The Toyota Land Cruiser is back, baby. After a brief two-year hiatus, the off-road bruiser returns to the Toyota lineup for the 2024 model year. Senior editor Chris Perkins already got a quick spin in the new Land Cruiser this past April, but I've got the base 1958 model for a week and I'm ready to see how it performs—both on and off the road.
The 1958 model is the cheapest Land Cruiser you can get. This 2024 model starts at $57,345 with the destination fees, and the one I'm testing has no options, so it costs exactly that. Toyota recently released pricing for the 2025 model, which comes in slightly more expensive at $57,900.
Toyota fits every version of the Land Cruiser with the same turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine making 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet, paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time four-wheel drive with low-range gearing.
I’ve only had a few days with it so far (and I had to park it away in the garage for Hurricane Miltion), but I’ll be taking this baby boy to the trails this weekend to see how it handles some tougher terrain. For now, here’s what I’ve liked—and disliked—about the new Land Cruiser so far.
What’s Good So Far?
- It looks awesome. I wasn’t initially sold on the 1958 model's rounded headlights, but it looks much better in person. The boxy design is perfectly retro, the throwback cues—like the "TOYOTA" wordmarks—look awesome, and the Meteor Shower gray paint looks great.
- The powertrain is excellent. Like most Toyota products with the I-Force Max hybrid powertrain, the Land Cruiser has silky smooth acceleration and a decent kick. That 326 horsepower may not sound like much for such a big vehicle, but there’s more than enough power here.
- It’s actually nice to drive. My problem with some off-roaders is that they’re not all that great on the road, what with their big knobby tires and too-squishy suspensions. But the Land Cruiser has excellent on-road manners; The suspension is refined, the steering is communicative, and it’s pretty quiet on the highway.
What’s Not Good So Far?
- The brakes are really grabby. If you so much look at the brake pedal funny, the Land Cruiser comes to an abrupt stop. The brakes are extremely grabby and hard to modulate, making for a jerky experience—especially around town.
- The interior is pretty basic. I’m a big fan of cloth seats, so I won’t ding the Land Cruiser for its non-leather thrones. But for a nearly-$60,000 SUV, the rest of the cabin feels pretty basic. There are lots of hard black plastics and the touchscreen is tiny for 2024, at just 8.0 inches.
I still need to spend more time with the Land Cruiser—and see how it does off-road—before I can make my final verdict. But so far, this SUV feels like it could be another winner from Toyota.
