LX600 vs LX700h Overtrail. How important are the lockers? (2 Viewers)

[LostInTranslation]

I have a used 2023 non-AHC LX600 at the local dealer, perfect spec, and I'm also looking at getting a LX700h Overtrail allocation. About a $25k difference. Do we think the Lockers will make the LX700h Overtrail that much more capable? Getting ready to build an Overland setup that will be towing a 19' Offroad camper (Pause Reboot 17 or MDC-USA HRT19) cross country (Trans American Trail) in 2026, and possibly Tuscon AZ to Anchorage Alaska in 2027. While I wouldn't be taking the trailer anywhere crazy, I know taking the LX to at least something as complex as 'Top of the World' in MOAB, which I'm pretty sure is a Level 6 trail. I am NOT looking for a Rock Crawler, I already own a Jeep Wrangler 392 on 37's for that, but I do want the most capable 4 seasons SUV for the journey.

Am I overthinking it? Or is getting the Lockers the best thing? Also, wouldn't it make the LX700h the closest to the LC300 (e-KDSS vs AVS/AHC being the only real difference)?

Not a lot of internet groups very knowledgeable on such a subject.

And waiting for one to arrive is not a problem, I'm not in a hurry.

 

[Joe T]

Get the overtrail 5 seater, thats what it is designed for. You also want AHC if you are towing so it can self adjust; the RTI is also about the same as the KDSS.

You are going to be loaded down, payload is respectable but not high in these. Make sure to adjust tires/pressure etc and load the trailer.

If the 700 OT wont work get an Fsport as it has a Torsen rear differential.

Research the hitch set up and consider staying under the W/D amount if you’re offroad a lot. Or get a WD set up you can remove and stow easily.

 

[W4632018]

I have a used 2023 non-AHC LX600 at the local dealer, perfect spec, and I'm also looking at getting a LX700h Overtrail allocation. About a $25k difference. Do we think the Lockers will make the LX700h Overtrail that much more capable? Getting ready to build an Overland setup that will be towing a 19' Offroad camper (Pause Reboot 17 or MDC-USA HRT19) cross country (Trans American Trail) in 2026, and possibly Tuscon AZ to Anchorage Alaska in 2027. While I wouldn't be taking the trailer anywhere crazy, I know taking the LX to at least something as complex as 'Top of the World' in MOAB, which I'm pretty sure is a Level 6 trail. I am NOT looking for a Rock Crawler, I already own a Jeep Wrangler 392 on 37's for that, but I do want the most capable 4 seasons SUV for the journey.

Am I overthinking it? Or is getting the Lockers the best thing? Also, wouldn't it make the LX700h the closest to the LC300 (e-KDSS vs AVS/AHC being the only real difference)?

Not a lot of internet groups very knowledgeable on such a subject.

And waiting for one to arrive is not a problem, I'm not in a hurry.

Don’t know your financial situation, but if 25k is no big deal for you go for it.

I don’t think 25k for a rear differential lock and a front differential lock and AHC is worth it. And it’ll be a hybrid so who knows what that’ll be like long term.

That being said, you’d also have to assume that a newer LX600/LX700 probably won’t have issues with the engine that the earlier tundra/LX600 had.

 

[LostInTranslation]

Get the overtrail 5 seater, thats what it is designed for. You also want AHC if you are towing so it can self adjust; the RTI is also about the same as the KDSS.

You are going to be loaded down, payload is respectable but not high in these. Make sure to adjust tires/pressure etc and load the trailer.

If

Don’t know your financial situation, but if 25k is no big deal for you go for it.

Money is always a big deal, lol, but we are looking at ordering a BruderX EXP-7 camper (~$205k+), so there is that…

Wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years when I exit my companies I ship this setup to Europe….

 

[W4632018]

Money is always a big deal, lol, but we are looking at ordering a BruderX EXP-7 camper (~$205k+), so there is that…

Wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years when I exit my companies I ship this setup to Europe….

Well if you’re spending that much dough, and I don’t know you or your situation, I would say get the 700h. Last thing I’d want to feel after spending so much money was wishing I spent a little bit more and got everything perfect! You can’t go wrong either way though, have fun and stay safe!

