Easier, extra trustworthy, smaller, extra environment friendly, and cheaper—this stuff aren’t related usually 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 a number of the issues Land Cruiser buyers have all the time needed.

After a three-year hiatus, these buyers are about to discover a Land Cruiser that’s nearly 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 Collection Land Cruiser. It’s the Land Cruiser Prado to the remainder of the world, and it’s supplied right here to order the most important, 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 title can justify its downsized ambitions.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Land Cruiser goes hybrid

The shrinkage begins with the powertrain. The outdated butter-smooth, gas-guzzling V-8 has died.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 automated 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 economic system scores of 13 mpg metropolis, 17 freeway, 14 mixed. The 2024 Land Cruiser’s hybrid powertrain on paper is rather more environment friendly with scores 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 not the towing knowledgeable 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 commonplace on the brand new Land Cruiser, as do heart 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) presents a entrance locker; the chief engineer for the Lexus GX stated “we don’t want it.” Possibly, however a Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler will be had with one. 

An electronically managed disconnecting sway bar up entrance that extends wheel journey is commonplace on the mid-trim Land Cruiser and First Version grades, however it can’t be optioned on the bottom 1958 trim. The outgoing Land Cruiser’s KDSS (hydraulically managed disconnecting sway bar system) isn’t even an choice.

Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Choose system options off-road modes for varied conditions and like different fashionable automobiles can now be utilized in each 4Hi and 4Lo. The crawl management system, which works like off-road cruise management, is rather 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 needs to be lots to get individuals the place they wish to go, however the Land Cruiser is a combined bag by way of 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 (be aware these strategy, departure, and breakover scores have modified because the Land Cruiser’s debut in August). The outgoing Land Cruiser bestest or matched practically 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 outdated mannequin, which was rated to tow 8,100 kilos. Payload capability has gone up 118 kilos, to 1,688 kilos. Select your journey state of affairs properly.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Land Cruiser shifts the driving expertise

I drove the Land Cruiser on a reasonably difficult quick off-road course arrange by Toyota on the California facet of the Mexican border close to Tecate, then briefly on the kinked roads close by. There’s a lot to advocate, however some large 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 outdated V-8’s huge gulping of contemporary air that seemed like a dragon respiration 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 economic system automobile like a Corolla. It doesn’t sound robust, however neither does a Bronco or Wrangler with the turbo-4.

Off-road the Land Cruiser didn’t break a sweat on the somewhat tame rock-strewn and undulating terrain. The {hardware} appears way more succesful than we had 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 had been on didn’t current many obstacles the Land Cruiser couldn’t clear simply, however all Land Cruisers come commonplace with skid plates for the engine, transmission and switch case. The usual mud flaps had been liable to being ripped off a couple of occasions as I heard them scrape the earth. They might 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 could possibly 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 score. 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 automated 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 grasp 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 pace, however it’s not as loud as these rivals. That comes right 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 due to the tall upright glass and a largely 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 nearly 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 smooth 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 Collection, which provides 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 Collection fashions. The nicer Land Cruiser mid-trim mannequin sports activities rectangular LED headlights with Chiclet-like diodes as a nod to the Nineteen Eighties 60 Collection Land Cruisers. Vertical rectangular taillights harken again to the FJ60s. The 2-tone paint, particularly with the white roof choice, actually sells the vibe. Small by right this moment’s requirements, 18-inch wheels will 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 shall be acquainted to anybody that’s been in a latest Toyota with numerous buttons and knobs, together with for the local weather management and quantity management. An 8.0-inch touchscreen is commonplace 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 break up display—hope you want lots of CarPlay and or an enormous map—and on the smaller 8.0-inch display all the pieces feels compressed. It is because Toyota’s interface locks some native contact instructions on the left rail, making the usable display smaller.

The entrance seats are comfy 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 appear and feel 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 seems to be, 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 laborious 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 structure so the rear passengers are wanting 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 area 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 ground is raised to accommodate the hybrid powertrain’s battery pack beneath the rear ground. To make sure the load ground was flat a plastic compartment beneath a false ground 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 manner. The tailgate is tall due to 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 handbook tailgate, the mid-spec Land Cruiser trim has a power-operated tailgate that you would be able to 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 because the neighbors would haven’t 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 fashion alone on the docket. However given its downscaled ambition, it’s lots of 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 practically 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. Nevertheless it carries an all too fashionable 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 obtained sunburned to carry you this firsthand report.