Love it or Leave it: The Highs and Lows of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
When the Toyota Land Cruiser was discontinued in 2021, the United States let out a great big sigh. It was a powerful yet comfortable off-roader that kept brands like Land Rover, Chevy, Ford, GM, and Nissan in check. Without it, the only reliable family-hauling trailblazer Americans had to choose from was the 4Runner (which is great, but it’s no Land Cruiser).
Toyota heard the cries of its customers and revived the moniker in 2024, and largely kept to its roots. It sits on a ladder frame and has the same truck-like suspension as the 4Runner, excellent visibility, lots of cargo space, and a commanding presence.
Like the Land Cruisers before it, it’s no cheap pony. With the base price starting at over $50,000 and the max price being just a few G’s shy of the Lexus equivalent’s top-shelf price of $77,000, it leaves a lot to consider.
I put my two toddlers and my husband in it to test how it performs in a typical daily format. While the Land Cruiser has a long list of things that make it great, there’s an almost equally long list as to why it isn’t.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and, expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
The Toyota Land Cruiser’s Price Point is a Bit of a Turn Off
Before we talk about the His and Los (see what I did there? Because it’s an off-roader?), one of the major points I want to make is how much the Toyota Land Cruiser costs. The base price of the full-sized “hybrid” 1958 edition is $56,450, with a maximum price of $76,345 for the First Edition.
Why is this such a big deal? Well, because it’s expensive compared to what you’re getting, especially when you look to its competitors. The Ford Bronco, even at its most expensive Heritage Limited Edition, is $69,685. And that’s with a factory lift, exclusive styling, and fancier creature comforts.
The Land Rover Defender 130, which is the highest trim level, starts at $69,700. While it’s no Toyota, the Land Rover is next-level posh and incredibly capable. Its industry twin, the Lexus GX 550+ Overtrail, is similarly priced, but comes with a more lavish interior, and a third row for only $2,300 more. That’s right. The Land Cruiser has all the fixings for a third row, like vents, cupholders, and charging ports, but no third row – or even an option for one.
And, when you can build a 4Runner Limited – which technically has more cargo space, engine options, and aftermarket support – to have the same full-time 4WD system and locking diffs for $49,940, it’s a tough truck to really sell. Unless, of course, you’re suckered in by the nostalgia and unique design.
The Toyota Land Cruiser Could Easily Be a Family Hauler
The Toyota Land Cruiser was conceived to compete with the Land Rover Discovery or Defender for the off-road-ready family SUV. And in that segment, the Land Cruiser keeps the Brits on their toes.
The rear seats were incredibly comfortable, the lower anchors and upper tethers were easily accessible, and the large rear windows paired with a high seating position were a huge hit with my toddlers in their car seats. They could enjoy the world around them in high-definition, and I could relax knowing the Land Cruiser had their back with a brag-worthy safety rating.
The space in the very back was impressive, too. My husband asked me to bring him a bumper stand he forgot in the garage, and I was able to fit that, the girls’ stroller, and a few bags full of Goodwill donations without breaking a sweat.
The running boards made it easy (and fun) for the girls to crawl up to their seats, too. The Land Cruiser I drove had the brown Napa leather seats, which isn’t the most toddler-friendly material – but it’s probably a lot easier to clean over the fabric seats in the 1958 Edition.
I also adored the fact that a 6,900 lb truck felt much, much lighter. While I wasn’t a fan of the drivetrain, I loved that it was incredibly easy to drive and become acquainted with.
But, There are a Few Places it Falls Short in That Department
I fully understand that the Toyota Land Cruiser is more of a truck than a true SUV, but I was a little disappointed in the ride quality. For comparison, the 4Runner rides like a Lincoln compared to the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser.
With most of my driving being around town (which, let’s be real here, that’s where a majority of any Land Cruiser’s mileage will come from), I found it to be a lot more uncomfortable than expected. Especially after driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, which was a pleasure on and off-road.
The Land Cruiser I tested had a price of over $71,000, and I was a little stunned it didn’t come with a “Comfort” drive mode to help soften it up when it isn’t being driven off-road.
It also didn’t help that Toyota’s new 2.4-liter turbo four i-FORCEMAX hybrid gas engine was so jarring and abrasive. The start and stop function was rough and would stop at the most random times, and then when I tried to prompt it to start again, there was a lag between when I put my foot on the gas pedal and when the car would actually move.
It made starting from a stop smoothly next to impossible, and it would aggressively lurch forward. I was very grateful I didn’t have to deal with stop-and-go traffic like most buyers will.
