Easier, extra trustworthy, smaller, extra environment friendly, and cheaper—these items aren’t related typically with the introduction of a brand new car. Within the case of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, these descriptors outline the reintroduction of the enduring off-roader.
It’s additionally much less highly effective, although it weighs much less, however in sum it’s additionally much less succesful at among the issues Land Cruiser consumers have at all times wished.
After a three-year hiatus, these consumers are about to discover a Land Cruiser that’s virtually nothing like its predecessor. That’s as a result of exterior the U.S., this isn’t the Land Cruiser everybody else will get: the 300 Sequence Land Cruiser. It’s the Land Cruiser Prado to the remainder of the world, and it’s supplied right here to order the largest, most succesful, and most costly SUV for the Lexus lineup within the type of the LX.
With the U.S. Land Cruiser, Toyota set its sights on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Ford Bronco. And it hopes the enduring identify can justify its downsized ambitions.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser goes hybrid
The shrinkage begins with the powertrain. The previous butter-smooth, gas-guzzling V-8 has died. Each Land Cruiser now faucets a 2.4-liter turbo-4, with a 48-hp electrical motor sandwiched in its 8-speed computerized transmission. Mixed energy output checks in at 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. That’s 55 hp much less, however 64 lb-ft extra torque, than the outgoing Land Cruiser’s 5.7-liter V-8.
It balances out. The brand new Land Cruiser checks in at 5,037 kilos. Comparatively talking, it’s the Mounjaro of Toyota SUVs, because it’s misplaced 776 kilos.
Consequently, fuel mileage has soared. The outgoing Land Cruiser posted abysmal EPA gasoline financial system rankings of 13 mpg metropolis, 17 freeway, 14 mixed. The 2024 Land Cruiser’s hybrid powertrain on paper is way more environment friendly with rankings of twenty-two mpg metropolis, 25 freeway, and 23 mixed. In our transient publicity on the highway, it received’t come close to these numbers, however it’ll enhance.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser: two steps ahead, one step again on functionality
Toyota has scaled again the Land Cruiser’s extravagant off-road {hardware}—once more, so Lexus can thrive. Consequently, it’s now not the towing skilled it as soon as was, however off-road expertise has endured.
Full-time four-wheel drive with a 2-speed electronically managed switch case comes normal on the brand new Land Cruiser, as do middle and rear locking differentials. No Toyota on the TNGA-F platform (of which the Land Cruiser shares with the Lexus GX, Toyota Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, and Sequoia) provides a entrance locker; the chief engineer for the Lexus GX stated “we don’t want it.” Possibly, however a Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler could be had with one.
An electronically managed disconnecting sway bar up entrance that extends wheel journey is normal on the mid-trim Land Cruiser and First Version grades, however it cannot be optioned on the bottom 1958 trim. The outgoing Land Cruiser’s KDSS (hydraulically managed disconnecting sway bar system) isn’t even an possibility.
Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Choose system options off-road modes for numerous conditions and like different trendy autos can now be utilized in each 4Hi and 4Lo. The crawl management system, which works like off-road cruise management, is way more refined than Toyota’s earlier system, which made loud clunks and thunks.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
The {hardware} and software program are aggressive and ought to be a lot to get folks the place they wish to go, however the Land Cruiser is a blended bag when it comes to uncooked functionality numbers. The brand new Land Cruiser checks in with an strategy angle of as much as 32.0 levels, a max departure angle of twenty-two.0 levels, and a breakover angle of 23.0 levels with 8.7 inches of floor clearance (notice these strategy, departure, and breakover rankings have modified for the reason that Land Cruiser’s debut in August). The outgoing Land Cruiser bestest or matched almost each single a kind of numbers with an strategy angle of 32.0 levels, a departure angle of 24.0 levels, and a breakover angle of 21.0 levels, with 8.9 inches of floor clearance.
Now rated to tow 6,000 kilos, the Land Cruiser will haul lower than the previous mannequin, which was rated to tow 8,100 kilos. Payload capability has gone up 118 kilos, to 1,688 kilos. Select your journey situation properly.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser shifts the driving expertise
I drove the Land Cruiser on a reasonably difficult brief off-road course arrange by Toyota on the California aspect of the Mexican border close to Tecate, then briefly on the kinked roads close by. There’s a lot to suggest, however some massive caveats, too—to not point out the non-spec off-road tires fitted to at least one Land Cruiser I looped on the dust and pavement.
