Yes, it is built to take it. But how many are going to take it to places where that matters?

By Gary S. Vasilash

One of the consequences of the COVID pandemic, when people didn’t get on airplanes and go places and pretty much avoided people to the extent the could, was the “overlanding” phenomenon. The point of this was to climb into one’s vehicle and drive someplace where the odds of encountering other people up close was minimal at most. And if you did encounter them, you were outside, which meant wind was your friend, blowing the stuff away.

This gave the rise to more people buying vehicles that could take them places where their conventional SUVs wouldn’t take them because their SUVs were based on platforms that also underpinned cars, so they were insufficiently robust.

Solid Base

The Lexus LX 700h (as well as the other LX variants in the lineup) is based on the global Toyota GA-F platform. It has frame. It isn’t a unibody like those aforementioned SUVs.

The GA-F platform is also used for the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner.

Those vehicles—especially the Tacoma and 4Runner—are often used in driving situations where even trails are left behind. And they take it.

Off-Road Enablers

So the LX has some fundamental bona fides when it comes to the ability to drive on surfaces that aren’t leading to the valet stand at the country club.

It has some 8.07 inches of ground clearance, an approach angle of 23 degrees and a departure angle of 21 degrees.

There are front and rear locking differentials.

There are Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension. Multi-Terrain Select (four modes when driving in four low (Auto, Sand, Mud, Rock) and five modes in four high (Deep Snow in addition to the others). There are Crawl Control—which is essentially like Cruise Control but when in four low—and Turn Assist, which facilitates a reduction in the turning circle of the vehicle when Crawl Control is on (though the driver does the turning).

There is a clever Multi-Terrain Monitor, that uses four cameras, the images from which are stitched together so that there is an image on the 12.3-inch display in the center console that allows the driver to “see” beneath the front of the vehicle, which is very handy when traversing terrain that is tough.

The vehicle rides on 33-inch tires and 18-inch wheels.

Hybrid Setup

The “h” in the nomenclature of the vehicle signifies that it is a hybrid.

There the powertrain uses a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 supplemented by motors so the system output is a stalwart 459 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque.

One of the benefits of the hybrid system for those doing overlanding (in addition to the stickered 19 mpg city/22 mpg highway/20 mpg combined) is that when Multi-Terrain Select is engaged the vehicle can be powered by the electric motors alone, sans engine, for more precise control of speed.

The nickel-metal hydride battery is packaged in a waterproof container that allows water fording of up to 27.5 inches.

What’s more, in the event that there is something awry with the hybrid system, the LX, unlike other Lexus hybrids, features an alternator and starter so the V6 can be operated on its own.

And they even addressed the Shore hardness of the foam used for the seats for the Overtrail, making it easier on the occupants when traversing trying terrain.

All of which is to say it is engineered to be considerably capable.

Design Cues

Arguably the exterior design of the vehicle was executed during the pandemic, taking into account the seeking of vehicles that have a stout appearance.

A special color, Earth, was developed for the Overtrail.

On the interior there are either Black or Stone Brown leather trim and Black open-pore wood accents.

All of that said. . .in this execution, the LX 700h Overtrail doesn’t seem like a Lexus.

There is something about the brand, with its vehicles generally combining luxury, technology and style. In this case it seems to be more about the mechanical from a technical point of view. The luxury is overwhelmed (sure the materials are first-rate on the inside) by what I found to be oppressive darkness.

The style of the exterior seems too much like a truck and the style of the interior seems somewhat pedestrian.

On the one hand, this is probably a means by which Lexus can garner a few more global customers for something with off-road credentials.

But on the other, Toyota has things like the Land Cruiser which is meant for those circumstances.

Sometimes extensions aren’t a good idea, but as they have the makings on hand, it probably won’t matter much, either way.