2025 Lexus LX 700h Review: Ultra Luxury Hybrid Is Cushy And Capable (But Not The Trim I'd Pick)

Nobody ever accused the Lexus LX 600 of falling short in either luxury or off-road ability, but clearly the absence of electrification rankled Lexus HQ. How else to explain the 2025 LX 700h slotting in above the existing full-size SUV and bringing not only a hybrid drivetrain, but three distinct flavors? Whether you want performance, off-road ability, or outright luxury from your body-on-frame truck, as long as you've got a six-figure budget, Lexus will take your call.

2025 LX 700h ownership kicks off at $115,350 (plus $1,350 destination) for the Overtrail grade, leaning into the SUV's go-anywhere promise. From $117,850 (plus destination) there's the F Sport Handling, with performance suspension and other enhancements. $119,850 (plus destination) gets you into the LX 700h Luxury which, as the name suggests, puts pampering first.

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Then there's the 2025 LX 700h Ultra Luxury you see here, wearing a special forged set of the 22-inch rims shared with the regular Luxury (the F Sport Handling gets dark gray metallic wheels, and the Overtrail some vaguely more mud-and-rut-friendly 18-inch versions), and bearing a hefty $141,350 (plus destination) sticker. The angular style, vast grille, and heaping of chrome come as standard.

To the LX 600's 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6, Lexus' electric motor addition takes output from 409 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque to 457 hp and 583 lb-ft. A nickel-metal hydride battery — in a special waterproof housing that ensures the LX 700h's 27.5 inch fording rating — handles the electric grunt, though don't expect EV-only range. The LX hybrid decides when it'll switch between its fuel options, a silky handover that's as smooth as the standard 10-speed automatic.

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Full-time four-wheel drive is standard, with selectable 4Hi/4Lo plus Crawl Control that's effectively low-speed cruise control for off-road use. When it's faster speeds you're interested in, the hybrid trims the 0-60 mph time from 6.9 to 6.4 seconds. Top speed is 130 mph, regardless of drivetrain.

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As elsewhere in Lexus' range, there's a general split between luxury grades and sporting ones. Unlike some of those models, however, there are mechanical differences between the LX 700h Luxury and Ultra Luxury, and the LX 700h F Sport Handling. The latter has a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, plus performance dampers, a rear stabilizer bar, and special suspension tuning, though it misses out on the Adaptive Variable Suspension as a result.

No large SUV is ever going to be particularly frugal, or restrained, but there is something especially profligate about the LX 700h in this Ultra Luxury grade. What would ordinarily be a three-row SUV, capable of seating up to seven, here manages just four. Gone are the regular second and third row seats, and in their place a pair of captain's chairs.

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There are rowboat captains, though, and there are luxury yacht captains, and the latter would probably approve of Lexus' second row thrones. Heated, ventilated, and massaging — naturally — they also recline beyond the usual degree. Whoever snags the spot behind the front passenger seat can (assuming that seat ahead is unoccupied) fold it forward and unfurl a footrest. 

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It's not quite "business class lay-flat bed" but it's mighty comfortable and, unlike some high-end sedans with the same feature, the LX has sufficient legroom that my 5'8 could stretch out with inches to spare from my toes to the seatback ahead of me.

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Everything is controlled via a dedicated touchscreen in the broad center armrest, that also has various cubbies and cup holders. A rear-seat entertainment system — with matching wireless headphones — can pipe media from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, USB, native apps for Apple Music and Amazon Music, and more. Lexus' UI isn't the most inspiring, but it's clean and does the job.

From behind the wheel, the LX 700h is smooth and serene. It's a large SUV, and never disabuses you of that reality, but the adaptive variable suspension smooths out low-quality asphalt admirably. Lexus doesn't stint on drive modes: in addition to Normal, Comfort, and Eco, there are two Sport options — Sport S and Sport S+ — plus a driver-configurable Custom mode. As well as the Multi-Terrain Select system's Auto mode, there are specific options for Dirt, Sand, Mud, and Deep Snow.

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It can all be a little overwhelming — facing the multiple animated mode UIs, that each take over the full driver display, I found myself thinking fondly of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan's single "Off Road" button and its promise to handle the minutiae on your behalf — but it's a reminder that for all the glitter, there's a reason the LX has its reputation.

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The dashboard similarly straddles luxury tech and off-road practicality. There's a large 12.3-inch touchscreen running Lexus' solid infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; a second touchscreen below that for navigating drive modes, the four-zone climate control, and other settings; and acres of quilted leather, soft-touch panels, and Lexus' favorite glossy trim.

At the same time, though, there are dedicated buttons for adjusting temperature and other key functions. Lexus provides big, easy-to-stab-and-twiddle knobs for drive modes and the MTS system; there's specific switchgear for changing ride height and locking the differentials. We're not quite at Mercedes G-Wagon levels of "beautiful off-road controls few owners will ever touch," here, and some of the knobs feel a bit plasticky, but you certainly can't accuse Lexus of hiding the LX's potential.

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"Can" is not the same as "will," however, and so Lexus has wisely made sure this body-on-frame truck doesn't ride like, well, most body-on-frame trucks when it's on asphalt. It still feels stately — the LX doesn't hunker down and pretend it could be a sports car — but it's a refined sailing rather than a crashy, lumpen mess. As elsewhere, the electrification injects some urgency to acceleration and helps the big SUV feel perkier than you might expect.

If the lavish cabin didn't give things away, the fuel economy rating for the LX hybrid will disabuse you of any confusion about Lexus aiming for frugality, here. The LX 700h is rated for 19 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined. That's 1 mpg better than the combined rating for the non-electrified LX 600, a two point improvement for city driving, and no change on the highway.

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Ironically, while you'll save a little on gas, you'll have to fuel up more often. The hybrid LX has a smaller gas tank — 17.9 gallons, versus 21.1 gallons for the non-hybrid — with the EPA estimating total range of 358 miles against 401 miles. That's assuming you get close to the official economy rating, mind, whereas my mixed driving landed at a tickle over 15 mpg.

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Tow rating is the same for both drivetrains at a beefy 8,000 pounds, as is the 7.87 inches of ride height (that climbs to 8.07 inches with the surprisingly-capable Overtrail trim, which also includes front and rear locking differentials). Lest you worry of an electrical glitch leaving you stranded, Lexus also factored in a traditional starter and alternator so that the gas engine can be used, even if the hybrid half of the drivetrain malfunctions.

Suspension of disbelief is the name of the game with the Lexus LX 700h, and no trim demands it more than the flagship Ultra Luxury. A vehicle of this scale, with so few seats, is a rare commitment: telling friends that no, sadly, we can't take the vast SUV because there are five in the group was a particularly ridiculous moment during my loan. Unless you desperately need a limo that can make it to your off-grid cabin without breaking a sweat, the seven-seat configurations seem far more practical.

Even so, the sensible new SUV shopper pauses to consider whether they really do need the Lexus' undeniable off-road talents. The LX 700h is a hybrid, but without the clear economy bump that typically brings; even with trick dampers, the body-on-frame platform means you sacrifice on-road manners in a way that unibody counterparts do not.

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In the end, Lexus' vision of an SUV flagship refuses to give up on playing in the mud. While not every driver will have the same priorities, those who do will find genuine capability along with their cosseting. Tempting as the highest trim is, though, it's probably better to look to the LX 700h Overtrail if you're genuinely going to venture into the great outdoors, or the similarly-priced LX 700h Luxury if you want the big Lexus' burly aesthetic but skew toward on-road driving. Either way, you'll at least be able to bring more friends along for the ride.