Today’s off-road SUV segment runs almost entirely on nostalgia. Just look around at the Jeeps and Broncos and you’ll find that’s true. Toyota understands this as well as anyone, which is why it brought back the Land Cruiser for 2024. It was never going to stay away for long, though riding this retro 4×4 wave now is a wise business decision because nostalgia is pretty much all it has going for it.
Now, I know that’s a big shot at the new Land Cruiser. And I won’t go as far as saying it’s a bad vehicle because it’s not. But if emotions and how a rig makes you feel are major motivators for buying it—which they are—then I just can’t see a world where this is the one to get. Given my tester’s MSRP of $71,809 (about $200 more than the Lexus GX I’d tested the week before), I’m not sure why anyone would pick the ‘Yota.
The retort is certainly, “Because it’s a Land Cruiser.” That shouldn’t be enough. While the new hybrid J250 carries the same name as so many great four-wheelers before it, there’s no ignoring its humbler Prado roots. They only become more evident on the pricier trims, and if I’m going to spend that kind of money, I’m picking the GX every time.
The Basics
Toyota sells what feels like a hundred crossovers and SUVs in the United States, so the Land Cruiser is now one of the many. It also sells five body-on-frame vehicles (Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser), and come 2025, they’ll all be based on the manufacturer’s TNGA-F architecture. That’s not counting the Lexus GX or LX, either. What I’m getting at is this: The Land Cruiser struggles to stand out from the start.
The look is unique, at least. And what’s more, you can get your new Land Cruiser in two different flavors—with round headlights on the entry-level 1958 trim or with rectangular ones like you see here. The two-tone paint option with the white roof is also a win. I’m mostly fond of the boxy design, especially from the rear-three-quarter angle, though it needs to sit up taller with a bigger set of tires to really shine. Fortunately, that’s the first mod most Land Cruiser owners will make.
Inside, the Land Cruiser is a mixed bag. A digital gauge cluster is standard on all models and while the entry-level 1958 model gets an eight-inch infotainment screen, all trims above it get a 12.3-inch display. That said, lower models only get a six-speaker sound system; coughing up $4,600 for the Premium Package gets you a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio setup (and more) but not everyone needs that. Regardless, you can fit four adults in it comfortably—replace a few of those adults with kids and it’ll accommodate up to five. There is no third-row option despite there being cupholders and USB-C outlets in the cargo area.
A standard 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder hybrid seems pretty premium, and it’s powerful on paper with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, but it’s not tuned to feel like a performance vehicle. Instead, the eight-speed automatic just dishes out power to all four wheels, all the time to get you where you’re going with no drama.
Driving the Toyota Land Cruiser
Plop down into the Land Cruiser’s seat, close the door, and already you can tell it’s not the tank the 200 Series was. There’s no massive thunk and while the switchgear looks nicer than the predecessor’s, it feels cheaper. That’s honestly how I feel about most aspects of this SUV: It looks pretty good but it’s just a cut below what the nameplate has always been.
Take the hybrid drivetrain, for example. You’d think with all that torque you’d get a little bit of excitement but really, you don’t. And it’s not that the electrified 2.4-liter turbo itself is boring—I also tested the Tacoma TRD Pro (review incoming) with that powerplant and it was plenty engaging. But in the Land Cruiser, everything is just a touch too soft. It’s like they tuned out what all the enthusiasts would like so there’s still a reason to make the 4Runner.
That’s not to say there’s nothing for an enthusiast to like about the Land Cruiser. My test vehicle had a push-button sway bar disconnect, plus Multi-Terrain Select for wheel spin sensing and Crawl Control. I could also view everything that happened around the car thanks to the 360-degree camera system, which I think is a must on any modern 4×4. All of that does what it says on the tin, making the Land Cruiser arguably better off-road than it is on the road.
Still, Toyota didn’t set out to create a barn burner here. The Land Cruiser only has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is a skosh lower than the GX’s already-short number. Its minimal overhangs are better, however, giving it a max approach angle of 31 degrees compared to the Lexus’ 26 degrees. That helped it climb this steep gravel incline at our place along the creek without getting quite so much gravel in its teeth:
I then felt it drag its belly as I crested the hill. The Land Cruiser’s breakover angle is actually worse than the GX’s at 22 degrees compared to 24, though departure is slightly better at 25 degrees versus the Lexus and its measurement of 22 degrees.
I’m comfortable saying the Land Cruiser is good in low-speed, technical situations. That’s when I enjoyed driving it most. It’d be even better if it could stay in electric-only mode for longer, but the engine kicks in quickly with a humdrum tone that you hear more through the firewall than the exhaust out back.
