PHOENIX — After being discontinued three years ago, Toyota's seven decades flagship Land Cruiser returns for 2024 as a smaller, less expensive and completely redesigned SUV built on the same chassis frame with the Lexus GX and LX 600 along with Toyota's full size Tundra pickup truck, Sequoia SUV, midsized Tacoma pickup and soon to be introduced 2025 4Runner.


Initially offered in three trim levels, including the Land Cruiser ($63,445), Land Cruiser First Edition ($76,445) and Land Cruiser 1958 ($57,445) driven and tested here. All prices include a $1,495 shipping and handling fee. By comparison, the 2021 Land Cruiser had a starting price of $87,030 for the base model and $89,240 for the Heritage Edition, it seated up to eight with flip-up third-row seats and powered by a 381-hp V8, a full-time four-wheel drive system with a 2-speed transfer case and a locking differential.

The new Land Cruiser now seats five and is powered by a 326-horsepower, 465-lb-ft of torque, 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that integrates an electric motor into an 8-speed automatic transmission Toyota calls the i-Force Max. That same engine also powers the current Tundra and Sequoia. It retains the full-time four-wheel-drive system with an electronically controlled 2-speed transfer case but now utilizes a Torsen limited-slip differential and a locking rear differential.

There's an optional front stabilizer bar disconnect that enables some suspension flex and articulation for advanced off-roading capability. There's up to 8.7-inches of ground clearance and all come with a standard tow hitch with a 6,000-pound capacity. Combined city-highway driving is rated at 23 MPG  however we averaged a combined 17.8 MPG during our weeklong testing on mixed roads.

Styling of the new Land Cruiser is a complete departure from the last iteration drawing largely on its charming retro heritage design cues, especially the 1958 trim that features round headlights and the "Toyota" name spelled out in the grille, a look last seen on the 40-series Land Cruiser from the early 1960s.

Rectangular LED headlamps on the mid-trim Land Cruiser suggest the later FJ62 Series and resemble those found on the Rivian. The First Edition which is limited to just 5,000 units for 2024 also gets the round headlights. Toyota wouldn't comment whether the 5,000 are all sold out so it's possible you could find one but expect to pay a premium for it. Out back, large vertical mounted taillights mimic the throwback 60-series are the same for all three new trim levels.

In terms of overall size, it's smaller than the previous Land Cruiser and is officially classified as a mid-sized SUV, sitting just below the Sequoia and a bit above the new 4Runner. It's also 4.5-inches narrower and 1.5-inches shorter. 18-inch wheels are standard with larger 20-inchers available optionally.



Inside, our 1958 foregoes many of the other trims' luxuries and niceties like heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a six-speaker stereo. It comes with manually adjustable fabric seats that were comfortable and felt durable but exceptionally unusual for an upper $50,000 vehicle. 

The overall look of the interior is (much like the exterior) blocky by design in a vintage kind of way. Pleasing and attractive in appearance with a mix of textured black finishes, all of which are hard molded plastic sans the upper dash board in a somewhat pliable rubber material. Even the door armrests and upper door trim is hard plastic. We would have appreciated even a bit of soft-touch material on the armrests. Leather seating and more padded, soft-touch material means bumping up in price to the First Edition while the middle trim uses leather-like "Softex."

All three trims come standard with Toyota's now excellent infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but our base 1958 the minuscule 8-inch display rather than the much larger 12.3-inch touchscreen in the other two models. USB-C charging ports, wireless smartphone charging both standard fare.

On the road we found our 1958 delivered an abundance of torque and performance from the new hybrid 4-cylinder. Know that a Prius it is not. Period. Power is delivered seamlessly and completely absent of turbo-lag that's associated with numerous engines. Whether getting up to interstate speeds via freeway on-ramps or steep mountain roads in Arizona the engine is perhaps the highlight of the entire vehicle. That's because the hybrid is unlike a two-motor Toyota hybrid whose purpose is to maximize fuel economy rather it's engineered to boost performance and engine output. We timed our 0-60 acceleration at 6.0-seconds.

Due to extreme hazardous fire conditions, our normal off-road testing could not be conducted with our testing here in Arizona because the trails and state parks were closed to off-roading. We look forward to again testing the vehicle in the future and report on it when conditions again permit off-roading. Still, we couldn't help but notice the tires our 1958 were shod with didn't appear to lend itself to off-roading adventures and seemed more styled and designed for gravel roads at best.

Overall, the return of the Land Cruiser is a more than welcomed favorite. But make no mistake; the new Land Cruiser isn't the same vehicle as the previous model and is significantly closer to competing with go-anywhere off-roaders like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Land Rover Defender. And if tradition and reputation of the Land Cruiser is to be upheld, and we certainly expect it to be, its off-road talents and capabilities will be everything and more the leviathan it replaced.

Vital Stats

Base Price: $57,445 - $76,445
Price as Tested: $60,790
Engine/Transmission: 326-hp, 2.4-L turbocharged 4-cylinder paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD with electronically controlled locking rear & center differential.
EPA Fuel Economy: 22/25/23 - MPG - City/Highway/Combined
Seating: 5

Where Built: Tahara, Japan

Crash Test Safety Ratings: This vehicle has not been rated by the government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for overall vehicle score, front crash, side crash or rollover risk as of this writing.

Competes With:
Ford Bronco
Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Land Rover Defender
Toyota 4Runner

Likes:
Iconic Retro Charm
Loaded with traditional off-road capability
Excellent driving dynamics

Dislikes
Thirsty engine
1958 trim — feels cheap, cloth seats, acres of hard interior plastic for upper $50,000?
Rent-a-car tires on 1958

— Jim Prueter