CHARLEVOIX, QUE. — Bigger is better, more is more. That’s why when you’re about to plunk down a big sum of money for the biggest, baddest, and cushiest SUV your hard-earned dollars can buy, you want the biggest number on the trunk. The 2025 Lexus LX 700h certainly got that memo.
Thirty-five years ago, if you asked Lexus what its flagship is, the answer would’ve unequivocally been the LS 400. This car completely flipped the luxury sedan script, hitting all the right notes as its European counterparts while introducing novel concepts, like reliability and affordability—at least, relative to said European counterparts. In today’s SUV-addicted world, the LX 700h would perhaps be a more fitting answer. It delivers the engineering and craftsmanship you’d expect from a range-topping vehicle, wrapped up in a commanding and imposing-looking package that everyone seems to crave today.
The current-generation LX has been around for quite some time, though nowhere near as long as its predecessor. It debuted in 2021 for the 2022 model year, but this year, it sees one key update: a hybrid powertrain, similar to what you’d find in the Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, and Lexus GX, but a smidge more powerful here. The 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 pumps out a meaty 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque on its own, but working with an electric motor and a nickel metal-hydride battery pack, total output peaks at 457 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque.
Like its siblings, the hybrid powertrain here isn’t necessarily meant to prioritize fuel economy; you do pick up some extra mileage at least on paper, but we’ll get to that. Instead, the electric end is more so intended to augment performance and elevate the LX’s status as top dog. It certainly fulfills that mission, with Lexus quoting a zero-to-100 km/h run in 6.4 seconds. Our butt dyno confirmed it certainly feels deceptively quick for a behemoth weighing more than 6,200 pounds, delivering its motivation smoothly, forcefully, and most importantly, with a satisfying soundtrack.
Elsewhere, the LX 700h fulfills its mission statement as the smooth-as-butter flagship of Lexus’ SUV lineup. The transitions between gas-and-electric and vice-versa, along with the 10-speed automatic operate imperceptibly. The light and numb steering is well within expectations for modern Lexus, but the minimal effort makes this brute easy and satisfying to helm. The adaptive, height-adjustable air suspension soaks delete imperfections, though particularly harsh bumps and potholes make themselves known via the LX’s body-on-frame underpinnings. Still, in most situations, the LX is cushy and then some.
On fuel economy, the LX 700h exhibits a similar catch to its siblings—fuel economy is improved somewhat, but not quite as a revelation as you’d expect. The LX 700h is rated at 12.5 L/100 kilometres in the city, 10.7 highway, and 11.2 combined. Factor in the gasser LX 600’s figures of 14.2 L/100 km city, 10.8 highway, and 11.7 combined, and the improvement isn’t as vast as you might’ve expected, especially on the highway. That being said, we’ll reserve final judgment on this front when we spend a more meaningful amount of time with the LX 700h in the coming months.
Also new for 2025 is the Overtrail+ trim. Available in two flavours in Canada—the main difference simply being an additional third row of seats—this new model adds front and rear electronically locking differentials, 33-inch all-terrain tires with 18-inch wheels, skid plates, blacked-out accents, and an earthy, two-tone khaki colour option exclusive to the Overtrail. You don’t get extra ground clearance by default, but starting at 8.1 inches plus another four and a half thanks to the air suspension setup, bottoming out probably won’t ever be an issue. With this off-road prowess and standard four-wheel-drive, the LX 700h practically walked through a modest off-road course set up by Lexus, with the extra suspension articulation proving fun to watch.
The previous-gen LX had practically been around since the Mesozoic era, so we’re not about to call the latest one outdated, but its interior layout lacks the visual pizzazz of its competitors. To be clear, everything you interact with feels great—materials and fit-and-finish are first-rate, the seats are cushy and supportive, and the open-pore wood trim looks classy. But the tri-screen layout—an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and a seven-inch display below it for climate, terrain, and drive mode settings—augmented by a good bit of physical switchgear feels needlessly complicated. Ditching the third screen ought to simplify everything nicely.
Elsewhere inside the LX 700h, the first and second rows are commendably spacious—mind the wide centre console up front—but getting into the third row is a bit of a hike, and once you’re back there, adults will be pinched on legroom. You do take a hit on usable cargo space by opting for the hybrid; the battery necessitates a higher cargo floor, which in turn results in a high lift-over angle. Not the best solution for loading up big Costco runs, but with up to 1,770 L of cargo space with all seats down, there’s plenty of space for your supersized tubs of mayo.
Lexus’ definition of a flagship vehicle might’ve changed over the last three and a half decades, but the cushy, refined, and capable LX 700h is befitting of the status. Plus, although you do give up some cargo space with the new hybrid powertrain, and it doesn’t result in that much of a fuel economy benefit, you can’t deny it doesn’t make this big beast dance. Bigger is indeed better—and you sure can’t argue with the big number on the trunk.
The 2025 Lexus LX 700h is in dealers now. Pricing ranges from $136,059 for the Overtrail+ trim with two rows of seats—the third row is a $2,095 option—all the way up $171,125 Executive VIP trim.