The Interior Quality Has Some Room to Grow
I didn’t subtract or add any points for the interior quality of the Toyota Land Cruiser, since it’s incredibly subjective – but I found it to be lacking in luster. For a car that costs as much as it does, I was expecting some fun Easter Eggs, maybe an homage to the vintage logo, contrast stitching, or something other than the monotone and “blocky” design.
I did, though, appreciate a lot of the settings being easy-to-access buttons and knobs. The locking differential buttons are close to the shifter, and the A/C and heater controls (including seat and steering wheel warming functions) weren’t buried in the settings on a screen – they were buttons. I saw that and yelped, “Finally! I won’t have to dig through a screen!”
However, the rear heating and A/C controls were buried in the settings. When I was trying to get the heat on for my girls in the back, it took me a good few seconds to locate it, and set the temperature and fan speed. I pulled over to figure it out, but I can see that being incredibly annoying while driving. For adult passengers, though, they could set that themselves from the back of the center console.
The rear passengers had large windows to look out of, and the seats were incredibly comfortable. However, there wasn’t much protection from the sun like shades or tint.
Off-Road is Where the Land Cruiser Shined the Brightest
Being the owner of a Jeep and a Land Rover, my family is an off-road-loving family. While I was fairly unimpressed with the Toyota Land Cruiser on the pavement, I fell madly in love with it once the road became dirt, rocks, and mud.
The “Off-Road Information” settings had some seriously cool off-roady features on it, like a live-data feed of the suspension movements, cameras on the side mirrors, tailgate, and front grille that give you an almost 360-degree view, pitch and roll meters, different drive modes depending on the terrain, and more.
My favorite was the camera view that showed the driver exactly where each tire was pointed, so they could easily change the steering to traverse a rock, log, or any other obstacle you might have missed without the cameras and sensors. The hood’s angles made it easy to predict where the wheels were, too.
The bolstered front seats kept the family planted, and the large steering wheel made the Toyota Land Cruiser a breeze to drive – even through the toughest spots. The tight steering was especially appreciated here, too.
The rough ride on the pavement transformed into a poised and steady ride when the going got tough, though. My husband and I were both shocked by how well the Land Cruiser went over rocks without much of it ricocheting into the interior. Here, we both thought, is where the Land Cruiser was meant to be.
Toyota Land Cruiser is a True Head Turner
I mean it when I say everyone and their cousin was curious about the Toyota Land Cruiser. When I took it to my local Goodwill full of donations, the employee collecting everything stopped me and asked, “Is this the new Toyota Land Cruiser?” I nodded, and he walked around the truck admiring every angle and curve.
“It looks great,” he said. “It fits right in around here.” As I drove away he held his gaze, and that happened a lot driving around Bend, Oregon. When I was at stop lights, people would stop and stare, smile, or even give me a thumbs up. It demands to be admired, and with its boxy styling, I predict it will happen for a long, long time.
A group of firefighters at my local WinCo stopped to admire it as I was loading groceries, with one saying, “Great, now I have to convince my wife to let me get one.”
I have to admit, even with all my complaining about it, I enjoyed looking out my window and seeing it in my driveway. I think that’s what attracts people to it the most, is how different it looks. It doesn’t look like any other car, and anyone with one would definitely stand out.
If you’re an introvert like my husband, going to the grocery store can be intimidating. Since I love talking about cars with strangers, though, I enjoyed it.
*Hybrid* Is a Performance Measure, Not a MPG Thing
Aside from the powertrain being rough, the mileage from a “hybrid” was underwhelming. Granted, 99.9% of my driving was short distance at low speeds with frequent stops, but after my week of test driving I averaged 19 mpg. Which, for the record, is marginally better than my Forester. If a new hybrid is barely beating an old Subaru, that’s not all that impressive.
I will say, though, that for a full-sized truck loaded with kids and gear weighing as much as a female Asian elephant (no, seriously – Google says one typically weighs close to 7,000 lbs), isn’t that bad, either. If I were able to drive it on the highway, I’m sure I’d see better figures than that.
But then again, who would buy a Toyota Land Cruiser based on mileage? No one. No one buys it for the towing rating or the technology. People will – and do – own it because it’s a Land Cruiser. It’s a new installment to an old and impressive moniker. However, I predict it will suffer from what I call “G-Wagon Syndrome.” It’s built to blaze trails, but instead, it will be bought as a status symbol instead of the incredibly powerful tool that it is.
Overall, it was a great car to get behind the wheel and experience. I doubt I will drive a car that’s fluid off-road like the Toyota Land Cruiser was. Hopefully, we’ll see some improvements in the next few model years.
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