 

[Joe T]

I would check the curb weight on the hybrid. Since you are going to be weighed down. May or may not be an issue.

If you can wait maybe the lockers will become available as an add on to a 600 as well.

The answer to your question lies with general research and more info about the terrain you will be traveling.

 

[URJ150L]

I’ve had good results with AT tires and the rear LSD.

 

[cryorunner]

Am I overthinking it? Or is getting the Lockers the best thing? Also, wouldn't it make the LX700h the closest to the LC300 (e-KDSS vs AVS/AHC being the only real difference)?

Not a lot of internet groups very knowledgeable on such a subject.

I'm sure there are a lot of people more knowledgeable than I am on the subject, but since nobody really chimed in I'll give my two cents, as somebody who has owned the original LX450 with factory lockers for decades, and has a deposit and allocation for the LX700h OT as a potential replacement. I have similar questions because I already bought the GX550 OT (only rear locker) before the LX OT was announced.

I used my old LX probably similarly to what you're looking at: it was my off-roader but wanted it drivable and comfortable, so wasn't trying to use it for the most extreme crawling, just getting around from place to place. In that use, I absolutely needed my lockers only twice, but both times it was really because I was being stupid. The first time I decided to crawl through a mud pit - because I'd just bought the car and now had lockers, so was invincible. Very dumb and unnecessary, but I was really stuck and could never have gotten out without locking the fronts, turning the wheels all the way over so they were wider than the big ruts I'd made. The second time was doing a sand hill climb late in the season with really loose sand, on a trail that's marked one-way the other direction to avoid that climb. I'd misread the map, and started from the wrong direction.

I did get stuck with a trailer once - also unnecessary, way off trail in an OHV area - but honestly don't remember that I even had to use the lockers.

I'm not entirely sure that I would have gotten into any of these situations with the new LX OT, based on limitations in clearance, etc. Doesn't seem to be any info yet. My old LX only had a mild lift, and 33". I need to become a lot more informed about what the potential for the LX is with AHC, etc. I can certainly see that in a more extreme build the lockers would be more important.

Another question is whether traction control in a modern vehicle is so good you don't need mechanical lockers in anything but extreme situations. I don't know the answer to that, but I understand that A-TRAC and the like really are designed to engage at lower power settings, not wide open. Both of my situations needed wide open power, and I can't see having gotten out with any amount of spinning. Probably totally risked breaking axles and parts, but still got into and out of trouble.

Again, just my two cents.

And we're all definitely overthing everything, based on the time we spend digging through the forums!

 

[Brav]

Lockers are a game changer for cleanly making it up difficult obstacles. Cant prevent digging in before traction control gets a handle on things.. Its a pro-active decision instead of reactionary. I have a 3x locked 80 and granted I beat it up and required lockers doing things like Rubicon, I also had a full size Range Rover S/C which had center and rear lockers.. and those worked surprisingly well to. If you are out in the middle of no where by yourself, get lockers.

 

[Patassa]

Money is always a big deal, lol, but we are looking at ordering a BruderX EXP-7 camper (~$205k+), so there is that…

Wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years when I exit my companies I ship this setup to Europe….

Had no idea those little campers had passed 200k, that is wild.

 

[Joe T]

I’ve had good results with AT tires and the rear LSD.

Yeah so my input is on my Ford trucks is I would rather have a rear LSD instead of the locker. But no snow around here. I have the Fsport with rear LSD as well. My offroading is light.

OP should consider if they will be going offroad and how much, may be worth going for the lockers.

I have some time in a triple locked LC105 and it got us out of some snowbanks with a deep ditch below etc, but we still had to winch a few times. Kinda rough areas in Asia/Russia but central america is probably worse.

 

[hoser]

The crawl control feature is supposed to be much improved over the last generation (200). I would not think an "overland" vehicle would need more than that.

 

[CJF]

I would check the curb weight on the hybrid.

Looked it up just for giggles:

700 is 6,128lbs; 600 is 265lbs lighter.

 

[LostInTranslation]

Well, looks like my 2025 LX700h OT is being delivered mid-February... I guess I'm just about committed at this point. Would really hate to second guess myself and wish I had them...