Pushing the beginning button introduced the powertrain to life, however the previous V-8’s large gulping of contemporary air that appeared like a dragon respiratory is gone. Changed by the faint noise of an inline-4 coming to life. At idle the deep burble’s been changed by a noise that one associates with an financial system automobile like a Corolla. It doesn’t sound powerful, however neither does a Bronco or Wrangler with the turbo-4.
Off-road the Land Cruiser didn’t break a sweat on the moderately tame rock-strewn and undulating terrain. The {hardware} appears much more succesful than we have been allowed to expertise throughout our transient first encounter. The turbo-4 will get augmented by the moment energy supply from the electrical motor at take off. Toyota’s perfected hybrid powertrain mixing and the story’s the identical right here with {smooth} transitions and supply whereas clambing over obstacles or up hills at low speeds.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
With 8.7 inches of floor clearance the course we have been on didn’t current many obstacles the Land Cruiser couldn’t clear simply, however all Land Cruisers come normal with skid plates for the engine, transmission and switch case. The usual mud flaps have been prone to being ripped off a couple of instances as I heard them scrape the earth. They’d be the very first thing an proprietor planning to take this Toyota off-road must take away.
Once I hit the pavement, the turbo whoosh might be heard each time I let up from the throttle. Although I matted the accelerator pedal, acceleration on the highway felt underwhelming. Whereas the Land Cruiser feels at dwelling at low-speed crawling off-road with loads of low-end torque, there’s no wallop of energy on the freeway, regardless of the 465 lb-ft torque ranking. Different Hybrid Max-badged Toyotas, such because the Toyota Tundra pickup truck, have the identical mid really feel. A turbo-6 Ford Bronco Wildtrak rips more durable than the Land Cruiser.
The 8-speed computerized transmission delivers fast shifts, however it’s just a little extra indecisive than the 10-speed discovered within the GX.
It takes seconds taking place the highway on pavement to know the Land Cruiser’s place within the Bronco/Wrangler dialog. The brick-like form, upright windshield, and rectangular mirrors induce the anticipated wind noise at velocity, however it’s not as loud as these rivals. That comes all the way down to the actual fact the Land Cruiser’s roof and doorways can’t come off. In the event that they do, that is a narrative I wish to hear.
Imaginative and prescient to the entrance and sides is terrific because of the tall upright glass and a principally flat hood. This doesn’t have a brief windshield or puffed-up hood for a macho really feel like different Toyota vehicles and SUVs. That hood does have energy bulges on both sides, however they virtually act like markers that assist place the wheels whereas off-road.
Rearward imaginative and prescient suffers greater than anticipated, regardless of the massive sq. rear glass. The rear seat again comes up excessive sufficient that it covers the decrease third of the rear glass, which inherently shortens the outward visibility.
The mushy damping tune that pays dividends off-road whereas crawling over undulating rocks turns right into a trip that’s not fairly settled on the pavement. I felt vibrations and fixed small actions that the Land Cruiser’s chassis and dampers merely didn’t know what to do with.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser sports activities retro aptitude
The proportions of the Land Cruiser have shifted dramatically. It’s now 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter than the outgoing 200 Sequence, which supplies this SUV a slim, brick-like look. Base 1958 and top-spec First Version fashions sport spherical headlights as a nod to the Nineteen Sixties 40 Sequence fashions. The nicer Land Cruiser mid-trim mannequin sports activities rectangular LED headlights with Chiclet-like diodes as a nod to the Eighties 60 Sequence Land Cruisers. Vertical rectangular taillights harken again to the FJ60s. The 2-tone paint, particularly with the white roof possibility, actually sells the vibe. Small by as we speak’s requirements, 18-inch wheels could be upgraded to 20-inchers on the Land Cruiser trim.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Contained in the upright dashboard is just like the GX and Mercedes-Benz G-Class; it’s not deep and is mounted near the windshield. The controls will likely be acquainted to anybody that’s been in a latest Toyota with plenty of buttons and knobs, together with for the local weather management and quantity management. An 8.0-inch touchscreen is normal together with a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster on 1958 fashions. The mid-trim Land Cruiser and First Version fashions sport a bigger 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen with the acquainted Toyota interface. Each Land Cruiser options wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That interface can’t cut up display screen—hope you want numerous CarPlay and or an enormous map—and on the smaller 8.0-inch display screen the whole lot feels compressed. It is because Toyota’s interface locks some native contact instructions on the left rail, making the usable display screen smaller.
