It’s just not the same

Today’s SUV segment runs almost entirely on nostalgia. Just take a look at the Jeep and Bronco and you’ll see this is true. Toyota understands it better than anyone, that’s why brought back a 2024 Land Cruiser. He was never going to stay away for long, although now driving this retro truck is a smart business decision, because nostalgia is pretty much all he needs.

Now I know this is a huge success for the new Land Cruiser. And I won’t go so far as to say it’s a bad vehicle, because it’s not. But if emotion and how you feel about the rig are the main motivators for buying it, and they are, then I just don’t see a world where you can get that. Given my tester’s MSRP of $71,809 (about $200 more than The Lexus GX I tested the week before), I’m not sure why anyone chooses “Yota.

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The line, of course, is “Because it’s a Land Cruiser.” It shouldn’t be enough. While the new J250 Hybrid shares the same name as many of the great four-wheelers before it, its humble Prado roots cannot be ignored. They only become more apparent in the more expensive trims, and if I’m going to spend that kind of money, I go for the GX every time.

Basics

Toyota sells hundreds of crossovers and SUVs in the United States, so the Land Cruiser is now one of many. It also sells five body-on-frame vehicles (Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, 4Runner and Land Cruiser), all of which will be based on the manufacturer’s TNGA-F architecture in 2025. That’s not even counting the Lexus GX or LX. My point is this: the Land Cruiser has struggled to stand out from the start.

The look is unique to say the least. What’s more, you can get your new Land Cruiser in two different options — with the original 1958 round headlights or the rectangular ones you see here. The two-tone paint option with the white roof is also a win. I like the boxy design best, especially from the rear three-quarter angle, although it needs to sit higher with a bigger set of tires to really shine. Fortunately, this is the first mod most Land Cruiser owners will do.

Inside, the Land Cruiser is a mixed bag. A digital instrument cluster is standard on all models, and while the entry-level 1958 model got an eight-inch infotainment screen, all trims above it got a 12.3-inch display. However, lower models only get a six-speaker sound system; coughing up $4,600 for the Premium Package gets you 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio (and more), but not everyone needs that. Even so, you can fit four adults in it comfortably – replace a few of those adults with kids and it will fit up to five. There is no option for the third row despite the fact that there are cup holders and USB-C outlets in the cargo area.

The standard 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid looks pretty premium, and on paper it’s powerful with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, but it’s not tuned to feel like a performance car. Instead, the eight-speed automatic sends power to all four wheels at all times to get you where you’re going without drama.

Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser

Get into the seat of the Land Cruiser, close the door, and you’ll already know it’s not a tank 200 series was There is no mass to think and while the switchgear looks nicer than its predecessor, it feels cheaper. Honestly, that’s how I feel about most aspects of this SUV: It looks pretty good, but it’s a bit lower than it’s always been on the nameplate.

Take, for example, a hybrid transmission. You’d think you’d get a bit of a thrill with all that torque, but you really don’t. And it’s not that the electrified 2.4-liter turbo itself is boring—I also tested a Tacoma TRD Pro (review coming) with that powerplant, and it was a lot of fun. But everything is too soft in Land Cruiser. It looks like they’ve tweaked what every enthusiast would want, so there’s still a reason to make a 4Runner.

That’s not to say there isn’t much to like about the Land Cruiser enthusiast. My test car had a button to disengage the seat belt, as well as Multi-Terrain Select for wheel spin and creep control. I was also able to watch everything that was going on around the car thanks to the 360 ​​degree camera system, which I think is a must for any modern 4×4. All of this does what it says on the tin, making the Land Cruiser arguably better off-road than on-road.

Still, Toyota wasn’t going to create a barn burner here. The Land Cruiser has just 8.7 inches of ground clearance, a sign lower than the GX’s already low figure. Its minimum overhangs are better, however, giving it a maximum approach angle of 31 degrees compared to the Lexus’ 26 degrees. It helped him climb this steep gravel slope at our spot along the creek without getting so much gravel in his teeth:

Then I felt it pull my stomach behind me as I climbed the hill. The Land Cruiser’s breakover angle is actually worse than the GX’s at 22 degrees compared to 24, although departure is slightly better at 25 degrees compared to the Lexus and its 22 degree measurement.

