Toyota Land Cruiser is Back with Much Lower Starting Price
After a three-year hiatus, the iconic Land Cruiser is back for the 2024 model year, and with a much lower starting price than before. Though Toyota didn’t disclose full pricing details, it said the starting MSRP would be in “the mid-$50,000 range.” This is quite a long way off the $87,000 you needed to get your hands on a barebones 2021 Land Cruiser.
That probably explains why Toyota is confident that the Land Cruiser will blow the previous version’s sales numbers out of the water. Over the past decade, the Japanese automaker only managed to sell about 3-4,000 units per year, yet it expects to sell all 5,000 of the limited Land Cruiser First Edition models in just three months.
It’s not just about the price, though. There are a lot of exciting new features to make the all-new, next-generation Land Cruiser more appealing than ever.
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Standard hybrid powertrain
Every new 2024 Land Cruiser will be powered by a hybrid powertrain that combines a turbo 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a 48-horsepower electric motor, which is mounted directly into the eight-speed automatic transmission. Total power output will be 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Not only does this beat the previous-gen model in sheer grunt, the torque curve is also much improved, with peak torque delivered at only 1,700 rpm compared to 3,600.
The maximum tow capacity is going down to 6,000 pounds from 8,100 pounds, the new Land Cruiser should get significantly better fuel economy. Though Toyota has yet to share estimated figures, the 2024 Land Cruiser will likely be leagues more efficient than the 2021 model, which earned only 14 miles per gallon combined.
Off-road capable
The Toyota Land Cruiser’s main appeal has always been its off-road capability. Though the SUV rides on new TNGA-F architecture, it shares many similarities to the previous-gen model, such as a solid rear axle and independent front suspension. It also no longer has an automatically-disconnecting front and rear anti-roll bar system, likely to make that huge price drop possible. However, it does have push-button locking rear diffs, Downhill Assist Control technology, Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select systems, and an auto-locking center diff. Additionally, it has a two-speed transfer case and full-time four-wheel-drive system.
The 2024 Land Cruiser has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, an approach angle up to 31 degrees, max departure up to 22 degrees, and breakover angle up to 25 degrees. High-strength steel skid plates and rock rails are offered as options for customers seeking off-road protection, while front tow hooks and fog lamps come standard.
Modern features and tech
It might be a lot cheaper, but the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is better connected and more advanced than ever. All models feature Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the automaker’s latest suite of driver-assistance software. The base Land Cruiser 1958 trim gets standard push-button start and digital key features, an 8-inch touch-screen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air updates. The next trim up — simply called “Land Cruiser” — gets a 12.3-inch display upgrade, 14-speaker JBL sound system, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and heated and ventilated leatherette-trimmed seats. Finally, the limited Land Cruiser First Edition has full leather upholstery, wireless device charging, and dual USB-C ports — plus extra side knee padding and touch-screen palm rest, which should be useful when going off the beaten path.
Compared to the previous-gen Land Cruiser, this new model is an absolute steal. It’s significantly cheaper, more efficient, more advanced, and in our estimation, better looking. It might not have all of the bells and whistles that it did before, but clearly, Toyota believes that in this case, less is more. They’re very probably right.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.