The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser arrives with immense expectations, bearing the weight of its legendary heritage as Toyota’s flagship SUV in the US market. While Japan’s ultra-luxurious Century holds the true crown, the Land Cruiser has long been synonymous with Toyota’s ruggedness and reliability in America. This new iteration attempts to broaden its appeal, aiming for a more mainstream audience with a striking retro aesthetic. However, initial impressions suggest that despite its eye-catching exterior, the 2024 Land Cruiser might not deliver the special experience many were hoping for.
Exterior view of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, showcasing its retro-inspired design in a review by The Road Beat.
To put things in perspective, the outgoing Land Cruiser, even in its final years, commanded a near-$90,000 price tag, yet offered an interior that felt akin to a more basic Toyota 4Runner. For that price, it was arguably overpriced. Its saving grace was its legendary durability and off-road prowess, traits that made it a top choice for demanding environments. The 2024 model, therefore, has a significant opportunity to improve upon its predecessor.
Front three-quarter view of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser highlighting its boxy silhouette and modern retro design elements.
This new Land Cruiser essentially shares little with the previous generation beyond its name. It now aligns more closely with the Land Cruiser Prado – a model familiar in global markets – which itself is built upon the foundation of the smaller 4Runner platform. This translates to a more compact footprint, a shift from the V8 engine to a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, and the aforementioned neo-vintage styling. The styling, indeed, is a strong point, immediately capturing attention with its retro charm.
However, the initial allure of the design fades when examining the overall package. Despite the online buzz, the driving experience and practicalities raise questions. While equipped with advanced off-road technology and various terrain modes, the reality is that most Land Cruisers will spend the majority of their time on paved roads. A key area of concern is the hybrid powertrain. Downsizing engines is a prevailing trend, but the fuel economy of this four-cylinder hybrid is surprisingly disappointing. During real-world driving conditions, the vehicle averaged under 18 MPG. This is particularly concerning when the window sticker suggests a combined 25 MPG, a figure that seems unattainable in practice. To put this into perspective, a larger Toyota Sequoia SUV, powered by a significantly larger twin-turbo V6 hybrid, achieved the same fuel economy in similar testing.
Interior perspective of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, focusing on the dashboard layout and brown leather upholstery.
Performance-wise, despite a combined output of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, the 2024 Land Cruiser doesn’t feel particularly quick. A 0-60 mph time of 7.5 seconds is adequate but not exciting. While Land Cruisers aren’t traditionally about outright speed, the “i-FORCE MAX” engine badge raises expectations for more robust passing power, which ultimately feels lacking. The engine is generally refined, avoiding the harshness of older Toyota four-cylinders. However, the poor fuel economy negates many of the perceived benefits of a hybrid system. Furthermore, the engine exhibits noticeable noise at idle, with clicks and clacks that might sound like mechanical issues, detracting from the new car experience.
The interior of the mid-range model tested presents a mixed bag. While some soft-touch materials and brown upholstery create an initial impression of quality, the overall execution doesn’t fully justify a $70,000 price tag. The seats, despite their appearance, are rather flat and lack support for longer journeys. Numerous controls feel cheap and are oddly positioned. The air conditioning button panel, for example, exhibits noticeable creaking and flexing. Ergonomics are also questionable, with the volume knob placed inconveniently, obscured by the steering wheel and out of reach for the passenger. This placement feels like an afterthought in the design process. Build quality, a Land Cruiser hallmark, also seems to have taken a step back. The doors lack the solid, bank-vault-like closing sound of previous models, sounding comparatively hollow and tinny, suggesting cost-saving measures in construction. The hybrid battery placement also impacts cargo space, raising the cargo floor and reducing overall storage volume. While road noise is well-suppressed, wind noise is prominent, particularly from the large side mirrors, creating noticeable turbulence around the windshield and side windows, and making driving with windows down at higher speeds less pleasant.
Adding to interior concerns, the air conditioning performance was surprisingly weak, even during moderate temperatures. Similarly, the front seat warmers were barely perceptible, even on their highest setting. These shortcomings in fundamental comfort features are unexpected in a new vehicle, especially one in this price range.
