SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is officially here, and its arrival marks the return of Toyota’s legendary Land Cruiser nameplate after it took a few years off. If you were thinking this new Land Cruiser would just be a slight revision on the last one, then think again. The 2024 model is smaller, cheaper, hybrid-only and way more purposeful looking.
Its design is a massive departure from the last Land Cruiser and instead adopts elements from its earlier history. The squared-off body and upright stance is a timeless off-roader look, and we think it suits the new Land Cruiser quite well. Toyota made the new model 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter overall to improve its nimbleness off-road, and it looks dramatically smaller in person. Interestingly, there are two headlight designs, with one being a rectangular look reminiscent of the FJ62. Meanwhile, the “1958” (just below) and “First Edition” trims get round headlights.
When the previous generation left us, the Land Cruiser was rocking a big, naturally-aspirated V8 engine as its only option. Now, Toyota is making its i-Force Max hybrid powertrain the only available form of motivation for the new Land Cruiser. It consists of a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 48-horsepower electric motor integrated with the eight-speed automatic transmission, all of which is also used on the new Tacoma. Total system output is a respectable 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. That puts the new model at a 55 horsepower deficit to the previous model, but thanks to the power of turbocharging and electric motors, the new Land Cruiser is up 64 pound-feet of torque. Towing maxes out at 6,000 pounds, a number that will come as a disappointment for many, since the previous Land Cruiser was rated for 8,100 pounds. As for the hybrid system and efficiency, Toyota says it’s using a 1.87 kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery pack to power the electric motor, but we’ll need to wait for fuel economy estimates.
As you may have expected, the Land Cruiser is built off Toyota’s TNGA-F body-on-frame platform just like other Toyota trucks and Lexus SUVs (like the new GX). It features a new double-wishbone front suspension design and a multi-link rear suspension paired with coil springs. A front sway bar disconnect (works with the push of a button) comes on all but the base 1958 grade. Toyota says ground clearance is 8.7 inches, and you get approach, break-over and departure angles of 31 degrees, 25 degrees and 22 degrees respectively. That said, the 1958 grade has a slightly degraded approach angle of 30 degrees due to its slightly different wheel and tire package.
A Land Cruiser having proper off-road chops is without question at this point, and the new one delivers, too. Every Land Cruiser comes standard with a full-time four-wheel-drive system that features a center-locking differential and an electronically-controlled transfer case with both a high and low range. You also get an electronic locking rear differential to split power 50/50 to the rear wheels should you need to do so. Other hardware you’ll be happy to see on the menu are optional rock rails and a full battery of high-strength steel skid plates. Front tow/recovery hooks come standard on every grade.
And speaking of those grades, there are three in total named Land Cruiser 1958, Land Cruiser (yes, that’s it) and Land Cruiser First Edition (directly above). Even the basic 1958 model comes well equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, heated seats, heated steering wheel, a Crawl Control function and Downhill Assist Control. Stepping up to the “Land Cruiser” grade nets you key extras like the front stabilizer bar disconnect, Multi-Terrain Select (programs for different types of off-roading), Multi-Terrain Monitor (cameras for navigating trails), Rigid fog lights and way more tech. The First Edition ups capability even higher with a front skid plate, those aforementioned rock rails, leather seats and a whole lot more. You can dive deeper into the trim structure in our separate trim breakout post right here.
Two different screen setups will grace the interior of the new Land Cruiser, with the 1958 model getting an eight-inch touchscreen and the other two getting a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Both come with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto as standard, and Toyota says they can receive over-the-air updates as the company pushes them out. The 1958 model also has a smaller digital instrument cluster flanked by analog gauges, while the other trims have a full-screen cluster with no analog gauges. Just like all new Toyota models these days, the company’s Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system comes standard, which gives you the full assortment of driver assist controls. Every Land Cruiser will enjoy niceties like adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, auto high-beams, blind-spot monitoring and much more.
Left: Land Cruiser trim; Right: 1958 trim
A lot of tech is available depending on which trim you spring for, but even if you don’t get the fully-loaded First Edition, a Premium Package is available that adds power heated/ventilated leather seats, a 14-speaker JBL audio system, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, moonroof and more.
Toyota hasn’t put its finger on an exact price yet, but it says the new Land Cruiser will start “in the mid-$50,000 range for that base 1958 trim. Hearing “Land Cruiser” and “$50,000” in the same sentence is downright astonishing considering the previous model ended life with an over $87,000 starting sticker. Sales are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2024, and the first two months will be limited to just 5,000 units of the First Edition model. After that, the other trims will come online, hopefully with greater production volume.
