The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Represents a Course Correction

Much has been said about the death and rebirth of the Toyota Land Cruiser, which left the U.S. market after the 2020–21 Heritage Edition. But it was all a ruse, a necessary step in a model realignment that Toyota’s North American arm had planned all along. Instead of moving in lockstep with the rest of the world to the new 300-series Cruiser chassis, Toyota Motor North America hit pause and waited until the closely related 250-series chassis was ready. From what we now know and have experienced, the collective internet hand-wringing over the move to the so-called Land Cruiser Prado configuration (as it is known worldwide) is woefully misplaced. The new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is the best Land Cruiser in years because of this change.

Massively Downsized Prices

For proof, all you need do is look at the Lexus LX600, a bloated and expensive six-figure behemoth (the base model you’ll never see is $93,915; all other trims exceed $100,000) that is the Lexus interpretation of the global 300-series Land Cruiser. A similar fate would have defined the Land Cruiser if it had adopted the 300-series and succeeded a model that already had a base price of $87,030 back in 2021. Instead, the 2024 Land Cruiser represents a change the faithful have been demanding. It has tidier dimensions and an attainable price of just $57,345 for the base 1958 model (so-named for the nameplate’s North American debut year), while the nicely equipped volume-selling Land Cruiser grade is a reasonable $63,345. The First Edition, a limited-time-only model with exclusive bits, will set eager beavers back $76,345.

But is it really a Land Cruiser? Absolutely, not least because it, the LX600, and the Lexus GX are all built on the same TNGA-F chassis. And when we say same, we mean the same. The trio all share a wheelbase of 112.2 inches. Their control arm front and live axle located by four link and panhard rear suspension layouts match, and their track widths differ by mere tenths of an inch due to styling- and tire clearance-driven variations in wheel offset, not some underlying mechanical difference. All of them have full-time four-wheel drive with a lockable Torsen center differential that essentially turns pavement-friendly all-wheel drive into off-road-ready four-wheel drive at the press of a button. Basically, their differences have more to do with the powertrains within and the body above than the chassis below.

Downsized but Rightsized

Among the three, the Land Cruiser is by far the shortest from nose to tail, with a 193.8-inch length that is 6.8 inches stubbier than the LX and 3.3 inches shorter than the GX. Much of this is due to a shorter front overhang, which delivers an approach angle of 32 degrees instead of the GX’s middling 26 degrees. Meanwhile, the LX scores a pitiful 21 degrees that precludes it from further mention.

Measuring 77.9 inches wide, the Land Cruiser closely parallels the others. But the TLC and GX share a basic 250-series body styling that is markedly narrower than the LX/300-series at the doors, which makes for easier entry in parking lots and garages. Their hoods and front fenders are sculpted to offer better forward visibility, and the door side glass is cut low to enhance the downward view to the side. Combine this with an upright driving position, and you get a commanding view of road and trail alike, with enough head clearance inside to keep your pith helmet on, if that’s your jam.

The Land Cruiser is strictly a two-row, five-passenger machine. That’s not a consequence of moving to the 250-series body, because you can get a three-row GX. Aside from general cost reduction and the desire to appeal to active off-roaders, there’s a practical reason that’s surprisingly related to what’s under the hood.

Torquiest and Most Efficient Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser does not use the twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 found in the LX and GX, nor does it employ their 10-speed automatic. Instead, it’s powered by Toyota’s i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, consisting of a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four with a potent electric motor sandwiched between it and a conventional eight-speed automatic. A Tacoma TRD Off-Road with the 278-hp turbo four sans electric boost impressed us mightily, but the added Max e-motor cranks the Cruiser’s output up to 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet—the latter representing more torque than any prior North American Land Cruiser. It’s the same engine that powers the TRD Pro and Trailhunter Tacomas, and the abundant torque was on full display as we barreled up freeway off-ramps or sauntered up steep off-road climbs that might’ve needed the torque multiplication of low range in prior years but didn’t here.

If you’re thinking the i-Force Max makes the new Cruiser some kind of ersatz Prius, think again. The Max is not like a two-motor Toyota hybrid designed to maximize fuel economy. Instead, it’s engineered to bolster output. That said, fuel economy will improve any time you can recapture energy while slowing and redeploy it later because the electric motor’s supplemental power is paid out even if you’re taking it easy. As a result, the new Land Cruiser is EPA rated to deliver 23 mpg combined (22 city/25 highway), a massive 64 percent improvement over the old 5.7-liter V-8’s 14 mpg combined rating.