Rear seating area of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, showcasing the space and design of the seats.
Further criticisms include the gauge cluster, which is difficult for passengers to view due to its design, almost resembling a privacy screen. The cluster itself is typical of modern Toyotas, cluttered with excessive icons and menus that are not intuitive to navigate. Safety settings adjustments are buried within these menus, inaccessible via the main center display, a questionable design choice. The test vehicle also suffered from a malfunctioning automatic day/night mode for the main infotainment screen. Despite correct settings, the screen remained in bright white “day mode” even at night, causing significant glare and requiring manual switching to dark mode.
Surprisingly, the driving dynamics of the 2024 Land Cruiser are a positive aspect. The steering is precise, making it easy to maneuver, and handling is reasonably competent for a vehicle of this type. It exhibits better cornering composure than previous 4Runners or Land Cruisers. Ride quality is also well-tuned, effectively absorbing various road imperfections without the overly stiff feel often found in Toyota trucks and SUVs.
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser presented in Heritage Blue color, emphasizing its retro styling and paint option.
Off-road capability, while technically advanced with various electronic aids, is limited by a ground clearance of just 8.7 inches. This is less than the current 4Runner and only marginally better than a Highlander. Without modifications like a lift kit and larger tires, its off-road potential is constrained, requiring careful navigation to avoid scraping and bottoming out. For a vehicle with the Land Cruiser’s off-roading heritage, this limited ground clearance raises questions about its true off-road advantage, especially when compared to less expensive SUVs. While it will undoubtedly perform adequately off-road, it’s unlikely to surpass the capabilities of more focused, and potentially cheaper, vehicles like the 4Runner TRD Pro in challenging terrains. The electronic aids provide comfort and ease of use, but ultimately, ground clearance is a fundamental limitation.
Ultimately, the 2024 Land Cruiser’s appeal might be primarily aesthetic. Its retro styling is undeniably attractive and garners positive attention. However, the engine’s underwhelming fuel economy, interior shortcomings, and questionable off-road ground clearance lead to a sense of disappointment. It feels less like a significant leap forward and more like a fashion-driven statement piece. While this might suffice for some buyers, especially those prioritizing style, it diminishes the Land Cruiser’s unique appeal. The previous generation, despite its flaws, offered a certain exclusivity due to its low production volumes. This new model, in its attempt to become more mainstream, risks becoming just another Toyota SUV in a crowded market.
For those seeking a truly “proper” Land Cruiser experience, the Lexus GX 550 emerges as a compelling alternative. Sharing a similar platform and styling cues, the GX 550 offers a more luxurious interior and swaps the four-cylinder engine for a more refined and powerful twin-turbo V6. Initial reviews suggest the GX 550 addresses many of the shortcomings of the Toyota Land Cruiser, offering a superior driving experience and feature set for a relatively small price increase.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
As-tested price: $70,029
Pros:
- Striking retro exterior styling
- Advanced electronic off-road aids
- Comfortable on-road ride
Cons:
- Disappointing fuel economy from the four-cylinder hybrid
- Interior quality and ergonomics not commensurate with price
- Limited ground clearance for serious off-roading
A vibrant shot of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser in Heritage Blue, showcasing its retro-inspired front grille and headlights.
Close-up detail of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser’s headlight and grille, highlighting the retro design elements.
Side profile of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, demonstrating its overall proportions and stance.
Interior detail showcasing the brown leather upholstery and stitching in the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Front view of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser in Heritage Blue, emphasizing its robust and retro design.
Dashboard and center console view of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser interior, highlighting the infotainment screen and controls.
Close-up of the rear seats in the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, showcasing the seating material and legroom.
Driver’s perspective of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser interior, showing the steering wheel, gauge cluster, and dashboard.
Detail shot of the poorly placed volume knob in the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, highlighting its inconvenient location.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser review and photos by Mitchell Weitzman and The Road Beat.
