Lexus LX700h road test: opulent and capable but new model lacks the X-factor

The National

10-05-2025

The Lexus portfolio already has a supremely opulent and potent all-terrainer in the LX600, but the updated 2025 LX model range is spearheaded by an even more powerful and luxury-laden flagship known as the LX700h ('h' for hybrid). Pairing the 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 from the LX600 with an electric motor that sits between the engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission, the LX700h's outputs are bumped up to 464hp and 790Nm, versus 415hp and 650Nm for the lesser nonhybrid. Out in the real world, the hybrid power-train gels relatively seamlessly. The interface between petrol engine and electric motor is deftly calibrated, which means it's barely perceptible from behind the wheel that there are two separate elements providing propulsion. The instant grunt of the supplementary electric motor proves especially useful when crawling over rocks or manoeuvring between tight obstacles because it allows for precise throttle control at low speeds. The hybrid power-train also improves performance on tarmac roads, and my seat-of-the pants impression suggests the big SUV could dispatch the 0-100kph sprint in about 6.0 sec. The Lexus LX700h is a generally pleasant chariot to pedal, although its sheer opulence and raft of electronic driver aids can't mask the fact that it has a truck chassis. It shares its rugged body-on-frame platform with the Toyota LandCruiser. The LX700h's steering lacks the crispness and precision of a BMW X7, Mercedes GLS or Range Rover, while Porsche's Cayenne sits in a different universe dynamically. The Lexus can't match the firmly planted feel of the German super-SUVs and Range Rover, with its somewhat vague and floaty responses belying its utilitarian underpinnings. Ride quality is generally OK, although it gets jiggly over high-frequency bumps. This was particularly evident over a corrugated gravel road that I traversed. Adaptive hydraulic suspension enables ride height to be raised from the standard 210mm to over 250mm when crawling over large rocks or tackling towering sand dunes, so the LX700h isn't lacking versus its blue-collar LandCruiser cousin (235mm ground clearance) in this regard. My off-road adventures were limited to traversing some rock-strewn trails, gravel tracks and sand-dune surfing under the setting sun. The Lexus was able to conquer it all without breaking a sweat. The LX700h could have tamed rougher terrain, but that wouldn't have been representative of the vehicle's typical usage pattern. Few LX700h buyers are likely to bash their Dh600k Lexus across humungous boulders and get the 22-inch forged rims all scuffed up. The leather-lined Lexus LX700h is just like the lesser LX600 inside, but it features a fully digitised instrument panel that does away with the analogue secondary gauges of the non-hybrid variant. A 12.3-inch touchscreen mounted on the dashboard controls most of the infotainment functions, while a 7.0-inch secondary touchscreen that sits below it displays mostly driving-related data such as ride height, throttle and brake position and the lateral inclination of the vehicle. This screen can also be used to adjust climate-control settings. There are physical buttons and twist knobs to select drive mode, set ride height, lock the centre differential, select low range and engage Downhill Assist/Crawl Control. The overall interface is a bit of a hotchpotch as there's far too much for the eye to take in at a glance. That said, once you're familiar with the vehicle your eyes and brain figure out which bits to filter out when not needed. The seats are comfortable and supportive, so my spine and torso were none the worse for wear after a full-day safari that encompassed motorway schlepping, some rock and gravel traversing and gliding up and down sand dunes as the sun was setting. All in all, the new Lexus SUV flagship might not have the on-road finesse that you'd get in a Range Rover or any of the German super SUVs, but it can venture farther beyond the beaten track than anything else in its segment – arguably apart from the Mercedes G-Class. The question we're left asking is whether the LX700h's added cost and complexity vis-a-vis the cheaper LX600 are justified. The addition of an electric motor brings some advantages in tricky low-speed off-road conditions, as well as marginal fuel economy benefits but, apart from that, the non-hybrid model can do everything the LX700h can.