 

[Patassa]

Well, looks like my 2025 LX700h OT is being delivered mid-February... I guess I'm just about committed at this point. Would really hate to second guess myself and wish I had them...

They're nice to have, necessary? Meh, for 99% of people, probably not. I don't regret installing them, but it was only 4-5k total to do it on my rig and looking at my locker knob makes me smile. I do use them to prevent drama offroad which keeps the females in the vehicle happy.

 

[MRego]

I have a used 2023 non-AHC LX600 at the local dealer, perfect spec, and I'm also looking at getting a LX700h Overtrail allocation. About a $25k difference. Do we think the Lockers will make the LX700h Overtrail that much more capable? Getting ready to build an Overland setup that will be towing a 19' Offroad camper (Pause Reboot 17 or MDC-USA HRT19) cross country (Trans American Trail) in 2026, and possibly Tuscon AZ to Anchorage Alaska in 2027. While I wouldn't be taking the trailer anywhere crazy, I know taking the LX to at least something as complex as 'Top of the World' in MOAB, which I'm pretty sure is a Level 6 trail. I am NOT looking for a Rock Crawler, I already own a Jeep Wrangler 392 on 37's for that, but I do want the most capable 4 seasons SUV for the journey.

Am I overthinking it? Or is getting the Lockers the best thing? Also, wouldn't it make the LX700h the closest to the LC300 (e-KDSS vs AVS/AHC being the only real difference)?

Not a lot of internet groups very knowledgeable on such a subject.

And waiting for one to arrive is not a problem, I'm not in a hurry.

Looks like you have quite a bit of adventures planned. Also looks like you have the dough to go with the OT. In my mind, it is a no-brainer to do so and get the newest, latest and greatest. Sometimes I wish I could even consider a $110k plus rig, but most times I do not because it would just be hard to find something like my 2020 LC200HE. The 700OT is tempting but Lexus could have fixed that nose, at least for the OT edition. I am also admittedly a sucker for the "LC badge."

 

[stonepa]

Im dealing with the same question. 600 F Sport versus 700OT. If it was a 600OT it would be a no brainer but I don’t see any advantage to the hybrid given it doesn’t improve range appreciably. And the LX is severely range limited now that they have shrunk the fuel tank so much.

Is a front locker worth it? Almost 40 years of experience driving Land Cruisers from the arctic to South America. I don’t do rocks but I do a lot of mud and a lot of horrendous roads/trails. When I bought my FJ60 new I got factory front and rear lockers. After many trips i’d say I used the rear locker a lot and the front locker maybe once or twice. Bought a new 100 and got the factory rear lockers and center locker and added an ARB front locker. 470,000 miles later, with back country trips all over the continent, and I used the front locker maybe twice. When bought my 200 new there were no locker options other than the standard central locker. With MTS, skill, and good tires I have never missed the front an rear lockers.

That being said, if they were offered I would have bought them. Now I just need to decide between hybrid and non hybrid. Given the weight, payload, range, and interior packagjng of the hybrid, I am having a challenge deciding.

 

[Jetboy]

Overlanding means a lot of different things to different people. If the idea is to drive between various RV parks with an occasional dirt road in between - it probably doesn't matter much what you pick. Go for comfortable highway driving. That's where you'll spend 99% of your seat time. AHC is probably more valuable than the locker to me. And the few places where the front locker would make or break your progress - a winch will get you where you need to go.

I think CRAWL control is 95% as good as the lockers now. It's really good in some models and pretty lame in others. The places it falls short are mostly snow/ice. Traction control will never match locking diffs in conditions where static friction significantly exceeds kinetic friction - snow/ice being the most extreme example of that. The other place is in sand where you might want to go wide open throttle and have instant power to the ground and the traction control systems tend to add a time delay but also cut throttle and apply brakes that can make or break a climb up a sand dune. But - the weight of the LX is going to be more of a problem offroad than the locker in most cases including snow and sand. I guess you'll have to make the call on how much time you plan to spend climbing sand mountains and offroading in snow and ice.

