A legend never dies. It returns in hybrid form with a price tens of thousands of dollars less than its predecessor — at least if that legend is named “Land Cruiser.”
But since its U.S. debut in 1958, the Land Cruiser has been known for doing the impossible, be it tackling the harshest terrain or evolving from a small and crude 2-door SUV that sold only one unit in its first year to a full-size luxury liner that could command a nearly 6-figure price.
The last new Land Cruiser on our shores was a 2021 model with a thirsty V-8 engine and a starting price of nearly $90,000. The new one has half as many cylinders and a much lower price tag. What remains, Toyota says, will be the Land Cruiser’s go-anywhere, do-anything attitude.
Also see (Jan. 2021): Toyota heading to moon with lunar cruiser featuring robotic arms
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser price and powertrain
The new Land Cruiser bucks the trend of SUVs getting bigger and pricier by doing the opposite. Let’s begin with the price: It will start in the mid-$50,000 range. We’ll give you a minute to start budgeting so funds are ready when the Land Cruiser arrives in the spring of 2024. We sure are.
In a world where a Toyota 4Runner begins at $40,155 and can easily reach the mid-$50,000 range, this is beyond welcome news for those of us who could only dream of affording a Land Cruiser in the past. Toyota says it intends for this new Land Cruiser to return to its roots and be accessible to more buyers. That price point is proof they aren’t kidding.
The new Land Cruiser will use Toyota’s i-Force Max 2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. Before you scoff at the cylinder count, know this setup makes 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. The last Land Cruiser’s V8 produced 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque. And while we don’t know the new powertrain’s fuel efficiency numbers, they will undoubtedly beat the wallet-draining 13 mpg city/17 highway of the old one.
The 2024 Land Cruiser is slightly smaller than its predecessor — 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter (the 2021 Land Cruiser was 195 inches long and 78 inches wide). All wear 18-inch wheels as standard and have 8.7 inches of ground clearance.
Also see: American drivers are falling out of love with the latest car designs and tech, study finds
Reminiscent design, modern features
If you’ve been shopping for adventure vehicles lately, you know that boxy is back. From newer entries like the reborn Ford
F,
Bronco and Land Rover Defender to old stalwarts like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner that never left, nothing says “capable SUV” like a boxy design.
Here, too, the Land Cruiser sticks to its roots with an upright and angular shape that is as pragmatic as it is appealing, at least if you’re among the REI crowd. We think they nailed this design.
The 2024 Land Cruiser will be available in three trims: 1958, Land Cruiser, and First Edition. The 1958 and First Edition models feature round headlights like their ancestors, plus that sweet “TOYOTA” lettering in the grille. The mid-trim that’s simply called “Land Cruiser” has rectangular headlights like the later-gen models.
All 2024 Land Cruiser models will feature the aforementioned gas-electric hybrid powertrain linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission and a full-time 4-wheel-drive system with a center locking differential and 2-speed transfer case with high- and low-range gearing. Starting with the mid-trim model, you also get a disconnecting front sway bar and multi-terrain select system. If you’re an enthusiast, this is all music to your ears. If this sounds like gibberish and you simply want an SUV for mall hauls, know that Toyota sells a lovely one called the Highlander.
More: The all-new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander: This 3-row midsize SUV offers expanded cabin space and a broad choice of trims
As for towing, Toyota says the new Land Cruiser can lug 6,000 pounds, and a trailer hitch comes standard. This real-deal, body-on-frame SUV is built for adventure, and a robust aftermarket is already shaping up. Toyota says over 100 genuine Toyota accessories, like rack attachments and recovery gear, will be ready for the vehicle. The Land Cruiser is “a blank canvas for customization,” Toyota says.
Inside, the new Land Cruiser forgoes the 3-row setup it last had and returns to a 2-row/5-passenger layout. Interior features range from an 8-inch touchscreen and fabric seats in base models to a 12.3-inch screen and simulated or genuine leather in higher trims, along with heated and ventilated front seats. Modern amenities like wireless Apple
AAPL,
CarPlay/Android Auto, 4G connectivity, over-the-air updates, and a 14-speaker JBL audio system also arrive with the new ‘Cruiser.
Plus: Feds propose 18% fuel-economy increase — to 43.5 MPG — for new vehicles by 2032
Safety galore, 5,000 First Edition models
Like other Toyotas, the 2024 Land Cruiser features a robust suite of standard safety systems. Toyota’s latest Safety Sense 3.0 includes lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more.
Toyota says the first two months of production will be limited to 5,000 units, all First Edition trims with two new 2-tone colors and additional off-road equipment.
According to Toyota, “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.”
Welcome back, Land Cruiser. We’re thankful you missed us as much as we missed you.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
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