Lexus LX 700h sport-utility vehicle is big in every way

This review first appeared in the February 2026 edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

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Sacramento, California -- There's something about taking delivery of a motor vehicle wearing a sticker with a bottom line of $141,350.

You want to shoo away kids on bicycles, lest they swerve and put a small dent in the body. Or maybe I should sit up all night in the driveway to warn away any pests that might likewise deface this jewel.  Should I drive it more than 30 miles per hour? I mean it's a dangerous world out there.

OK, all of that is (somewhat) ridiculous, because the tested Lexus LX 700h sport-utility vehicle is a big-shouldered auto that is assembled to be enjoyed.

Would you push away a $500 bottle of wine?  Of course not.  You'd savor it.

I did so with the tested SUV.

The first thing that struck me was the monster-size grille on the front. Could have passed for a locomotive.

If I saw it coming at me in the rearview mirror, I would definitely be inclined to bolt out of the way.  And maybe that's the point.

This LX was a powerful beast with a 3.4-liter V-6 hybrid engine that moved the machine forward with muscular authority.  To put things in perspective, the hybrid power plant fuel mileage rating was 19 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

So, everything is big on this SUV, right?

Sure, and in a good way.

The list of state-of-the-art safety, comfort, convenience, luxury and driving-enhancement features was exceptionally lengthy.  So much to enjoy and master. Lexus isn't kidding when it uses "ultra luxury" in the same sentence with this vehicle.

Personally, I was impressed with the triple-beam LED headlamps, the multi-terrain monitor, the 8,000-pound towing capacity, the adaptive variable suspension, intuitive parking assist, 22-inch forged alloy wheels and primo Mark Levinson audio system.

That's a very short list from the blizzard of goodies.  Suffice it to say that you're getting your $141,350 worth, and then some.

While I'm aware of the level of professionalism Lexus engineers put into their vehicles, I was still amazed at the fluid grace of the tester on the roll.

Passengers likewise praised it.  At the wheel, the agility of the sport-ute was startling.  If asked, it cuts with the quickness and controlled smoothness of a champion alpine skier.  Impressive? Very.

If I laid out my own cash for this vehicle, I confess that I would be very reluctant to take it off-road.  Scratch the paint? Horrors!

And yet Lexus has installed multiple, top-tier off-roading features into the LX 700h.

Overall, the tester competes quite well with the ultra-luxury competition out there. It was my fantasy vehicle for a week; for those with the means to make it theirs for years, I salute you.