I would make sure the LX is really the base vehicle you want. It's pretty small inside with only 62 cubic feet of cargo volume. That's not a lot of room for stuff. A 4Runner has 90cf for example and I'd consider a 4Runner on the relatively small end of a starting platform. It is a lot more comfortable for long highway trips - especially while towing. And the trailer will give you a spot to put more stuff as long as you're not also planning to car-camp on side quests. The hybrid battery in the LX7 reduces the cargo room and makes mounting cabinets or other stuff in the cargo area more difficult. I wouldn't trade the 0.2 second faster 0-60 time for the space. So - in the LX series I would prefer to have AHC suspension but no hybrid. I'd look for an LX600 with AHC and spend the difference in money on an aftermarket front locker and a long range fuel tank.

As a side note - the Alaska trails are probably not what you think if you do adventure up here. There's very few places where a front locker would be useful at all. 99% of the trip will be on either paved or gravel roads. They're long distances and poor condition. But the terrain is not well suited for full size vehicles to go off road. Most offroad trails will include two issues - they're too narrow and they're going to often have muskeg (peat bog). Full size vehicles are too heavy to cross the muskeg. You could see and do a million great things in Alaska and along the ALCAN and I'd highly recommend it. But I would not try to optimize your vehicle for offroad capability because you'll likely never need it. Driving a Unimog or IVECO truck to Alaska is among the least appealing ideas I can think of. I see dozens of them all summer.

Good luck.

 

[Joe T]

That gas tank size on the hybrid would bother me but so would the 22gallon 600 tank. So you would need to carry fuel either way.

They had the JDM offroad package out for awhile. I would look around for prewiring on an LX600 and see if you can swap the center section to that.

 

[Oakleyguy]

Overlanding means a lot of different things to different people. If the idea is to drive between various RV parks with an occasional dirt road in between - it probably doesn't matter much what you pick. Go for comfortable highway driving. That's where you'll spend 99% of your seat time. AHC is probably more valuable than the locker to me. And the few places where the front locker would make or break your progress - a winch will get you where you need to go.

I think CRAWL control is 95% as good as the lockers now. It's really good in some models and pretty lame in others. The places it falls short are mostly snow/ice. Traction control will never match locking diffs in conditions where static friction significantly exceeds kinetic friction - snow/ice being the most extreme example of that. The other place is in sand where you might want to go wide open throttle and have instant power to the ground and the traction control systems tend to add a time delay but also cut throttle and apply brakes that can make or break a climb up a sand dune. But - the weight of the LX is going to be more of a problem offroad than the locker in most cases including snow and sand. I guess you'll have to make the call on how much time you plan to spend climbing sand mountains and offroading in snow and ice.

I would make sure the LX is really the base vehicle you want. It's pretty small inside with only 62 cubic feet of cargo volume. That's not a lot of room for stuff. A 4Runner has 90cf for example and I'd consider a 4Runner on the relatively small end of a starting platform. It is a lot more comfortable for long highway trips - especially while towing. And the trailer will give you a spot to put more stuff as long as you're not also planning to car-camp on side quests. The hybrid battery in the LX7 reduces the cargo room and makes mounting cabinets or other stuff in the cargo area more difficult. I wouldn't trade the 0.2 second faster 0-60 time for the space. So - in the LX series I would prefer to have AHC suspension but no hybrid. I'd look for an LX600 with AHC and spend the difference in money on an aftermarket front locker and a long range fuel tank.

As a side note - the Alaska trails are probably not what you think if you do adventure up here. There's very few places where a front locker would be useful at all. 99% of the trip will be on either paved or gravel roads. They're long distances and poor condition. But the terrain is not well suited for full size vehicles to go off road. Most offroad trails will include two issues - they're too narrow and they're going to often have muskeg (peat bog). Full size vehicles are too heavy to cross the muskeg. You could see and do a million great things in Alaska and along the ALCAN and I'd highly recommend it. But I would not try to optimize your vehicle for offroad capability because you'll likely never need it. Driving a Unimog or IVECO truck to Alaska is among the least appealing ideas I can think of. I see dozens of them all summer.

Good luck.

I frankly have no idea how they're calculating volume, because the LX is certainly larger inside than the GX I had. 62CF feels grossly off. The GXOT has 90CF.