The Toyota Land Cruiser is making a comeback for the 2024 model year, and with its return comes an all-new new design, a standard i-FORCE MAX powertrain and plenty of off-road equipment.
This all tracks for what a modern Land Cruiser was expected to be. On one hand, it needed to be something more than capable of taking weekend hikers to their favorite trailheads whilst giving those same people the weekday efficiency Toyota has carved out with their robust hybrid systems. To that effect, we’d say Toyota has, upon first glance, hit the mark.
The imagery really starts with the new digs– a sculpted exterior that can most succinctly be described as ‘boxy.’ And that’s exactly what it is with little fuss from anyone on staff. It certainly plays more into the Land Cruisers of old than its most recent iteration, last seen rolling off assembly lines three years ago. The “1958” grade leans more into it with the round LED headlights and “TOYOTA” grille, while other Land Cruisers instead rock a rectangular pair of eyes.
Built on the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, this new ladder frame is said to ride with greater chassis rigidity than before (comparisons being made to the outgoing 200 Series Land Cruiser), built with high-strength steel held by laser welds. The new model rides with up to 8.7-inches of ground clearance, an approach angle up to 31.0-degrees and a max departure angle up to 22.0-degrees. And yet, the new model is also 4.4-inches narrower and 1.2-inches shorter than the outgoing one. Not bad, and especially practical when speaking of off-roading.
Under the hood is the aforementioned i-FORCE MAX system. This combines a 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder with a 48 horsepower electric motor, the latter of which is integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission and fed by a 1.87 kWh NiMH battery pack. This adds up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, sent to the full-time four-wheel drive system. The driveline is completed by a center locking differential and an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case.
Additional off-road goodies include a front stabilizer bar disconnect, standard on Land Cruiser and First Edition grades, front recovery hooks, and available rock rails and steel skid plates. There should be plenty of aftermarket parts made available through official channels, too, so overlanders will have a chance to let their LC stand apart.
The interior of the new Land Cruiser, which has seating for five, is a blend of modern luxury and practical ruggedness– something you can pick the kids up from school in and then take them to your nearest state park for some after school overlanding. Talking trims, there are three to choose from: the Land Cruiser 1958, the Land Cruiser, and the limited edition First Edition.
The Land Cruiser 1958 will come with black fabric seats and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration. Stepping up to the Land Cruiser grade, occupants will enjoy heated and ventilated SofTex-trimmed seats and a 12.3-inch multimedia screen. It can be further refined by a premium package upgrade, granting leather-trimmed seats. The First Edition receives those seats and appropriate logos throughout. All 2024 models will come with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, containing things such as Pre-Collision and Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, auto- high beams, and more.
The First Edition is limited to 5,000 units in North America, expected to arrive with the other trims by the spring of 2024 with a price tag starting somewhere in the mid-$50,000’s. Assembly will be completed at Toyota’s plants in Japan.
