With Toyota being masters of hybrid powertrains, you wouldn’t think this 2025 Lexus LX700h is the first hybrid foray for this legacy utility. But that’s just the case, and Lexus invited us to California’s Napa Valley for a First Drive.

Getting to the heart of the matter, a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid produces 457 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, deployed to the four-wheel-drive system through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Updates to the LX’s GA-F platform have improved responsiveness, which we felt both on and off the pavement. Standard features, like a Torsen limited-slip locking center diff, adaptive suspension and active height control, make all five LX grades overlanding ready; but it’s the Overtrail which takes it the most serious.

Either a two- or three-row cabin, Overtrails throw in electronic locking front and rear diffs, all-terrain tires and a front skid plate. Perfect for getting into the thick of it.

STEPHANIE HART: So, this vehicle feels very durable out here. It gives you a lot of peace of mind when you’re off-roading, and you feel like it won’t break when you get home with it.

And no matter how rough it gets outside, inside is a lavish Lexus experience, offering massaging seats, a “cool box” refreshment container in the center console, and a 25-speaker sound system.

The 2025 Lexus LX 700h Overtrail starts near $117,000, a climb from the non-hybrid 600, which starts around $108,000. Certainly not a bargain, but an incredibly capable machine.

And we’ll have more Quick Spins soon!