Toyota’s most rugged SUV made its formal return Tuesday evening after a three-year hiatus. And while it will stay true to its off-road roots, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser will reappear with what the automaker describes as a “more accessible” price tag.
In its new form, the new Land Cruiser will be offered with a single powertrain choice, a 326 horsepower i-Force Max turbo hybrid that will deliver substantially better fuel economy than the gas-guzzling model Toyota previously offered.
“This icon belongs in our line-up,” said Toyota Group Vice President and General Manager Dave Christ. “For 2024, Land Cruiser returns to its origin with a heritage-inspired design paired with the legendary capability and durability Land Cruiser is known for, and it will take even more customers on adventures across the globe as it has done for generations.”
The first of those generations will be in the U.S., where Toyota will launch the legendary ute with a limited run model dubbed the First Edition. The off-road focused model will feature rock rails, roof racks and other equipment needed for going off the two-track. Toyota will sell just 5,000 of the First Edition models.
Toyota’s longest-running nameplate is back
The fate of the Land Cruiser has been a matter of some debate since Toyota revealed plans to end its run in the U.S. at the close of the 2021 model year. That was all the more of a surprise considering it was the automaker’s longest-running nameplate in North America, dating back to 1960. The full-size sport-utility vehicle many expected to replace the old Land Cruiser was, for the first time, marketed solely as the Lexus LX.
The Land Cruiser name didn’t vanish, however. It remains a staple in many other parts of the world, adopting a newer, slightly smaller — and less expensive — form as the Land Cruiser Prado. It goes with a more rugged body-on-frame architecture fitting a serious off-road vehicle. The platform of the Prado underpins the next-generation Lexus GX, which made its U.S. debut in June.
Compared to the outgoing 200 Series Land Cruiser, the next-generation ute is 4.4 inches narrower and 0.5 inches shorter.
Serious off-road cred
There are clear benefits for off-roaders, said Toyota in a statement, noting that the new model “has an approach angle up to 31 degrees and max departure to 22 degrees while breakover angle reaches 25 degrees. Ground clearance is up to 8.7 inches.”
Useful features include rock rails and multiple steel skid plates — optional on lower trims, standard on others. The various models include front tow/recovery hooks as a standard feature.
Multi-Terrain Select allows a motorist to dial in specific road conditions, such as mud and ruts, or rock crawling. That can instantly set a variety of vehicle functions, including the transmission, throttle response and other functions to settings that will yield the best traction.
Crawl function acts as a low-speed off-road cruise control, and Downhill Assist Control lets a driver pick a speed they want to descend a hill at, no longer requiring a motorist to jump back and forth from brake to throttle.
A first-ever hybrid drivetrain
Power for all versions of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser comes from the 2.4-liter iForce Max turbo-hybrid 4-cylinder engine. It uses a 48-volt motor drive built into the truck’s 8-speed automatic gearbox and draws power from a 1.87 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The engine makes 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque and sends power through a 2-speed transfer case to all four wheels.
While Toyota won’t release fuel economy numbers until later, it said all versions of the new Land Cruiser can tow up to 6,000 pounds.
Exterior design
Like the 2024 Lexus GX, the 2024 Land Cruiser adopts a much more traditional truck stance with a much more boxy silhouette and rising beltline. But it gets a chunkier grille and unique bumpers that should enhance the Toyota SUV’s approach and departure angles.
But there are modern touches, inside and out, starting with the multi-bulb LED headlamps on most trim packages. But there’s also a retro-futuristic 1958 version of the new SUV which gets a Toyota “heritage grille” and round LED headlamps.
Interior design and technology
The cabin is decidedly more modern than the old 200 Series and, among other things, features an 8-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. The top-trim Land Cruiser package gets a 12.3-inch multimedia display, as well as an available 14-speaker JBL sound system.
An AT&T 4G hotspot is also available and can connect up to five different devices. And a smart key system is standard on all trims. A digital key, which can be shared with others, is another option.
The 2024 Land Cruiser’s technology includes the latest version of the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system, a collection of advanced driver assistance systems that include pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, dynamic cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane tracing assist, among other features.
Pricing and availability
Look for the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser to arrive in the U.S. next spring. It will be imported from Japan.
Pricing is expected to “start in the mid-$50,000 range,” with final numbers “announced closer to its on-sale date.