As we noted recently with the test of the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe and Lexus GX550, big blocky SUV’s are back. The rugged, squared-off looks really are resonating with buyers, and the truckish, ultra-capable vibe is catching fire.
So, it makes sense that one of the original boxy SUVs would return to its roots, and we were thrilled when we found out we’d be testing the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser.
While the Land Cruiser has evolved over the years to a large luxury SUV, with excellent off-road capability, it also became quite expensive. With the all-new model Toyota promises the ‘cruiser is returning to its roots. So, does it still have what buyers want today? Let’s find out!
Back to Boxy Basics
One look at the new model, and you instantly see the heritage that goes back to 1958, when the Land Cruiser was first introduced. Speaking of that year, our tester was the “1958” model, the most affordable of the three available trims, and maybe the closest to the heart of the original.
You see that immediately at the front, with iconic round LED headlights and “TOYOTA” heritage grille. A blacked-out lower grille and contrasting skid plate add additional tough off-road cred.
The profile shows a vehicle that’s become a bit smaller, with a squared-off profile that we love. You also see very short front and rear overhangs, to help off-road capability, while it also rides tall in the saddle with 8.7-inches of ground clearance. We also love the squared off wheel arches, 18-inch alloy wheels, and silhouette shaped roof rack.
From the rear, you still see the boxy fender flares as they roll back into a tall squarish tailgate. A bold horizontal panel ties the lines between the LED taillights, and a lower contrasting bumper and fascia reinforce the off-road cred. Finishing off our tester was the Meteor Shower gray color scheme that looked very upscale. Interestingly, the 1958 model is only offered in 3 colors.
Simple and Rugged
Inside is an interesting combination of modern and minimalism.
Our tester was the most affordable trim, the Land Cruiser 1958. Open the door and you’re met with hard-wearing, pleasant fabric seats. While this is notably smaller than the previous model, it’s now a 5-passenger SUV, and it impresses with plenty of head, leg and shoulder room.
The rear seats are hugely comfortable, and the stretch-out room is impressive. Even with the rear seats up, there’s loads of cargo space. And those rear seats not only fold flat, but they can also tumble forward for even more room.
We were surprised that at this price point, there’s no power opening rear hatch, but on the bright side you can flip up the rear window alone for easy access, or if you want to let something like a surfboard hang out the back.
Drop into the driver’s seat and you get more of that vintage feeling, maybe a little too vintage for our tastes. The fabric driver’s seat is comfy, but it’s completely manual with no power controls, and no adjustable lumbar support. Yes, we are spoiled!
You also notice a fair amount of hard plastics – sure these will wear well and if you’re serious about using and abusing your ‘Cruiser this should give years of service. Still, with a base price of over $57,000, many competitors are serving up loads of luxury.
It’s not all gloom, though. There’s plenty of goodies, like push button start, heated seats and steering wheel. The driver gest a 7-inch full color multi-information display that’s fresh and crisp to read. The other trims get a larger 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, but we didn’t feel left out.
Info-tainment is handled by an 8-inch touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and we liked how well the screen integrated with the gauge display. Again, higher trims get a 12.3-inch matching info-tainment display. But we were pretty happy with the smaller screen, and especially pleased with a circular volume control. Our base model also got by with a 6-speaker audio system, while 10- and 12-speaker systems are available on higher trims. Another plus, you can just say “Hey Toyota” and verbally command many of the info-tainment controls. Nice.
Beneath the info-tainment, there’s a dedicated climate control system that’s easy and intuitive, and it’s especially clear that Toyota took the time to put key controls for driving and off-roading close at hand. We especially like the large drive mode select controller, and the chunky shift lever. No Acura-style pushbutton nonsense here!
Born to Perform
While higher trims of the Cruiser may be more luxurious, you can see that rugged off-road capability was of key importance for every model.
Under the hood is Toyota’s high-tech, turbocharged, hybrid 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine – also found in the new Tacoma. This is a powerhouse, too, making 326 horsepower, and a massive 465 lb.-ft of torque at just 1,700 rpm. This provides plenty of punch off the line, and the 8-speed automatic transmission grabs gears smoothly and quickly. Acceleration at the top end slows down a little bit, and we think that’s due to the overall weight and blocky aerodynamics that have to be dealt with.
It also seems clear that the Land Cruiser is designed with off-road bona fides intact, with all models featuring 4-wheel drive, locking center and rear differentials, 2-speed transfer case with low-range, crawl and hill descent control. Previous Land Cruisers were known as real mountain goats, and we think the new model will be no exception.
Even though we didn’t get a chance to off-road, you can still feel the capability in every drive. But this is no harsh-riding truck, with rear coil springs and lots of suspension travel (8-inches of ground clearance!) serving up a creamy, smooth ride. We also found it impressively quiet on the road. So, road trips are welcome here, and with the hybrid powertrain serves up a combined EPA rating of 23 mpg, you’ve got excellent range. Bringing the toys along is easy with a 6,000 lb. max towing rating, and a standard brake controller.
You may have traditional off-road ruggedness, but Toyota also gives you state of the art safety, with their Safety Sense 3.0 system that includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Full-speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, Road Sign Assist and Auto high beams.
New to Safety Sense 3.0 is Proactive Driving Assist, designed to provide gentle braking into curves or gentle braking and/or steering to help support driving tasks such as distance control between a preceding vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist. You feel like whatever comes your way, the Cruiser’s got your back.
How Much to Cruise the Land?
Here’s where things get really good. The previous model we tested started at over $87,000 so it really had become a plaything for the well-to-do. For the all-new model, you can get into a 1958 model like our tester starting at just $55,950 – a huge step in the right direction.
Our tester had some attractive functional options, including a ball mount ($80), Cargo Mat ($130), Rock Rails ($990), Roof Rack ($1,440) Transmission Steel Skid Plate ($365) and Front Skid Plate ($440). Add in $1,395 for Destination, and we rang the bell at $60,790.
You can opt for the sibling Lexus GX 550, comparably equipped coming in at $66,500. A significant step up, but you get a slightly more powerful 3.4-liter V6 with 10-speed automatic, and that Lexus premiumness.
We’d also look at the Kia Telluride, a strong truck, and it does have a 3rd row seat. A loaded model comes in at $54,540, so it strikes us as a better value, but we don’t think it could match the capability or performance of the Land Cruiser. On the luxury end of the spectrum we think the recently introduced Mazda CX-70 at $59,420 is worth a look. It’s more of an on-roader, but a nice one. Decide on your priorities and see which suits you.
A return to incredibly stylish and capable off-roaders, the affordable 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is a great, rugged SUV!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.