2026 Lexus LX700h Sports Luxury review

Lexus has added a caller hybrid powertrain to its largest model, the LX luxury 4WD SUV.

The caller Lexus LX700h petrol-electric HEV line-up consists of 3 variants, and they’re each importantly much costly than the equivalent petrol oregon diesel version.

You mightiness beryllium amazed by my findings successful this reappraisal – and not needfully successful a bully way…

How overmuch does the Lexus LX cost?

Lexus has added 3 versions of the LX700h hybrid exemplary to its expansive large SUV range, and they bid a sizable premium implicit the equivalent petrol oregon diesel versions.

We person the LX700h Sports Luxury connected trial here, and yes, that’s going to construe to good implicit $200K successful your driveway – and it's a immense $16,200 dearer than the equivalent LX600. 

If you’re wondering astir however agelong it volition instrumentality to recoup that other outgo based connected the authoritative substance system claims, you’re going to beryllium shocked.

The authoritative depletion assertion for the LX600 is 11.9L/100km, and the hybrid claims to usage 10.0L/100km. That means – based connected yearly mileage of 15,000km per annum – it volition instrumentality you 28 years to retrieve the other outlay.

What?!

But this isn’t astir the maths. Clearly, if you’re buying a hugely costly monster SUV from a luxury brand, you’re not needfully going to beryllium that acrophobic astir the costs.

Even so, though, it's tenable to expect the 700h hybrid variants to clasp their worth a small better, fixed wherever the satellite is moving connected the electrification front.

Speaking of which, determination are imaginable alternatives you mightiness privation to see alternatively of this, similar the importantly cheaper Denza B8 (from $91,000), oregon adjacent a GWM Tank 500 PHEV (from $79,990 D/A).

Toyota besides offers the aforesaid drivetrain successful the related LandCruiser 300 Series, which is branded 'Performance Hybrid'. The astir plush Sahara ZX with this powertrain starts astatine $156,810 positive on-road costs – though you suffer the third-row seats.

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

What is the Lexus LX similar connected the inside?

The lone hint that this is the electrified mentation is the tiny '700h' badge, due to the fact that different it looks overmuch the aforesaid arsenic immoderate different LX from the outside, but wrong determination are immoderate notable differences.

Because of the hybrid artillery packaging, determination are immoderate compromises successful the cargo area, though Lexus has retained a full-size spare instrumentality underneath the vehicle. 

The footwear is wherever you'll announcement the changes. In seven-seat guise, the raised third-row statement eats into luggage abstraction and means the rearmost seats are up rather high.

As a result, I reckon the five-seat mentation makes a batch much consciousness if outright practicality is simply a priority, but if you importune connected 3 rows of spacious seating, determination are amended options from different makers, successful my opinion.

Lexus has persisted with electrically folding third-row seats, and portion that mightiness dependable luxurious, I'm inactive not convinced. Time is simply a luxury, but these motors instrumentality their ain saccharine clip compared to a elemental manual merchandise mechanics – with each 7 seats successful place, cargo capableness is reasonably constricted arsenic well.

There is simply a useful caller 1500W inverter successful the rear, allowing for vehicle-to-load functionality, which could beryllium utile for camping trips oregon powering accessories distant from the grid.

There are besides immoderate tie-down points and container hooks, though those hooks aren't particularly well-positioned and won't bash overmuch to halt escaped buying bags from sliding around.

Up front, the LX remains each spot the premium SUV you'd expect. The layout is familiar, with a little touchscreen for conveyance functions and clime controls, and an precocious show handling media and navigation.

There are carnal controls for spot heating and ventilation, plentifulness of retention spaces, aggregate USB ports, cupholders, a wireless telephone charger and each the off-road hardware controls, including the height-adjustable suspension and centre differential lock.

There's besides a refrigerated chill container betwixt the beforehand seats, integer instrumentation, and a head-up display, portion the surround-view camera strategy allows you to support an oculus connected things with a scope of utile viewing angles.

Front-seat comfortableness levels are excellent, with electrically adjustable beforehand seats featuring representation settings, not to notation heating and cooling functions. 

The Mark Levinson dependable strategy remains 1 of the highlights if you emotion music. 

Second-row occupants are besides well-catered for. 

There are model sunshades, rear amusement screens, and this large instrumentality gets quad-zone clime control, not to notation heated and ventilated outboard seats successful the 2nd row.

There are plentifulness of USB outlets and a fold-down armrest, too.

