2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Is an Off-Road Icon Reborn As a Hybrid

This redesign is a return to form for the Land Cruiser. The last-generation was priced near six figures; it was too expensive and too bulky to fairly embody the off-road reputation that the storied Land Cruiser name earned over the decades. 

The new Land Cruiser for North America is derived from the Lexus GX, whereas the Lexus LX is the twin to the global Land Cruiser, hence the differences in scale. 

Our new Land Cruiser looks to be more focused. Unlike what Lexus tried with the LX, it isn’t all things, but it promises to be the heir to a decadeslong off-roading dynasty with the essentials to face a new generation of competition. 

The throwback touches may entice buyers with its nostalgia, much like Ford was able to tap into with the Bronco. There is a whole generation of drivers who grew up exposed to these vehicles and are now in a life stage when they can indulge in such playthings. And there may be buyers attracted to the Bronco and Jeep Wrangler but looking for a fixed-roof vehicle with Toyota-level reliability and better fuel economy.

Going with the turbocharged, hybrid powertrain was a creative choice for Toyota that bodes well for the fuel efficiency in a category known for bringing extra cans of fuel on the trail. That the Land Cruiser engine is different from what the GX offers means buyers will have choices to make. 

The Land Cruiser will be the lower-priced and more practical of the two, but for those who can afford the Lexus GX, the added power and towing capacity may be compelling. 

We look forward to putting both vehicles through their paces, on road and off. 

The Land Cruiser borrows heavily from the Lexus GX silhouette, smoothing the surfaces to create a blocky, rather Lego-like interpretation of past Land Cruisers. There are interesting lines that lend it personality, such as the stepped cut to the side glass, bold fender flares, and high, horizontal grille. 

Many design decisions were made for functional reasons, such as the short front overhang to aid climbing over obstacles and upright windshield pillars to increase visibility on trails. Further assisting with your off-road adventures, the 2024 Land Cruiser is 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter than its predecessor. It does ride on the same 112-inch wheelbase that has been a defining trait for the Land Cruiser—and also found on the latest Lexus GX and LX. 

Where the last Land Cruiser had a combination tailgate and liftgate, this new model has a liftgate with the ability for the glass to swing open, allowing small items to be stowed and long items to extend out the back. Dimensions are different from the GX’s, despite sharing the wheelbase. The Land Cruiser is a bit shorter, both in height and from bumper to bumper. 

The ground clearance, in its tallest configuration, is 8.7 inches. That may sound like a lot, but that is the same as the base Subaru Outback. And interestingly, all three trims come with all-season tires, rather than more rugged, reinforced all-terrains. We wouldn’t be surprised if both curiosities are addressed by a future TRD package. 

The 1958 trim has the clearest connection to the early classics, with the “Toyota” grille and round headlights. 

The midlevel Land Cruiser trim changes the lights to rectangles (shown below), and it has color-selectable fog lamps.

First Edition goes back to the round lights. All three trims come with 18-inch wheels, although 20-inch wheels are available. 

There are seven exterior colors, with two paired with a gray roof for a two-tone appearance. 

Toyota states that there are 100 accessories available to customize and outfit the Land Cruiser. And no doubt, an eager aftermarket will provide even more choices.

All Land Cruisers feature Toyota’s latest-generation infotainment system, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The five-passenger 1958 cabin is the most basic, with black cloth seats, an 8-inch infotainment screen, and a six-speaker stereo. Yet it has a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. 

An available premium package adds power heated and ventilated leather-trimmed front seats with lumbar support, a 14-speaker JBL stereo, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and moonroof.

Stepping up to the midlevel Land Cruiser trim brings a larger 12.3-inch screen and the availability of faux-leather heated and ventilated seats and 10-speaker stereo. The premium package brings true leather upholstery.

The First Edition trim brings wireless phone charging, with added USB-C charge ports, a palm rest for operating the touchscreen while bouncing along, and, of course, obligatory badging. 

All trims have a phone-as-key system that provides lock/unlock, liftgate access, and starting capability, with a 4G service. This also allows the owner to provide access to someone else remotely. These features work with a complimentary service plan, but a subscription will be eventually needed.

The Land Cruiser is fitted with the turbocharged, hybrid four-cylinder powertrain that has been promulgating through the Toyota lineup. Known as the Max, this engine emphasizes power, with nominal fuel-economy benefits, as opposed to the less powerful 2.4-liter hybrid engine available in other models that is focused more on efficiency. This engine has been used in the Crown sedan, Grand Highlander SUV, upcoming Tacoma pickup, as well as the Lexus RX, with different specs. 

Here it is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Peak output is 326 hp and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. This is routed through a full-time four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. Maximum tow capacity is 6,000 pounds, and yes, a receiver hitch is standard. 

Toyota hasn’t released fuel-economy figures, but it is a safe bet that they will be higher than the 14 mpg overall that we recorded with the last Land Cruiser, which was saddled with a hefty 3-ton curb weight and thirsty V8. 

For contrast, the Lexus GX uses a 349-hp, 3.4-liter turbocharged V6, with a claimed 17 mpg combined and maximum 8,000-pound tow capacity. 

The Land Cruiser is built on the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform that Toyota is using on all its new trucks, Sequoia, and the Lexus LX and GX. The company claims this ladder-frame design is more rigid than the architecture used previously—a welcomed, traditional advance for off-roaders that helps manage twisting forces experienced on trails and allows for more fine-tuning of the suspension. 

Like the other SUVs on the same platform, the Land Cruiser has a double-wishbone front suspension with twin-tube shocks and a live rear axle with multilink rear suspension with coil springs. There are large, 17-inch disc brakes, front and rear, and a standard rear locking differential. 

A “crawl” mode on all Land Cruisers serves as a low-speed cruise control to smooth traversing rough terrain. (Without such a feature, drivers can find themselves tap dancing on the accelerator as they bounce along, unintentionally goosing the accelerator and making the ride less comfortable than it would otherwise be.)

The midtrim models come with driver-selectable terrain control that works with both four-wheel high and low settings. These include common modes, such as Mud, Dirt, and Sand, optimizing various traction-related settings for challenging conditions.

Standard descent control helps regulate speed on hills, and an available multiterrain monitor uses the cameras to provide a surround view of the vehicle that promises to be quite helpful for navigating around obstacles.

The Land Cruiser comes with the latest Toyota Safety Sense suite, dubbed TSS 3.0. This includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection; lane departure warning; road sign recognition; and automatic high beams. Plus it includes Proactive Driving Assist. In some situations, this feature can provide “gentle” braking and/or steering assistance based on radar and camera information to help with turns, following vehicles, and responding to a pedestrian or bicyclist. In addition, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are also standard.