I’m happy to say that the Land Cruiser is good in technical low-speed situations. That’s when I enjoyed driving the most. It would be even better if it could stay in electric-only mode for longer, but the engine starts quickly with a mundane sound you hear more through the firewall than the exhaust.

It’s worse on the open road, where the Land Cruiser just doesn’t feel like a $70,000 car. And with the base model so stripped down, I find it hard to believe that it’s worth a $58,000 car in this configuration either. It doesn’t even have any bad but endearing traits like clunky 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 a Lexus GX the week before. Driving 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 E-KDSS trick; it’s not so good on the road because the hybrid is dull and the driving experience lulls you to a date; and it’s not as nice inside, even if the top trim costs more than the GX Overtrail.

Ups and downs

Anyone who has driven a Land Cruiser must agree that it is a respectable SUV in standard form. It’ll lift like a billy goat with thrust from stock 4WD and a locking rear diff, and while you don’t really feel the torque, it’s there – especially at low temperatures. You don’t have to do a bunch of upgrades right away to make it something on the track, but then again, you don’t need to with the Land Cruiser.

As you can probably tell by now, I’m just not a fan of treating this as a successor to the 200 series. Everything that truck was, it’s not. If you called it a Land Cruiser Lite or whatever, it would be more acceptable, but as it is, it’s just not strong enough or strong enough. And based on the horror stories I’ve already seen about water leaks and engine noises, it won’t last long enough either.

Features of Toyota Land Cruiser, parameters and competition

There is quite a difference between the two Toyota trims, the 1958 and the Land Cruiser. The former offers a rather rare cabin with cloth seats and a small screen, while the latter gets rich cocoa SofTex with a lot of available technology. However, if you’re looking to add to the standard equipment, there aren’t many options beyond dealer accessories such as rails and floor mats.

The Premium Package, which is available on top-spec Land Cruiser models, is the most comprehensive upgrade and should cost $4,600. It adds the aforementioned JBL Premium Audio with 14 speakers, entry lighting, a power sunroof, a cooled center console, a digital rearview mirror, a wireless charger, a head-up display, and safety features like lane-change assist and front cross-traffic alert. . Oh, and you can also specify 20-inch alloy wheels for $1,240 if you want them for your SUV.

The Land Cruiser either has a lot of competition or little, depending on how you look at it. It’s not a 4×4 road car like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, and it’s not as high-end as the Land Rover Defender. Frankly, it’s closest in spirit to its stablemate the 4Runner, though Toyota disagrees. If you classify it as a midsize SUV, that puts it up against cars like the Kia Telluride and Mazda CX-90, which also don’t feel good. It’s a new entry of sorts, especially with a starting price of nearly $58,000.

Fuel economy

I’ll admit it’s an amazing lineup, but I wanted to show the mix of models that the Land Cruiser competes with. In fact, it gets much better mileage than its twin-turbo V6 GX platformmate. There’s no excuse for the Lexus averaging just 17 mpg combined. The Toyota also outperforms the regular Bronco on smaller tires, probably thanks to electrification. But it falls short of the Mazda CX-90 with its mild hybrid, turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six.

Value and Verdict

Trust me when I say I want to love the new Land Cruiser. I want to tell people that it is worth buying because it is a Toyota 4×4. I want to spread the good news that a legend is back in the US where it belongs.

But I can’t. No way I could give a thumbs up if The GX is miles better for almost the same money.

And besides, I’d like the new Land Cruiser better if it didn’t claim to replace the old V8-powered 200 Series. It’s almost insulting to me, not because the last Land Cruiser was a better setup (although that’s certainly a good thing), but because you can’t halve the number of cylinders, add a battery and an electric motor, cheapen everything else, then behave , like it’s the same thing. It is not so. I don’t want it, and if I’m just missing something, I don’t know why you should either.

Have a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com