The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Is Smaller, Hybrid-Only, and Way More Affordable
After a three-year hiatus, the Toyota Land Cruiser is back in the United States. But it's changed a lot during its gap years, returning as a smaller, hybrid-only, less-luxurious but more off-road-focused truck than the one it replaces.
As the rumors suggested, the new U.S.-market Land Cruiser, unveiled Tuesday night, is not the big, 300 Series that replaced the 200 Series in other markets. Instead, the U.S. will get the Land Cruiser Prado for the first time. That model has long been a volume-seller globally, with a smaller footprint and lower price point. It's best known globally as a vehicle used to cross the Australian Outback, conquer the Sahara, or as an ambulance in the most muddy, mountainous corners of South America. U.S. audiences, meanwhile, only knew its luxury brother: the Lexus GX.
But the Land Cruiser Prado isn't a luxury truck, at least not in the way the previous model was. It's an off-roader first. This will start in the "mid $50,000 range," Toyota says, with standard manual fabric seats. Leather seats, ventilated seats, and the 12.3-inch infotainment system are all optional, but center and rear electronically locking differentials come standard. So does a 2400-Watt inverter, to power your overlanding fridge or off-road lights. Toyota's priorities, then, are clear.
Also missing from the standard equipment list: a V-8 powertrain, which has come in every U.S.-market Land Cruiser built in this millennium. This one comes only with a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, producing 326 hp and a whopping 465 lb-ft of torque. The V-8 200 Series made 381 hp, but just 401 lb-ft of torque, which is more useful on the trail. The 2024 Land Cruiser is a smaller vehicle, too. It's 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter. Its length of 193.7 inches makes it a couple of inches longer than a 4Runner, but shorter than a Ford Maverick. Toyota wouldn't say how much the new model weighs, but given the weight of a battery pack, we wouldn't expect great weight savings.
The tighter dimensions will still pay off in one metric: The maximum breakover angle has increased from 21 degrees on the '21 Land Cruiser to 25 degrees on the new model. But it's not all good news. Maximum approach angle falls from 32 degrees to 31 degrees, and max departure angle goes from 22 to 21 degrees. It's still better than the new Lexus GX, which has maximum approach, breakover, and departure angles of 26, 24, and 22 degrees, respectively.
However, those that tow will be better served by the Lexus. Its 349-hp, 479-lb-ft twin-turbo V-6 can pull 8000 lbs. The new Land Cruiser taps out at 6000 lbs. Another key difference is how the two trucks approach the balance between off-road articulation and on-road handling. In general, a thick sway bar reduces body roll in corners but limits how much height difference there can be between two opposite-side wheels on a steep obstacle. The Lexus has a system called e-KDSS, that uses an electronic mount to release the tension in the sway bar when the truck is lifting one wheel. The Toyota has a more conventional electronic sway-bar disconnect, which comes standard on the mid-grade "Land Cruiser" and flagship "Land Cruiser First Edition."
The base model—"Land Cruiser 1958 Edition," so named for the year in which the first Land Cruiser landed here—comes with a heritage-style grille, round LED headlights, and crawl control. Stepping up to the volume Land Cruiser gets you Softex seating, color-selectable RIGID LED fog lamps (bound to be a hit on Instagram), multi-terrain select programming for the 4WD and stability control systems, a 360-degree multi-terrain monitor, the stabilizer bar disconnect, and a square LED headlight setup. First Editions get mud flaps, roof racks, rock rails, skid plates, and leather seats. All Land Cruisers get Toyota's suite of active safety features, including adaptive cruise control. The premium package offers a head-up display, a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a digital rear-view mirror, and a moonroof.
The result is an SUV that's premium, but more upmarket utilitarian than luxurious. It's a high-quality and attractive cabin, with Toyota's newest infotainment, but those who want to be pampered with fine materials should look to the Lexus GX or even LX. This is a truck built for off-roading first and luxury second. As a Land Cruiser should be.
If you're interested, be patient. The 2024 Land Cruiser won't arrive on our shores until spring of 2024. If recent Toyota truck trends hold, it may take a while to get your hands on one.
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