New 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 revealed
Reborn large SUV arrives with retro looks, an upgraded interior, and mild hybrid engines on the way...
On sale Late 2024 | Price from £50,000 (est)
“With age comes wisdom”, Oscar Wilde once said. And with 70 years under its belt, the latest version of the Toyota Land Cruiser ought to be the smartest yet.
The 2024 Land Cruiser, which will arrive in dealers at the end of next year, blends new technologies with a resolute focus on the ruggedness for which the name is famous.
As with the previous Toyota Land Cruiser it will be available as a five or seven-seater, and we expect the new car to be just as practical as the current model.
It’s certainly a stylish way to travel; it harks back to the original Toyota FJ model, but provides a modern look with LED lighting, sharp creases along the bodywork and plenty of protective cladding. The awkward side-opening bootlid has been replaced by a conventional top-hinged version.
The Land Cruiser will launch in Prestige and Executive trims, plus a limited-run First Edition model, which gains more retro touches, such as circular headlights and beige ‘Sand’ paintwork. It’s only available to those who reserve their car online during the pre-sales period, which is open now.
Prestige and Executive models enjoy a more modern look and the pair can be differentiated easily by the wheel size: Prestige cars have 18in wheels, Executives have 20in.
All three models share the same 2.8-litre diesel engine, which develops 201bhp, and is mated to a new eight-speed automatic gearbox. This combination allows the Land Cruiser to tow a trailer of up to 3500kg. In 2025, a version with the same fuel-saving mild-hybrid technology as we’ll see in the Toyota Hilux Hybrid, will be introduced.
While many off-roaders have the chassis and bodywork combined in a single piece, the new Toyota Land Cruiser adopts a more traditional approach with a separate chassis and body. Toyota says this is crucial for the new car’s improved off-road ability, delivering greater responsiveness plus better handling and ride comfort on the road – an area where the previous Land Cruiser was left lacking.
Importantly for a vehicle that’s carved out a hard-earned reputation for true off-road ability, this setup allows better wheel articulation to maximise grip on particularly challenging surfaces.
While the fundamental approach might be traditional, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is packed with technology including Crawl Control (think of this as a low-speed cruise control) which makes it easy for drivers to traverse bumpy, rough or muddy surfaces, reducing the likelihood of getting stuck. First Edition models have a function which controls the car’s anti-roll bars for improved traction on and off road, too.
Cameras as part of the car’s Multi-Terrain Monitor and Panoramic View Monitor systems improve visibility around the large SUV, helping spot unseen obstacles both on and off the Tarmac.
Inside, the new Toyota Land Cruiser features a 12.3in customisable instrument display, and a central infotainment screen of the same size. Prestige models also feature heated and cooled front seats and a 10-speaker audio system. First Edition and Exclusive cars gain a head-up display and a 14-speaker JBL audio upgrade.
Toyota has not confirmed pricing, but the new Land Cruiser is likely to be more expensive than the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Ssangyong Rexton, but cheaper than the Land Rover Defender.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
