It's Back! 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Returns To Its Off-Road Roots

• Land Cruiser returns to America after three-year hiatus
• Pricing expected to be in the mid-$50,000 range
• Available exclusively with 326 horsepower/465 lb-ft turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid
• Full-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case is standard
• Only 5,000 First Edition models will be made

After a three-year hiatus, the Toyota Land Cruiser is finally back in the USA, but not as you remember it. Many Land Cruiser fanboys will scoff at this all-new four-cylinder-only model, but it costs roughly half as much as its predecessor, and yet it offers so much more.

The 5.7-liter V8 is gone, and in its place, we find the now well-known i-Force Max turbocharged 2.4-liter hybrid that produces 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. That's 55 fewer horses but an increase of 64 lb-ft. And as real off-roaders know, it's the latter that counts. The old Cruiser's prehistoric V8 only produced maximum torque at 3,600 rpm, while the four-banger's 465 lb-ft is available from a lowly 1,700 rpm.

This is not your dad's Land Cruiser 200. Instead, it's a more faithful interpretation of what the Land Cruiser was meant to be when the first units arrived in the USA in 1958.

The OG was a no-nonsense off-roader, and its core values were quality, durability, and reliability which led it to become a dominant force in the USA and worldwide, eating into sales of the original Land Rover Defender as people realized that a 4x4 could be reliable. The Land Cruiser could take you places and get you back home safely.

But then Toyota started adding luxuries, and the Land Cruiser grew fatter. We inevitably ended up with the 200 Series, which was more luxury wagon than hardcore off-roader. It soon fell out of favor, and its market share dropped to a point where it was no longer viable for Toyota to import it to the USA.

With the new Land Cruiser, Toyota hopes to hit that sweet spot between ruggedness, luxury, and, crucially, affordability. So, what we have here is a mid-$50,000 Land Cruiser that's more rugged than the 200, nearly as luxurious, but a little smaller. It's the essence of Land Cruiser.

As it turns out, there is a replacement for displacement. Packing an i-Force Max turbocharged 2.4-liter hybrid with 326 hp and 465 lb-ft, it has 50% fewer cylinders but more torque lower down thanks to a 48-hp electric motor nestled within the eight-speed automatic transmission. A small 1.87-kWh NiMH battery pack powers the electric motor.

Unfortunately, the tow rating has dropped from 8,100 pounds in the old off-roader to 6,000 lbs.

A manual transmission seems unlikely because it can only be mated to the 2.4-liter turbo version of this motor without hybridization - we learned this from the new Tacoma.

Toyota says the Land Cruiser's fuel economy estimates will be announced closer to its on-sale date, but it's bound to beat the 200's thirsty 14 mpg combined figure.

A full-time four-wheel drive system with a locking center differential is standard. It also has a two-speed transfer case with high and low range, and there's an electronic locking rear differential to split the power 50/50 between the rear wheels should things get a bit gnarly. The only item missing is a differential lock at the front, but we're willing to bet it's on the options list.

Compared to the Land Cruiser 200, the new model is 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter, but it's not a small car. Still, it should be much easier to navigate around a tight off-road track thanks to the smaller dimensions and blocky design, which give you a better idea of where the extremities are. The ladder frame is made of high-strength steel with blanking and laser welds, which makes it more rigid than the Land Cruiser 200.

As for the design, you can get the Land Cruiser in three flavors: Land Cruiser 1958, Land Cruiser, and Land Cruiser First Edition. The 1958 grade is full-on retro with round headlights (also standard on the First Edition) and the "TOYOTA" heritage badge, while the normal Land Cruiser upgrades to slim rectangular headlights that are a throwback to the FJ62.

Both models share a square body, which has always been a Land Cruiser trademark, and the overhangs are significantly shorter.

The new Land Cruiser will inevitably be compared to the Jeep Wrangler, but the Toyota is leagues ahead underneath. Jeep has stuck to solid axles, arguing that it's the best and only solution for off-roading. To this, we say, "Hey, the 1800s called, and it wants its wagon suspension back."

Several off-roaders with independent suspension disprove this theory, and the list includes the Ford Bronco, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and now the new Land Cruiser.

It has a newly-developed double-wishbone setup with two twin-tube shocks at the front and a multi-link setup with coil springs at the rear. Electric power steering is standard, as are 17-inch disc brakes at every corner.

Approach, breakover, and departure angles for the new Land Cruiser are 31, 25, and 22 degrees, respectively, while the ground clearance is 8.7 inches. All models also come standard with off-road recovery hooks at the front and rear, just in case you need to drag it out of the mud at some point.

The 1958 trim is not as well equipped as the Land Cruiser and the Land Cruiser First Edition, sacrificing a single degree of approach angle, but that may be by design. On the mechanical side, the Land Cruiser and FE boast a front stabilizer bar disconnect for better wheel articulation at the front. Oddly, this benefit wasn't extended to the 1958.

The mid-spec trim, simply called 'Land Cruiser' is loaded with modern off-road tech, including Multi-Terrain Select, which is now functional in both 4WD-High and 4WD-Low. The driving modes include Mud, Dirt, and Sand.

Toyota doesn't offer as many modes as some of its rivals, but in our experience, those are the main three, and unlike certain systems, you can feel the difference. Crawl control (low-speed off-road cruise control) is standard, and you get hill descent control. If you are off-roading alone (never a good idea) and don't have a spotter, the Land Cruiser trim will help you via the Multi-Terrain Monitor that displays obstacles via the 12.3-inch touchscreen.

As for customization, customers will have access to the Toyota Genuine Accessories and Associated Accessory Products (AAP) program. Toyota has brought the aftermarket in-house, and you can add all sorts of accessories to the car straight from the factory and pay for it all monthly, making off-roading more affordable.

AAP has over 100 accessories at present, which Toyota says will grow with time. For now, the list includes recovery gear, rack attachments, outdoor sporting equipment carriers, and more, but this is yet another shot across the bow of the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco.

Only three trims are available for now: Land Cruiser 1958, Land Cruiser, and Land Cruiser First Edition.

To keep the price low, the 1958 has black fabric seats, an eight-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All models come standard with the latest range of connectivity and convenience features, including over-the-air updates.

The Land Cruiser trim upgrades to SofTex-trimmed seats, a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, and a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system. An available premium package adds leather seats with heating and ventilation for the front seats, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a moonroof, and more. The First Edition gets leather seats with a "First Edition" logo embossed on the door panels and a wireless charging pad.

All models boast Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 - the brand's suite of collision avoidance features.

The 2024 Land Cruiser will be built in Japan and will arrive in the USA in the spring of 2024. Retail pricing will be announced closer to that time, but Toyota expects pricing to start in the mid-$50,000 range. Only 5,000 units of the First Edition will be available, and we expect them to be snapped up fast.