Notes: 2025 Lexus LX 700h Overtrail
July 9, 2026
Rory CarrollYes, this is more or less the 300-Series Land Cruiser that did not come to America to replace the 200-Series. I won’t digress too much, but it makes sense for the Land Cruiser to head down market as a cheaper, more utilitarian Toyota leaving the 200-series successor to carry a Lexus badge here in the states.
There isn’t a lot about this car that will surprise you, it’s big, comfy, feels solid. But I was surprised how fast it felt. It’s not a rocket to 60 at a claimed 6.4 seconds to 60, but the hybrid system does seem set up to aid in passing as much as it is optimised for fuel saving. Lexus says you’ll see 19 MPG in the city, 22 MPG on the freeway and 20 MPG combined, which feels optimistic and doesn’t account for the off-roady equipment present on the Overtrail.
The driver’s seat feels a little constrained compared to other SUVs with a massive button-covered center console and transmission tunnel creating a cockpit for the driver. That may or may not be your thing, I know some drivers prefer to feel more enclosed. I’ve always theorized that Lexus weighs long-term wear characteristics heavily when making interior material choices, so leather is thicker and grainier and some high wear areas get plastic where other manufacturers would go with something fancier. It feels nice, you’re not going to mistake it for a Toyota, but there are softer, more opulent interiors out there. The smaller GX550 offers more legroom to rear seat passengers and the hybrid battery does cost you some rear cargo space and shrinks the gas tank a little. If I was ordering an LX, I’d really think about whether I’d use an optional third row seat. This is a big SUV but if you don’t need the seats, you’ll appreciate the extra cargo space.
I didn’t do any off-roading in the LX. It was snowy as hell during my loan and even if I was impressed with the 33” inch Yokohama Open Country tires, I didn’t trust them to get me out of the deep snow that covered my usual off-road routes. Reviewers I trust say the thing will boogie on a trail and the specs and standard equipment do not give me a single reason to doubt it. The Overtrail trim comes with the big tires, three locking diffs, more than 8” of ground clearance and good angles.
The Overtrail carries the distinction of being the least expensive version of the LX and to me, the most appealing. When used 200-Series Land Cruisers are still hovering between $80k and $100k, a new Lexus with serious off-road equipment is at least something to consider and cross-shop. At $115k, I’d have to think really hard about whether or not I needed to step up from the fantastic Lexus GX550, but if I concluded that I needed a full-size SUV with genuine off-road capability, I don’t know what else I’d pick over the LX Overtrail.
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