However, due to the fact that the second-row seat doesn't descent fore and aft, taller adults mightiness find accommodation tighter than expected successful a conveyance of this size, with constricted abstraction for legs, and fitting 3 adults crossed tin beryllium a squish. 

There is simply a brace of ISOFIX points successful the 2nd enactment arsenic good arsenic 3 top-tethers, but the compartment abstraction isn’t arsenic wide arsenic you’d think, truthful fitting aggregate kid seats successful the backmost could beryllium a squeeze.

Access to the 3rd enactment is electrically assisted by mode of a flip-fold second-row seat, and portion getting successful isn't excessively difficult, abstraction is champion described arsenic capable alternatively than generous.

Knee country is acceptable, but taller occupants volition find headroom and ft country limited. 

There are overhead aerial vents, USB-C ports, cupholders and reclining seatbacks to assistance amended comfort, but I would reason these are ‘sometimes’ seats alternatively than full-time options, unless your occupants are successful that property spread wherever they tin beryllium successful the backmost without kid seats and are inactive tiny capable to fit.

And determination are nary ISOFIX anchor points oregon top-tether mounts successful the 3rd row, which further limits the inferior of the cabin.

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

What's nether the bonnet?

Unlike astir Lexus hybrids, the LX700h doesn't usage the brand's acquainted e-CVT setup.

Instead, it sticks with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 paired with a 36kW/250Nm electrical centrifugal that's sandwiched betwixt the motor and the 10-speed automatic transmission.

The thought present is to, according to Lexus, clasp the spot and capableness expected of a large body-on-frame four-wheel drive, including maximum towing capableness and due low-range capability. 

Combined outputs basal astatine a hefty 341kW and 790Nm, with imperishable four-wheel thrust and a transportation lawsuit completing the package.

Fuel consumption? Well... I saw a akin fig erstwhile I drove the LX600 petrol. So are determination real, tangible improvements here?

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

How does the Lexus LX drive?

It doesn't thrust similar different Lexus hybrids.

At debased speeds, the electrical centrifugal tin propel the LX successful adjacent silence, but due to the fact that there's nary dedicated EV mode and nary ocular denotation of erstwhile it's moving electrically, the modulation betwixt petrol and artillery powerfulness tin consciousness abrupt. 

The V6 fires backmost into beingness rapidly enough, but it does truthful with a noticeable thrum, which means you suffer immoderate of the seamless refinement that has go a hallmark of galore hybrid SUVs – and of Lexus hybrid models much generally. 

Unlike different Lexus hybrids, though, this happening is much focused connected show – and erstwhile everything is connected tap, this happening perfectly hauls. 

For a monolithic (and precise heavy!) SUV, the LX700h is earnestly quick, with loads of effortless overtaking show and a drivetrain that feels up for it, nary substance the situation. The 10-speed automatic is creaseless and intelligent, and determination are manual displacement controls if you privation to instrumentality matters into your ain hands.

I reckon the powertrain itself is excellent. It's conscionable that if you're expecting the silky smoothness of thing similar an RX hybrid, you won’t find it here. 

Beyond that, it feels each spot an LX. Ride comfortableness is superb acknowledgment to the hydraulic height-adjustable suspension, which tin little the conveyance for easier entree oregon rise it for rougher terrain. It does a fantastic occupation of ironing retired roadworthy imperfections, and portion you inactive announcement the unusual lump oregon bump, it's ne'er uncomfortable.

Despite its sheer size, the LX is remarkably casual to drive. The steering is light, predictable and casual to place, and it shrinks astir you erstwhile you're down the wheel. For a assured driver, it ne'er feels intimidating, adjacent successful tighter streets and parking areas.

There is regenerative braking to assistance provender the artillery immoderate perchance mislaid energy, and portion it isn’t arsenic assertive arsenic different hybrids, the brake pedal consciousness is comparatively predictable.

And dissimilar a increasing fig of modern vehicles, the information systems are mostly beauteous good judged.

The operator monitoring camera isn't intrusive, the velocity motion designation strategy doesn't perpetually chime astatine you with warnings, and wide it's a reasonably relaxing conveyance to unrecorded with. The lane-keeping assistance tin occasionally beryllium a spot overzealous, but compared to immoderate rivals, it's comparatively casual to get on with.

For those readying to tow, the hybrid setup should besides connection immoderate benefits implicit the regular petrol V6, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to substance depletion nether load. That's apt to beryllium 1 of the biggest drawcards for buyers considering the 700h.

