be something special. Enter the 2025 Lexus LX 700h Overtrail!
Jolly Green Giant
From first look, the LX 700h impresses with its sheer size – this is an SUV that’s impossible to ignore!
When the LX first bowed, the massive front grille came in for a lot of comments – but since everyone else seems on board these days, it doesn’t bother anymore. In fact, we find it the opposite, it looks powerful and in-your-face, and the Matte Gray finish looks tough. That mug includes 3-dimensional, L-shaped clearance and running lamps giving a nasty frown that braces the grille. You come up behind other traffic, and they move aside. We love that!
The attitude continues with a surprisingly sporty profile, with a swept-back a-pillar, echoed in the d-pillar. A high shoulder line and muscular, bulging fenders give the LX an athletic stance. Being an Overtrail adds to the look, with black overfenders, black outside mirrors and door handles, black chrome finished window and bumper trim, and dark gray roof rails.
The perfect finishing touch on the side view are the blacked-out 18-inch alloys with studly all-terrain tires. This isn’t your Grandma’s Lexus.
The rearview continues the “big is more” attitude with a tall, square stance, L-shaped taillights with an illuminated bar that runs the width of the tailgate, L E X U S spelled out in big block letters, and a chrome-like lower fascia garnish that brings a little bling to the party. And let’s take a second to appreciate the Nori Green Pearl paint. While this isn’t the only Lexus to offer this color, it just looks right on a big capable rig. The dark green shimmers in the light and looks like a million bucks – perfect for the flagship SUV of Toyota’s luxury brand!
Lux meets Truck
Inside, the LX serves up liberal amounts of luxury but does so with a strong SUV/Off-road flavor.
Open the door, and you’ll have to step up to get inside – no worries, as there is a convenient grab handle, and then you just slide yourself in. And when you’re there, you’re immediately surrounded by the feeling of high quality – everything is padded, stitched and beautifully assembled. Given the price (we’ll get to that) it certainly is expected!
The front seats are ultra comfortable and supportive, and for 2025, the front seats soothe you with 5 massage options when equipped with semi-aniline leather trim. From a full-body massage to a targeted area (we went for lumbar!) it’s posh, spa-like treatment.
Tech is along for the ride in a major way, with over 19-inches of digital displays, from a gauge display to Head Up projection, to a massive 12.3-inch tablet for info-tainment (with volume knob!), and an additional lower display that serves up loads of features, especially for dialing in your off-road experience. Below that are simple-to-understand climate controls, and additional drive mode controls.
Below that is a handy wireless charging system, and a massive center console with a lid that cleverly tilts to the right or left, depending on who opens the door. Thoughtful! That center console also holds some goodies for the LX 700h, with a waterproof AC inverter for an external power supply allowing up to 2400W, along with a refrigerated front center box, and vacuum! Filling up the big cabin with quality sound was the optional 25-speaker, 2,400-watt Mark Levinson audio system.
The second-row seats 3, and it is wide, spacious and very comfy. It also folds flat easily or just glides and tilts forward for access to the third row. About that third row – maybe ok for small kids or pets, but really, it’s not all that usable, especially since the hybrid battery pack raises up the loading floor. With the 3rd row up there’s a very small luggage space, but it does power down to give a more reasonable luggage hold. You can delete the third row on the LX 700h, and we’d seriously consider it unless you’re going to need that occasional seating.
Big Power
Driving the LX 700h is a step up – even from the impressive LX 600 model.
The 700 is the first hybrid for the LX, and while you might think hybrids are all about efficiency, this bad boy is about powah! The 3.4-liter, twin-turbo V6 combined with hybrid goodness delivers up an impressive 457 horsepower and jaw-dropping 583 lb.-ft of torque. It even manages an EPA combined 20 mpg estimate. All this, and it can tow up to 8,000 lbs.
The LX 700h is based on the high-end Land Cruiser model sold in other parts of the world but no longer brought here. (The new US Land Cruiser model is pretty sweet, and much more affordable), and competing with vehicles like Range Rover and Nissan Armada/Patrol, it has some serious off capabilities.
In off-road conditions, the LX expands its capabilities beyond high range by adding motor-driven power to the low range for the first time in a Lexus. Lexus says that in conjunction with the various modes of Multi-Terrain Select, it helps to achieve exceptional off-road performance and ease of handling. Will most buyers who shell out over $114k dare to find out? Hard to say, but it’s nice to know that if you would, you could!
There’s nothing dull about staying on pavement in the LX 700h, that power and low-end torque helps the big SUV hustle and taking advantage of Sport mode and the 10-speed automatic, 0-60 mph comes up in the mid 5’s. impressive.
Not just a straight-line thriller, the LX is a good handler, too. While there is an available F SPORT model which is probably more handling focused, we found our Overtrail was a good drive, with responsive handling and superb ride, thanks to the standard Adaptive Variable Suspension and the tall off-road ride height. It’s also an impressively quiet vehicle, even with those large, off-road capable tires. And when you’re cruising along and it switches over to EV mode, it’s almost eerily silent. It’s a big, capable SUV, but also a Lexus, through and through.
Big Green for the Big Green?
No getting around it, this is a flagship model of a premium luxury brand. Our tester, the Overtrail model, is actually the lowest price LX 700h, starting at $115,350. (The most expensive is the Ultra Luxury trim at $141,350!) Our beautifully equipped tester featured solely the Mark Levinson audio system ($2,660) and Destination ($1,350). Thus equipped, we rang the bell at $118,010. Competition would include the BMW X7 which comes in a bit more at $125,000. The BMW probably is a sportier drive, while the Lexus is the luxury choice.
The Range Rover SE comes in a bit more than that, at $128,000, which would give you a lovely combo of luxury and off-road capability. Our guess is that either the BMW or Range Rover will end up being more expensive to maintain and own versus the Lexus. Something to think about – especially if you’re thinking long-term ownership.
Gorgeous, luxurious, powerful and capable, the hybrid 2025 Lexus LX 700h is an awesome luxury SUV!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.