As my wife and son and I were on the road from Peoria to Gilbert, Arizona in the 2026 Lexus LX 700h Luxury, I suddenly realized two things. The first? That I was going 80 mph. The second? Why the LX is Lexus’s flagship model.
(Somewhat) Green Machine
When it was came out for the 2022 model year, the all-new, fourth-generation LX filled an important position in the market for Toyota and Lexus. Toyota had discontinued the 200-series Land Cruiser in the U.S. the previous year, so the 2022 LX was the only version of the newer 300-series model available stateside. Even when Toyota released the new 2024 Land Cruiser here, it was a two-row, hybrid, 250-series rig, although that was reflected in its more approachable price. The LX underwent some changes of its own, the most significant ones being the switch to the GA-F platform and a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 and a 10-speed auto replacing the outgoing 5.7-liter V-8/eight-speed combo. Minor trim changes followed in 2023. The 2025 model year brought the first-ever LX Overtrail and 700h models, the latter of which combines the forced-induction V-6 with a nickel-metal hydride battery and an electric motor. Total output is 457 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. That extra output comes with slightly better fuel economy than the ICE-only LX 600: 19 mpg in the city, 22 on the highway, and 20 combined; over the course of 371.6 miles, my press loaner averaged 16.5.
High-dollar, Low-profile
For 2026, Lexus made its Safety System+ 3.0 suite of safety and driver assistance features standard across the LX lineup and rolled in a few minor changes. There are seven basic 2026 LX models spread across the LX 600 gas and LX 700h hybrid range. Prices range from $108,550 for the entry-level LX 600 Premium to $143,050 for the LX 700h Ultra Luxury with its VIP-style second row accommodations. With a window sticker-indicated base MSRP of $120,000, my LX 700h Luxury test vehicle was the second most expensive model in the entire range. That kind of money buys standard features such as 22-inch forged wheels, heated/ventilated/massaging front seats, second-row captains chair’s, power-folding third-row seats, and a 25-speaker, 2,400-watt Mark Levinson audio system. The $1,295 Appearance Package, $450 cross bars, and other small options drove the total price up to $123,461.
On paper, an SUV that goes for over 120 grand seems as if it should be a loud and flashy try-hard, screaming out “Look at me!” to nearby drivers. In reality, the LX was relatively understated — as understated as a vehicle its size with 22-inch wheels can be. Its simple, clean Atomic Silver paint helped it fly under the radar, as did the Appearance Package’s Matte Gray grille, Black Chrome window trim, black door handles, and other dark accents.
Quiet Confidence
The LX’s cabin was equally low-key. As expected, it was lined with semi-aniline leather and wood trim, but the hides were black, just like the open-pore accents. Looking around, it became very clear to me that the LX had nothing to prove. Land Cruiser fans know what kind of vehicle it is and what it’s capable of doing off-road. Lexus seems to be just as aware.
A few years ago, I drove to and from lunch in the 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro that my colleague Luke Lamendola reviewed, but in that short amount of time, I fell in love with the overtly macho size of its steering wheel, shifter, and controls. It wanted you to know that it’s a big, bad off-roader. The LX, on the other hand, was much more discrete. After all, it is a Lexus, so a certain restraint is appropriate. That’s why the leather- and wood-trimmed wheel, shifter, and basic controls were so understated.
Even though the LX is in its fifth model year, I still can’t get used to its engine start button being to the left of the infotainment system’s 12.3-inch touchscreen. However, I do applaud Lexus for using a variety of buttons, toggles, and dials for the HVAC, drive mode, and transfer case controls to eliminate any possible confusion about what adjusted certain features.
Before my family and I set out for Joe’s Real BBQ in Gilbert, I loaded my son Hayden into his rear-facing car seat in the second row. Traveling with him has made me grateful for vehicles like the LX that have HVAC vents in the ceiling because they can be aimed right at him and keep him cool, unlike the vents often found at the rear of center consoles. Manual rear sunshades provided another layer of protection against the desert heat. Thanks to the cool-box between the two front seats, I was able to keep his milk nice and chilled for him. Car seats demand a lot of room, but the LX’s 112.2-inch wheelbase and interior packaging left plenty of legroom for my wife in the shotgun seat directly ahead of Hayden.
In the Wayback
Things were less comfortable in the third row — for someone who’s five-foot-ten like me, at least. Although I did have enough legroom, my knees were raised and the crown of my head brushed against the rear downward curve to the headliner. Someone shorter than me would have a much more pleasant time back there on a long road trip.
When the third row was down, the LX’s rear cargo area had no problem fitting Hayden’s compact stroller. But just as it did in the 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition I tested last October, it had a significant issue. The hybrid battery pack was located under the third row, so it not only raised those seats, but it also raised the height of the load floor created by lowering them. Erecting the third row cut cargo space to 7.23 cubic feet. So if you want to carry a full load of people in the LX and want all your luggage to fit inside the vehicle, pack lightly.
Getting It (Not a Speeding Ticket)
On the way to try Joe’s pulled pork, hot link sausage, and sliced brisket, with the massaging seats pulsating and Mark Levinson playing my wife’s Spotify playlist with his characteristic clarity, I casually glanced at the head-up display. 80?! We had been cruising along on the highway so smoothly for so long that I had no idea we were going that fast. And that’s when I realized why the LX is Lexus’s top vehicle: It does everything so well and so effortlessly. All the thoughtful, satisfying features up to an even greater, more impressive whole. The LX is refined, comfortable, elegant, and generously equipped. When you put your right foot down, it pulls hard, despite its 6,200-plus-pound curb weight. And it’s got the bones of a Land Cruiser.
That’s not to say that the LX is perfect. While its Adaptive Variable Suspension smoothed out bumps in the road, it couldn’t completely neutralize the LX’s body-on-frame construction. The outer proportions generated a noticeable amount of wind noise. As pleasant as the LX was to drive, I was always a little nervous threading its 6.5-foot width through the numerous construction zones in northwest Phoenix. I didn’t expect Lexus to defy physics or do the impossible, and it didn’t. But the way that it took a heavy, truck-based off-roader with full-time four-wheel drive, a type of vehicle that’s inherently harsh and jarring, and so effectively smoothed out its rough edges came as a pleasant — and impressive — surprise.
Luke got his own takeaways from his time in the 2026 Lexus LX 700h Luxury, so be sure to watch his full video review below.
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