2025 Lexus LX 700h First Drive Review: Hybrid High Life

The Lexus LX has been the brand’s go-anywhere SUV flagship for years, and most recently came in for a new generation back in 2022. There’s just been one thing missing, something Lexus (and Toyota) are renowned for: a hybrid powertrain.

Well that’s fixed with this, the 2025 Lexus LX 700h. The most powerful LX ever also has a round of tech and safety upgrades, along with a new Overtrail trim that’s sure to please those wanting to take the pinnacle of Lexus luxury very far off the beaten path.

At the risk of repeating myself: the hybrid powertrain, mainly. The electrified assist to the 3.4-liter turbo V6 bumps up system power to a combined 457 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Those are useful gains of 48 and 104, respectively. Lexus is quick to point out that this is a performance hybrid, not one focused on fuel efficiency. Nonetheless it does improve on the LX 600’s figures, especially in the city.

The new powertrain shakes up the trim walk, as the super-swanky Ultra Luxury (known as the Executive VIP in Canada) goes hybrid-only. New this year is the Overtrail (Overtrail+), another hybrid exclusive, which spins the Premium Appearance pack of yesteryear into a proper off-roading trim of its own. With 33-inch all-terrains wrapping those six-spoke alloys, black exterior trim bits, and—most impressive—triple lockers, the Overtrail is a serious bit of kit.

Beyond those black-out bits on the Overtrail, there’s not much difference for the ‘25 LX. That trim gets an exclusive exterior color, the same Earth hue found on the GX. Everything else is monochrome, save for the still-excellent Nori Green continuing on. Wheels are 20 inches on the entry-point Premium trim, expanding to 22s for the Luxury, F Sport, and Ultra Luxury/Executive VIP, and back down to 18s for Overtrail.

It’s a familiar look at this point, with a statelier, more classic shape than the funky-box GX. The LX typically lives on a longer timeline than other vehicles—expect an actual facelift some time toward the end of the decade. Maybe.

With a recent go in the LX 600, I was keen to get started in the 700h. A 40-minute drive over to the off-roading area gives me a chance to see how the Overtrail will fare in its most likely setting: on the road.

Sure enough, it’s better in every way: quicker to respond as well as just plain quicker. The torque more than makes up for the weight gain—around 400 pounds, negating the advantages this generation initially had over the previous model. Punch it and the LX charges forward like a linebacker. The 10-speed auto is well-mannered when it needs to be, and responsive when required. It even sounds pretty good, although as you’d expect of a Lexus there’s oodles of sound insulation in here, so it’s a very muffled note.

Official fuel economy is 20 mpg combined (11.7 L/100 km), a slight improvement over the LX 600.

On a dedicated off-road area that packs a lot of challenge into a small plot of land, the Overtrail impresses. It clambers up steep inclines like they’re a gentle rise, moves over uneven terrain at a steady rate even with a wheel (or two) in the air, and just generally is the vehicular definition of “unperturbed.” A rocky trail provides an opportunity to engage the front and rear lockers—new and exclusive to Overtrail—for an overwhelmingly sure-footed experience: it can all be done with Crawl Control if so desired, leaving the driver to just keep the mirrors between the trees. Switching the lockers off on a second go shows little difference, only a need for slightly better throttle control.

The hydraulic height-adjustable suspension can provide up to four inches of additional clearance should one need it. In fact, it’ll eke out a half-inch or so more if really necessary, though that’s not a selectable drive mode. The LX needs to be in 4LO and already in its top ride height; should the system find difficulty clearing an obstacle, it’ll get up on its toes. Neat.

The flip side is that the Overtrail is still easy to drive on tarmac, too. There’s a noticeable squidge to the tires, but the steering is light and consistent. What makes the LX a not-so-great family hauler—its relatively small size—makes it easier to drive than some of today’s behemoths.

This is all the more apparent in a late-afternoon blast in the F Sport model. This is a 6,200-pound SUV, and while it’s no sports car, the LX 700h can hustle along a road made for one without tripping over itself. The steering weights up well in corners, giving a reasonable idea of what the front tires are experiencing. Body roll is notable by its near-absence. When I pull up to turn off my camera, I can smell the brakes, even though there were no signs of fade on the downhill section. Sorry, Lexus.

Beyond some trim tweaks and seating color options, there are only two differences in this 2025 LX interior, and only one if you stick with the gas model. There’s now a fully digital instrument cluster—an odd omission even back in 2022—and hybrid models swap in Lexus’ dainty electronic shifter. This is a required change to accommodate the advanced parking assist, but it does erase some of that analog heft that is so key to the LX charm.

The LX cabin remains impeccably put together, every seam perfect and every stitch in line. While it lacks the whiz-bang wow factor of other, newer competitors, there’s a real sense of heft and durability in the LX, like it measures time on a much longer scale. The Overtrail I spend most of the day in benefits from not only massage seats, but semi-aniline leather wrapping them. You won’t find that on the GX.

Popping into the Ultra Luxury is another step up. The leather is somehow softer and a delicious-looking (and sounding) Caramel Sunset color. A four-seat version of a full-size SUV might seem silly, but there is a market for those who want to be pampered. And pampered they will be, with a second-row passenger seat that can recline over 45 degrees. There’s a power-folding ottoman attached to the front seat as well—and of course one can have that seat slide forward care of the control screen.

The LX was one of the first Lexus models to feature the latest infotainment setup, and it continues to work well here. Recent updates have kept the main menu on-screen even during wireless Apple CarPlay, addressing one of the biggest complaints: too many taps to swap between native and phone. A 12.3-inch screen sounds almost quaint in today’s landscape, but it’s plenty big enough to see clearly. The Lexus voice assistant is helpful, but slow in its responses for anything other than “take me to work.”

There’s also the additional screen below for… well, a lot of functions. It’s a bit of a mess in terms of layout, as if Lexus wasn’t entirely sure what it would be used for. Not that I’m complaining about some level of still-physical climate controls, mind you.

American pricing for the LX 700h starts with the Overtrail trim at $115,350 including destination. The F Sport Handling trim is next up at $117,850, an increase of four grand over the equivalent gas model. That gap stays the same for the Luxury trim, which is just two grand more than the FSH. For 2025 the swanky Ultra Luxury is only available as the hybrid, for a slightly shocking $141,350.

Canada keeps the hybrid lineup simple: only the Overtrail+ in two- and three-row guises, and the Executive VIP.

Look, the hybrid setup doesn’t fix all the issues with the 2025 Lexus LX. Toyota’s dogmatic insistence on sticking to this wheelbase ensures the worst third-row in the segment, and it doesn’t massively improve fuel economy either. But the extra muscle is appreciated both on and off-road, and the Overtrail is straight-up excellent at the latter. Seriously, you can count on one hand the number of new vehicles that come with triple lockers; the Ineos Grenadier and the Mercedes G-Class.

Can a GX do a lot of what this can? Sure. But the LX isn’t about “most,” it’s about the select few. For those who simply won’t settle for less than the best off-roader, the best interior, the best ride that a Lexus can provide, well, this is it.

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