After years of various names, trademark infringement accusations and other manufacturing oddities, the Toyota Land Cruiser debuted in the United States in 1958. A three-year hiatus added another layer to its enduring legacy, but the large sport utility vehicle returned as a 2024 model.
Using its heritage as part of its title, the 2024 Land Cruiser base 1958 trim and two other trims arrived with the brand’s signature boxy, utilitarian, off-road leaning look intact. But there’s also a lot new.
Standard throughout the lineup is new i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain. It matches a turbocharged 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with a 48-hp electric motor integrated into an eight-speed transmission feeding off a 1.87-kWh NiMH battery pack. The combined system produces 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque.
The 2024 Land Cruiser’s 22 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined are a vast improvement. The 2021 Land Cruiser had 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highways and 14 mpg combined averages.
All new Land Cruisers are equipped with a full-time four-wheel-drive system and an electronically controlled, two-speed transfer case with high/low range. The system also features vehicle stability control (VSC) and an automatic limited-slip differential (Auto LSD). An electronic locking rear differential is also standard. It can help divide power with a 50-to-50 split to the rear wheels for improved traction control on rough terrain. All new Land Cruisers also have a Crawl Control system and Downhill Assist Control.
With its anticipated unveiling, three Land Cruiser trims were available. Two remain. The $74,950 First Edition model was limited to 5,000 units, all available only in North America. They sold quickly.
The remaining offerings are the base 1958 trim, which starts at $55,950. The Land Cruiser (no other title name embellishments) starts at $61,950. Both trims have a $1,395 destination fee.
Off-road light is the focus of the 1958 model. It has skinnier 245/70R-18 32-inch tires and fixed anti-roll bars. The interior includes manually adjustable cloth heated seats, a heated steering wheel and an eight-inch touchscreen. It also has round LED headlights and a manual liftgate; nods to the original.
The Land Cruiser trim has 265/70R-18 33-inch tires, a disconnectable front anti-roll bar to improve articulation and a Multi-Terrain Select system. It can optimize the traction control for various conditions in high range as well as low range. Al 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10-speaker audio system are standard, but the Land Cruiser has rectangular LED headlights, not the retro-round variety on the 1958.
Much of the Land Cruiser’s departure in 2021 was simple economics. Yearly sales plummeted to under 4,000 because the minimum price of the SUVs’ top-line was $87,030.
To substantially lower the price and to compete with improved rivals, Toyota shrunk its new variant. It’s nearly seven inches shorter than its stablemate, the 300-series LX600. The new Land Cruiser has an overall width of 78 inches, and is .8 inches shorter and 1.2 inches stubbier than the 200 series from yesteryear.
While the dimension changes are small, the Land Cruiser remains boxy. But its look is skinnier as if it’s completed a fat-reducing, lean-is-mean diet and complemented its appearance with new attire like flared fenders. The 1958 Land Cruiser legacy is still there, but it’s been modernized with care.
Competitors include family, the Toyota 4Runner, Lexus LX and Lexus GX as well as the Nissan Armada and Land Rover Defender. Superior cargo space and family hauling is a priority for large SUVs, but the new Land Cruiser only has room for five.
The hybrid system’s 1.87-kWh nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery sits atop the axle, the location of a potential but non-existent third row. Still, there’s plenty of cargo space.
When vehicles surpass their 50th birthdays, reasons abound. The Land Cruiser, now age 66 minus a few hiatus years, remains relevant. It may not be on safari or on public roads as much as it once was, but Toyota honoring its automotive past is classy.
James Raia, a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento, also contributes sports, lifestyle and travel content to several print and online publications. Email: james@jamesraia.com.