Officially, the LX700h claims combined substance depletion of 10.0L/100km.

However, aft a week of mixed urban, road and freeway driving, I wasn't capable to get anyplace adjacent that fig – I was expecting overmuch little than 14.2 litres per 100km. 

And that was without immoderate towing, off-roading oregon peculiarly dense loads, truthful if you're viewing this arsenic immoderate benignant of super-efficient elephantine four-wheel drive, you mightiness request to temper your expectations.

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

What bash you get?

Here’s a rundown of the LX700h scope and the modular inclusions connected offer.

2026 Lexus LX700h Luxury instrumentality highlights:

• 22-inch forged alloy wheels
• Height-adjustable hydraulic suspension 
• Soft-close doors 
• 5 seats standard, 7 seats optional
• Tri-beam LED headlights, adaptive high-beam
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• DAB+ integer radio
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto 
• 7.0-inch little screen
• 12.3-inch integer instrumentality cluster 
• 6 x USB-C outlets
• Head-up display
• “Hey Lexus” earthy code recognition
• 25-speaker Mark Levinson dependable system
• Four-zone clime control
• Centre console chill box 
• Leather upholstery
• 10-way driver, 8-way beforehand rider spot powerfulness adjustment
• Heated beforehand seats
• Ventilated beforehand seats
• Massaging beforehand seats 
• Heated and ventilated second-row seats
• Heated steering wheel
• ‘Takanoha’ ornamentation – wood veneer
• Wireless telephone charging
• 360-degree camera
• Multi-terrain monitor
• Trailer wiring harness and towing hitch
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Fingerprint recognition push-button start
• Premium leather-accented seats
• Dual 11.6-inch rear-seat screens
• Sunroof
• Hands-free powerfulness tailgate
• Lexus Connected Services with stolen conveyance tracking, automatic collision notification and SOS telephone functionality

LX F Sport changes include:

• 5-seat layout
• Darkened 22-inch alloy wheels
• Blacked-out mesh grille
• Hadori aluminium ornamentation
• Aluminium pedals and scuff plates
• Perforated F Sport seats with added bolstering
• Flare Red interior trim (optional)
• Torsen rear limited-slip differential
• Performance dampers
• Adaptive Variable Suspension

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

Is the Lexus LX safe?

ANCAP and Euro NCAP person ne'er assessed the Lexus LX, but it’s based connected the Toyota LandCruiser 300, which was awarded a five-star information standing successful 2022.

Standard information features include:

• Autonomous exigency braking
• Pedestrian detection (day and night)
• Cyclist detection (day and night)
• Motorcyclist detection (day)
• Intersection crook assist
• Front and rear parking enactment brake with obstacle and conveyance detection
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane departure alert
• Lane-keep assist
• Traffic motion recognition
• Emergency steering assist
• Safe exit assist
• Emergency driving halt system 

There are 10 airbags fitted - dual front, operator and rider knee, beforehand and rear side, and curtain coverage. 

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

How overmuch does the Lexus LX outgo to run?

Lexus covers its scope with a modular five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

But the servicing requirements for this large costly SUV are, well, large and expensive. 

The LX requires attraction each six months oregon 10,000km, and each of the archetypal 10 services is $795. Yes, that means if you support it connected time, the archetypal 5 years/100,000km of servicing volition acceptable you backmost $7950. 

Lexus does, however, connection 5 years of escaped roadside assistance, and the marque offers a fig of perks for LX customers, including complimentary indebtedness cars and a servicing concierge, wherever they tin cod and instrumentality your car for you erstwhile attraction is due.

To spot however the Lexus LX lines up against the competition, cheque retired our comparison tool

CarExpert's Take connected the Lexus LX700h Sports Luxury

The LX700h delivers precisely what you'd expect from a flagship Lexus SUV – effortless twin-turbo performance, exceptional comfortableness and genuine long-distance cruising ability.

Just don't expect the hybrid strategy to alteration it into a fuel-sipper, due to the fact that that's not truly what this luxo-barge is about. 

It simply isn't arsenic businesslike arsenic it possibly should be, based connected my experience, and you’re being asked to wage a hefty premium to person that hybrid driveline, too.

To me, this is inactive a bully luxury SUV. It conscionable doesn’t spell beyond that, each things considered.

CarExpert tin prevention you thousands connected a caller Lexus LX. Click here to get a large deal.

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MORE: Explore the Lexus LX showroom