2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: Toyota’s Newest SUV Brings Back a Beloved Old Name

After a three-year hiatus, Toyota has returned the Land Cruise nameplate to America. During its absence, the only way you could buy the current Land Cruiser 300-series was at the local Lexus dealer as a LX 600.

And that will be the same going forward, because the new Land Cruiser, while sharing the same TNGA-F platform as the LX 600 (along with the Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia), shares much more with the recently announced Lexus GX 550 (and overseas Land Cruiser Prado) than it does with overseas Land Cruiser and Lexus LX.

A Land Cruiser for the Masses
While we are disappointed that the ’24 Toyota Land Cruiser is not the same Land Cruiser that the rest of the world gets, we understand why the Land Cruiser Prado is carrying the flag for Toyota in the U.S., and while it answers some questions it also creates a few more.

With an expensive price tag and low volume, it makes more sense that Toyota would want to maximize profit by selling the 300-series in America solely as a Lexus. We are hoping that the announcement of the off-road-centric Overtrail trim to the GX 550 will allow Lexus to offer a more capable off-road version of the LX to match what is available to Toyota owners overseas.

On the flip side, Toyota might have put a sour taste in the mouths of purists, but the company now has the aspirational Land Cruiser nameplate at a price point many more consumers can afford.

With a starting price south of $60,000, Toyota is going to sell a lot more Land Cruisers than they ever have before to a lot of new customers who have always coveted the idea of having a Land Cruiser in the driveway. The company also gets to enjoy the economies of scale with a higher-volume product with close ties to other mass-volume products like the Prado and GX.

Questions & Answers
Now for the questions, the most obvious one being “What happens to 4Runner?” Toyota has said the 4Runner is an important model and won’t be discontinued in America.

We expect it to be unveiled next year as a ’25 model, but where will it fit into an already crowded Toyota SUV lineup? For now that question remains unanswered, but we do have answers on the new Land Cruiser, so let’s dig in.

Heavy On Heritage
Hoping to win over Land Cruiser faithful, the new Land Cruiser incorporates heritage styling cues from across Land Cruiser’s history. We see hints of 60-series and 80-series in the body surfacing, and the “TOYOTA” grille is a nod to FJs past with a modern flair that reminds us a little bit of a Lego set.

The base model, called the “1958,” harkens back to the first Land Cruisers in America and comes with round headlights reminiscent of those earlier TLCs. The upscale “Land Cruiser” grade receives rectangular headlights that have some serious 60 Series vibes (complemented with color-selectable Rigid LED fog lights).

At the top of the trim walk, Toyota will offer 5,000 First Edition models that include those round headlights, but with uplevel content of the Land Cruiser trim, while including accessories such as skid plates, a roof rack and rock rails standard. First Edition buyers will have two additional two-tone throwback colors, Trail Dust and Heritage Blue, to choose from.

Powertrain
Every Land Cruiser comes standard with the i-Force Max turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that puts out 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, thanks to help from a 48-horsepower electric motor and a 1.87kWh NiMH battery pack. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the full-time, electronically controlled transfer case with a locking center differential.

This system includes vehicle stability control (VSC) and an automatic limited-slip differential (Auto LSD). In addition to these traction aids, every Land Cruiser comes standard with an electronic locking rear differential. Curiously, no front locker is offered.

Chassis
For durability, the Land Cruiser features a proper ladder frame with a 112.2-inch wheelbase and more rigidity than the previous 200 Series. It uses high-strength steel with blanking and laser welds, and when compared to the previous-generation Land Cruiser the ’24 model is 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter, which should contribute to better maneuverability on the trail.

Suspension consists of double wishbones up front and a multi-link solid axle rear with coil springs. The Land Cruiser comes standard with twin tube shocks at each corner and higher trims can be had with an articulation-enhancing electronic disconnecting front sway bar.

Electric power steering is said to improve steering feel and large brakes are installed at each corner. The Land Cruiser is capable of towing up to 6,000 pounds. Ground clearance checks in at a modest 8.4 inches with the larger 32.6-inch 265/70R18 tire package.

Toyota owners will be familiar with many of the off-road technologies, such as Multi-Terrain Select, which now works in both 4-Hi and 4-Lo, Crawl Control for managing speed while crawling, and Downhill Assist Control, which limits vehicle speed during descents. Toyota has also added the company’s Multi-terrain Monitor, which displays camera images on the available 12.3-inch touchscreen.

Interior
Inside, the Land Cruiser feels modern and roomy and mixes the best attributes of recent Toyota interiors with a few Mercedes G-wagen and Jeep styling cues. Dominating the dash is the aforementioned 12.3-inch display (an 8-inch display is standard on the 1958 grade), with Toyota’s latest multimedia system that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

An available 14-speaker JBL premium sound system provides the tunes and Toyota has thankfully graced the Land Cruiser with plenty of hard buttons to supplement the touchscreen and to access secondary controls.

A successfully modernized version of the iconic Land Cruiser twill fabric is available on the 1958 grade, while SofTex-trimmed seats with heating and cooling are available on the Land Cruiser trim. First Edition models are exclusively available with leather-trimmed seats and logos embossed in the door panels. The center console can be equipped with a cool box and USB charging ports are in both rows.

With seating for five and an expansive cargo area that is accessed through a functional liftgate with a rear window that can be opened independently, the Land Cruiser is ready to haul gear. Although, we will forever pine for the return of the ultra-useful and beloved tailgate, last seen on the 80 Series.

Off-Road Capability
When it comes to off-roading, few nameplates carry as much weight and respect as the Land Cruiser. Toyota ensured that the new Land Cruiser was as capable as possible, but we wonder if they went far enough. A front locker and bigger tires would have gone a long way toward allaying any concerns about the Land Cruiser’s bona fides, especially after learning what the basic clearance numbers are.

The Land Cruiser has a maximum approach angle of 31.0 degrees and maximum departure angle of 22.0 degrees, while the breakover angle reaches 25.0 degrees. Running ground clearance is listed at a modest 8.3 inches.

For a Land Cruiser, these numbers leave a little bit to be desired, especially from the purists who demand that the Land Cruiser sit atop Toyota’s off-roading hierarchy. For the sake of comparison, the current 4Runner TRD Pro has a 33-degree approach angle, a 26-degree departure angle, a breakover angle of 19.8 degrees, and ground clearance of 9.6 inches.

When you consider that the current 4Runner TRD Pro price comes in around the high $50Ks, right about where the Land Cruiser starts, and the fact that the 4Runner TRD Pro suspension is arguably superior, you start to wonder what kind of value and capability proposition the Land Cruiser offers and how it would do in a head-to-head test with the 4Runner TRD Pro on the trail.

Of course, we know paper comparisons can only take you so far and what really matters is how the vehicle performs in the real world. We can’t wait to get behind the wheel to put any lingering questions at ease, but for now, excuse us if we are slightly critical of how the Land Cruiser comes across by the numbers.

Our Take
We are huge Land Cruiser fans here at OVR and we think there are some big hits and a few misses on the new one. While we are disappointed in the modest tire size and clearance specs, the lack of a front locker, and that seating that is limited to five, we do like the heritage-inspired styling, significant upgrade in tech, and more accessible pricing.

Those points aside, we are excited that the Land Cruiser will once again be gracing our shores and we are excited at the possibilities that exist in the aftermarket. We think the new Cruiser will be a hit, and we even think the purists will come around, too.

The 2024 Land Cruiser will be built in Toyota Motor Corporation’s Tahara and Hino plants in Japan and arrive in the U.S. in the spring of 2024.

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This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 05. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.