That’s worse out on the open road where the Land Cruiser just doesn’t feel like a $70,000 machine. And since the base model is so stripped, I struggle to believe it feels like a $58,000 machine in that configuration too. It doesn’t even have any bad-but-endearing traits like lumbering steering or a bunch of turbo lag; it’s just numb.
I think my disappointment was even greater because I had just gotten out of the Lexus GX the week before. Driving the rigs back to back only highlights the Land Cruiser’s shortcomings. It’s not as good off-road, mainly because it doesn’t get the GX’s trick E-KDSS; it’s not as good on-road because the hybrid is dull and the driving experience lulls you to beddy-bye; and it’s not as nice inside even though the top trim costs more than a GX Overtrail.
The Highs and Lows
What anyone who drives a Land Cruiser should be able to agree on is it’s a respectful off-road performer in stock shape. It’ll climb like a billy goat with traction from full-time 4WD and a locking rear diff, and while you really don’t feel the torque, it’s there—especially down low. You don’t have to immediately make a bunch of upgrades so it amounts to something on the trail, but then again, you shouldn’t have to with a Land Cruiser.
As you can probably tell at this point, I’m just not a fan of treating this like a successor to the 200 Series. Everything that truck was, this is not. If you labeled it a Land Cruiser Lite or whatever then it’d be more acceptable but as it is, it’s just not tough or sturdy enough. And based on the horror stories I’ve already seen about water leaks and engine knocks, it won’t last long enough either.
Toyota Land Cruiser Features, Options, and Competition
There’s a pretty big difference between the Toyota’s two trims, the 1958 and “Land Cruiser.” The former offers a fairly sparse cabin with cloth seats and a small screen while the latter gets rich cocoa SofTex with a bunch of available tech. That said, there aren’t a ton of option boxes to check if you want to add to the standard equipment, aside from dealer accessories like rock rails and floormats.
The Premium Package available on top-trim Land Cruiser models is the most comprehensive upgrade, and at $4,600, it should be. It adds the aforementioned 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio, illuminated entry, power moonroof, a refrigerated center console, a digital rearview mirror, wireless charger, a head-up display, and safety features like lane change assist and front cross-traffic alert. Oh, and you can also spec 20-inch alloy wheels for $1,240 if you want ‘em for your off-roader.
The Land Cruiser either has a lot of competition or a little, depending on how you look at it. It’s not quite a 4×4 bruiser like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, nor is it as upmarket as a Land Rover Defender. Honestly, it’s closest in ethos to its 4Runner stablemate, though Toyota disagrees. If you classify it as a midsize SUV, that pits it against cars like the Kia Telluride and Mazda CX-90, which also don’t feel right. It’s kind of its own novel entry in the market, especially with a starting price that’s nearly $58,000.
Fuel Economy
This is a strange lineup, I admit, but I wanted to show a mix of models the Land Cruiser competes with. Off the bat, it gets way better mileage than its twin-turbo V6-powered GX platform-mate. There’s no excuse for the Lexus to average just 17 mpg combined. The Toyota also beats the regular Bronco on smaller tires, surely thanks to electrification. But it falls short to the Mazda CX-90 with its mild-hybrid, turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six.
Value and Verdict
Believe me when I say I want to love the new Land Cruiser. I want to tell people it’s worth buying because it’s a Toyota 4×4. I want to spread the good news that the legend is back in the U.S. where it belongs.
But I can’t. There’s no way I could give it a thumbs up when the GX is miles better for practically the same money.
And besides that, I would like the new Land Cruiser more if it didn’t pretend to replace the old V8-powered 200 Series. To me, that’s almost offensive—not because the last Land Cruiser was the best rig ever (though it’s definitely good), but because you can’t slash the number of cylinders in half, toss in a battery and electric motor, cheapen everything else, then act like it’s the same thing. It’s not. I don’t want it, and unless I’m just missing something, I don’t know why you would either.
| 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Specs | |
|---|---|
| Base Price (as tested) | $57,345 ($71,809) |
| Powertrain | 2.4-liter turbo-four hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 4-wheel drive |
| Horsepower | 326 @ 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 465 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Cargo Volume | 21 cubic feet behind second row | 98 cubic feet behind first row |
| Curb Weight | 5,038 pounds |
| Ground Clearance | 8.7 inches |
| Off-Road Angles | 32° approach | 25° breakover | 22° departure |
| Max Towing | 6,000 pounds |
| EPA Fuel Economy | 22 mpg city | 25 highway | 23 combined |
| Quick Take | Just buy a GX. |
| Score | 6.5/10 |
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