We expect the new Cruiser to be a few tenths behind the 6.2-second 60-mph acceleration time we measured on the GX550 because the GX’s output pips it with 349 horses and 479 pound-feet—and that’s with the GX being about 100 pounds heavier. The powertrain and other differences do take a bite out of maximum towing capacity, however, where the comparatively fleeting effects of the hybrid system limits towing to 6000 pounds on the Cruiser, while the pure internal-combustion GX can manage nearly 9100 pounds.

All of this links back to why the Land Cruiser doesn’t have a third row and isn’t likely to grow one unless Toyota fits a different engine. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack that collects and redeploys energy is mounted under the cargo floor. The load floor is a couple of inches higher than a GX’s as a result, and cargo space behind the rear seat is down accordingly. The hybrid system does allow for a 2400-watt 120-volt outlet back there, though, while the GX’s tops out at 400 watts.

Running Gear Differences Favor Modding

Even the cheapest 1958 model has an electronically controlled rear differential lock, Downhill Assist, and Crawl Control, items that are only available on the Overtrail version of the GX. All Cruisers likewise roll on standard 18-inch wheels and tires with a healthy amount of sidewall. The 1958 wears 245/70R-18 tires that stand some 32 inches tall, while the Land Cruiser and First Edition grades have 265/70R-18 tires that amount to 33 inches tall. You can get 20-inch rolling stock on the Land Cruiser grade if you must, but intentionally taking away sidewall and paying $1240 for the privilege seems out of character here.

Compared to the GX, certain suspension differences put the Land Cruiser in a favorable light if you squint hard enough. The dampers on the $69,250 GX550 Overtrail (the closest parallel to the $63,345 Land Cruiser) are fancy Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) units, whereas the Land Cruiser uses simple passive dampers. The Cruiser’s ride is generally well composed on this hardware, yet those looking to mod their Cruiser’s suspension won’t waste money by tossing them aside (and won’t have AVS malfunction lights to deal with).

Likewise, the Overtrail’s impressive E-KDSS anti-roll bar defeat mechanism system doesn’t appear on the Land Cruiser, which uses a push-button front anti-roll bar disconnect instead. Standard on the Land Cruiser and First Edition models but not available on the 1958, it’s a simpler and potentially more robust alternative that absolutely keeps the price down. Prior KDSS systems always came with concerns over how much of a lift kit they could tolerate, but that’s not an issue here. What this change means for maximum articulation isn’t yet clear, but we will measure that as soon as we get one for a full workup.

Interior Differences

Inside, the Land Cruiser’s dash and driver environs are made of slightly less sumptuous materials than the GX’s, but they still look attractive. Most of the switchgear is similar in location and operation, but everything is styled and positioned slightly differently—this is not parts-bin stuff. The main infotainment screen on the Land Cruiser and First Edition trims measures 12.3 inches (1958 gets an 8.0-inch screen) and has less screen height than the GX’s 14.0-inch setup, but the viewable area for things like maps and smartphone mirroring is essentially the same. In fact, the reduced screen space is a boon for the Land Cruiser, whose climate controls are physical buttons and knobs set below the air vents instead of the largely virtual GX switchgear that occupies the lower edge of the Lexus’s screen.

The Land Cruiser has six USB ports to the GX’s four, and the Cruiser and First Edition grades have dual-color fog lights (switchable between white and amber) instead of the single-hue ones, power tilt and telescopic steering instead of manual, and driver’s seat memory. The GX Overtrail doesn’t get that stuff unless you spring for the far more expensive Overtrail+. The 1958 Land Cruiser doesn’t have those upgrades either, but that’s to be expected for a base model with manual cloth seats (that are quite comfortable, by the way.)

In short, the Land Cruiser isn’t as sumptuous as the GX, but its tidier dimensions and more focused hardware equate to more off-road potential and an attainable price. First owners are far more likely to use it as intended because it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to start with. That was, after all, the whole point of reconstituting the Land Cruiser, which arguably lost the plot years ago. The reset represented by the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser sets things right.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com