- Lexus expands the LX lineup for 2025 with a hybrid
- The hybrid system is unlikely to make a meaningful impact on fuel economy
- The Lexus LX 700h hybrid arrives at the beginning of 2025
Lexus has offered hybrid powertrains in its LS flagship sedan and LC flagship coupe for some time, and now it’s adding one to those models’ SUV counterpart.
The 2025 Lexus LX 700h is the first hybrid version of the Toyota luxury brand’s flagship SUV. It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6, with an electric motor sitting between it an the same 10-speed automatic transmission used in non-hybrid LX models. The LX hybrid also retains the standard version’s off-road-focused four-wheel drive system, which includes a 2-speed transfer case.
This is a similar arrangement to the full-size Toyota Tundra pickup truck and Toyota Sequoia SUV, which share the LX’s GA-F body-on-frame platform. But the Lexus SUV gets a 20-hp boost to 457 hp thanks to drinking premium fuel. Torque is the same across all three vehicles, at 583 lb-ft. Like the Toyota models, mpg wasn’t a priority.
2025 Lexus LX 700h
Lexus will continue to offer the non-hybrid LX 600, with a standalone twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 producing 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, for 2025. The automaker doesn’t anticipate much difference in fuel economy between the two variants, estimating 20 mpg combined for the LX 700h and 19 mpg combined for the LX 600. Lexus also lists an 8,000-pound maximum towing capacity for both variants.
Of note is that Lexus chose to keep a conventional starter motor and alternator instead of relying on the hybrid system’s electric motor and battery pack to supply power, as in its other hybrid models. Lexus said this was done to provide a backup in case of hybrid-system failure, which wouldn’t be ideal in the remote areas the LX was designed to reach.
Other changes for the hybrid model include chassis reinforcements that Lexus claims improve overall rigidity and steering feel. The engine mounts and radiator support, were reinforced, and a new cross member and spare-tire installation make room for the rear-mounted battery pack. The 12-volt battery was also moved to the rear of the vehicle from its previous location in the engine bay, while it and the instrument panel received dedicated bracing.
2025 Lexus LX 700h
Hybrid models can also be had in the new-for-2025 Overtrail grade. This adds electronically controlled front and rear locking differentials, 18-inch wheels with 33-inch all-terrain tires, a front skid plate, and some model-specific styling features like gloss black exterior accents, an available Moon Desert paint color, and an interior theme called Monolith.
The 2025 Lexus LX 700h is scheduled to go on sale at the beginning of 2025, with pricing available closer to the on-sale date. It brings Lexus closer to offering a hybrid version of every vehicle in its U.S. lineup, which would be helpful should Toyota commit to ending pure gas-car sales in the U.S.—something chief scientist Gill Pratt recently said it’s currently debating.