2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: Impressive Price, Retro Styling, Smaller Size, Half the Engine

Toyota’s longest-running nameplate returns to North America in 2024, after a 3-year hiatus. The Land Cruiser hit the U.S. market in 1958 and left in 2021.

What does the latest incarnation of the legendary nameplate have to offer? Let’s dive in.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Specs

New Land Cruiser Design

The 2024 Land Cruiser is a combination of styling cues from a wide range of Land Cruisers of the past and current Toyota styling. The rectangular headlights are reminiscent of the FJ62, and the round headlight option is a throwback to the FJ40. The rear has a lot of 70 Series in it while the side mirrors are very FJ Cruiser.

It is also the slightly smaller sibling to the 2024 Lexus GX 550 — which has the same wheelbase but is about 3 inches taller and longer and 1 inch narrower. Styling is very similar between the two vehicles. Both are built on the same TNGA-F body-on-frame global truck platform and share the same suspension setup. A double-wishbone design up front with twin-tube shocks and a multi-link rear with coil springs.

The new Land Cruiser is also slightly smaller and narrower than the last U.S. available Land Cruiser, the 200 Series. It is 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter. Also, for comparison’s sake, the 2024 Land Cruiser is 2 inches longer, 8 inches wider, and 1 inch taller than a 2023 Toyota 4Runner.

Inside the 2024 Land Cruiser

A new smart interior design in the Land Cruiser helps when the trail gets rough. You get side knee pads and even a palm rest for using the touchscreen. It is a very chunky and plastic-heavy design, however, which seems heavily influenced by the latest Sequoia and Tundra.

Inside an 8-inch, or available 12.3-inch, infotainment touchscreen — both with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — is the centerpiece of the dash. A wireless charging pad and front dual USB-C charge ports are standard, with second-row charge ports available. A Smart Key System with push-button start is standard, while a Digitial Key is an option — with a Remote Connect subscription.

Legendary Off-Road Prowess

A full-time four-wheel drive system is standard across all 2024 Land Cruisers. It has an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case with high and low range. A center-locking differential and rear e-locker are also standard. The new Cruiser even gets Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and an automatic limited-slip differential (Auto LSD) standard. For the first time on a U.S. Land Cruiser, a front stabilizer disconnect will be available.

The new Land Cruiser gets 8.7 inches of ground clearance — for reference, a Subaru Outback Wilderness has 9.5 inches, and a 4Runner has 9.6 inches. It does get solid approach, breakover, and departure angles: 31.0/25.0/22.0 degrees.

Optional off-road goodies on the 2024 Land Cruiser include rock rails and full-coverage steel skid plates. Front tow/recovery hooks come standard. Optional electronic aids include Multi-Terrain Select and a Multi-Terrain Monitor trail camera system. It comes standard with CRAWL Control and Downhill Assist Control.

Under the new Land Cruiser are 18-inch alloy wheels — optional 20-inch on Land Cruiser grade — wrapped in up to 33-inch tires. For off-road adventures, those 18-inch wheels are great, as they provide a good tire sidewall to work with. To my eye, though, I doubt you can fit a 34- or 35-inch tire under the new Land Cruiser without some serious work — which no doubt will be done quickly in the aftermarket.

It will get electric power steering and “17-inch disc brakes” (that’s the press release info, but no way true, guessing 11-inch rotors) at all four corners. A trailer hitch is standard equipment, and it can tow up to 6,000 pounds.

What’s Under the Hood?

Every 2024 Land Cruiser will be powered by an i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain. This setup combines a turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder engine with a 48-horsepower electric motor, which is integrated into an eight-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor is powered by a 1.87kWh NiMH battery pack. The total power output from this new powertrain is 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.

For comparison, the LC 200 has a 5.7L V8 putting out 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. A 2023 Lexus LX 600 — the sibling of the world market LC 300 — has a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 producing 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque.

Similarly, the 2023 Sequoia has a 3.4L V6 twin-turbo mild-hybrid that produces 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. The 2023 4Runner, which has a more traditional 4.0L V6, has 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque — and is generally thought to be underpowered.

All this is to say, the 2024 Land Cruiser is not going to be quick, but might be efficient — we don’t know the curb weight. No fuel economy or performance numbers have been announced just yet.

2024 Land Cruiser Models

For 2024, the Land Cruiser will come in three trim levels: Land Cruiser 1958, Land Cruiser, and Land Cruiser First Edition. Atop those trims, you can also add a premium package. The package gets you power, heated, ventilated, leather-trimmed seats with lumbar support, a 14-speaker JBL sound system, HUD, digital rearview mirror, moonroof, and “more.”

On offer will be seven color choices. You can get Ice Cap, Wind Chill Pearl, Underground, Black, Meteor Shower, and two-tone Trail Dust and Heritage Blue, both with Grayscape roofs.

1958

The entry-level grade of the 2024 Land Cruiser will be 1958. It will feature retro styling cues, highlighted by round LED headlights and a “TOYOTA” heritage grille. It comes with fog lamps. Inside it gets black fabric heated seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker sound system, and a 2,400W AC inverter.

Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser grade gets color-selectable RIGID fog lights, a front sway bar disconnect, and 33-inch all-season tires. It also gets Multi-Terrain Select, which now works in both 4-Hi and 4-Low, and Multi-Terrain Monitor.

The upgraded 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10-speaker sound system also come with this package. Heated and Ventilated Soft-Tex-trimmed seats in black or Java are on offer.

First Edition

The First Edition grade model is limited to just 5,000 units for North America — expected to be built in the first 2 months of production. It gets round heritage LED headlamps, a roof rack, rock rails, and “exclusive interior trim.”

It also comes with a new two-tone paint scheme and a lot of off-road-capability equipment. Leather-trimmed heated and ventilated seats with “First Edition” embossed logos on the door panels are part of the package. Other standard features on the First Edition are a tailgate light, back door guard, mudflaps, and a “unique-stitched” key glove.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Pricing & Availability

All that Toyota has said so far is that the MSRP will be “in the mid-$50,000 range.” That is exciting, as the 2021 200 Series Land Cruiser started at about $87,000. Even the 2023 Toyota Sequoia starts at a higher price point — $58,300.

The 2024 Land Cruiser will be built in Toyota’s Tahara and Hino plants in Japan. It is expected to hit U.S. dealerships in the spring of 2024.