The entrance seats are snug and supportive, however not as broad or agency because the outgoing Land Cruiser’s top-notch thrones. Base 1958 fashions sport material upholstery that has a tweed-like feel and look proper out of an ‘80s J60 Land Cruiser. Laborious plastic fills the inside from the door panels to the dashboard making wipedown and cleanup simpler, however it appears, and feels, low cost in a car that prices $57,345 together with the $1,395 vacation spot cost. The mid-spec Land Cruiser grade prices $63,445 and swaps the onerous plastics for soft-touch supplies on the entrance door uppers and dashboard, although it’s porous and I think about it’ll be a ache to wipe down. The mid-level trim additionally ditches the rad tweed-like material upholstery for leather-trimmed seats that doesn’t really feel as excessive in high quality because the hides discovered within the outgoing Land Cruiser.
If you shut the door on the Land Cruiser, any of them, there’s a hole tinny sound that evokes no confidence or power.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
At 5-foot-10 I might comfortably sit behind myself, however there’s a stadium seating format so the rear passengers are trying up and over these within the entrance seat. The seating place feels excessive and interprets to barely sufficient headroom for 6-footers in again regardless of the scalloped headliner. The seat backs manually recline. When it comes time to extend cargo house the seats fold flat. There’s no third row within the U.S., however different markets do get a 3rd row. Toyota didn’t hassle redesigning the rear cargo space, so there are armrests and cup holders again there as if a 3rd row exists. The liftover top is simply too excessive as a result of the load flooring is raised to accommodate the hybrid powertrain’s battery pack underneath the rear flooring. To make sure the load flooring was flat a plastic compartment underneath a false flooring is put in close to the tailgate as a cheat like GM did with the earlier technology Tahoe and Yukons.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
The sq. rear window electronically pops open impartial of the tailgate for simple entry into the cargo space when it’s full, however it’s a excessive attain over the tailgate into the rear finish this fashion. The tailgate is tall because of the actual fact it runs down into the bumper and the Land Cruiser checks in at 76.1-inches excessive general. That tailgate will 100% hit my storage door when opened. Whereas the bottom 1958 mannequin doesn’t actually have an answer because it has a guide tailgate, the mid-spec Land Cruiser trim has a power-operated tailgate that you may program to not go all the way in which up.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser grew to become inexpensive, however not a price
The outgoing Land Cruiser ended its life costing $86,910. It was the definition of stealth wealth, as a result of patrons might bury their cash for the reason that neighbors would don’t have any clue it’s something apart from a weird-looking Highlander. Comparatively talking, at $57,345 the brand new Land Cruiser is a downright cut price, if it’s type alone on the docket. However given its downscaled ambition, it’s numerous coin for an 8.0-inch touchscreen, material seats, and all-season tires. The mid-spec Land Cruiser grade prices $63,445 whereas the primary fashions off the boat, the 5,000 limited-edition First Version Land Cruisers will price an unreasonable $76,445.
A four-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon or Ford Bronco Badlands each price greater than $53,000. The far nicer Lexus GX 550 Overtrail, which has a twin-turbo V-6 powertrain, prices over $70,000. The plug-in hybrid Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk prices a minimum of $68,000, which is astonishing. The 2025 Toyota 4Runner sits ready within the wings arriving this fall with Trailhunter and TRD Professional fashions that sport the identical powertrain and almost the identical off-road {hardware} because the Land Cruiser.
The Land Cruiser feels, and appears, as if it’s gone again to its roots whereas adopting a contemporary powertrain and electronics. However it carries an all too trendy worth and dips in its core-mission talents.
How far can the nameplate and retro design take the brand new, much less succesful Land Cruiser? We’re about to seek out out.
Toyota paid for journey, lodging, and I received sunburned to deliver you this firsthand report.
