SALT LAKE CITY – There was arguably no better venue for Toyota to unveil its new retro-styled Land Cruiser than here at the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum.
The styling of the just-introduced’24 Land Cruiser – a rough-and-ready SUV Toyota dropped from its North American lineup three years ago – echoes the looks of the dozens of vintage Land Cruisers on display at that museum.
“This icon belongs in our lineup,” Toyota group vice president and general manager Dave Christ tells the 100-plus invited guests at the vehicle’s unveiling. “For 2024, Land Cruiser returns to its origin with a heritage-inspired design paired with the legendary capability and durability Land Cruiser is known for. And it will take even more customers on adventures across the globe as it has done for generations.”
Land Cruiser comes in two trims: the retro-looking 1958 grade (pictured, below) that features iconic round LED headlights and “TOYOTA” heritage grille, and the Land Cruiser grade featuring slim, rectangular headlights reminiscent of the FJ62. A squared body profile resembles that of vintage Land Cruisers but with better visibility thanks to pushed-back A-pillars and a shorter front overhang.
Toyota fits the Land Cruiser with one propulsion system, the i-Force MAX turbocharged 2.4L 4-cyl. hybrid powertrain, which it shares with the Tacoma pickup. In this latest application, Toyota says it produces 326 hp and 465 lb.ft. (630 Nm) of torque, employing a single integrated electric motor.
The Land Cruiser rides on Toyota’s TNGA-F body-on-frame chassis, with double-wishbone front suspension, twin-tube shocks, electric power steering and 17-in. disc brakes. Towing is rated at up to 6,000 lbs. (2,722 kg).
Tyler Litchenberger, marketing manager for Toyota’s VMaC Truck Series, says driving the new Land Cruiser convinced her that this truck’s rugged, off-road chops are ideal for tough trails, but its slim, narrow physique – 193.7 in. (4,910 mm) long, 84.2 in. (2,130 mm) wide – will please daily drivers.
“This will appeal to people who want the look of adventure or who are hesitant to go straight into off-roading but are interested in the truck’s capabilities,” Lichtenberger tells Wards. “I think this will get (consumers) into that lifestyle.”
Toyota will introduce the ’24 Land Cruiser next spring with a limited run of 5,000 units for the first two months of production. The Land Cruiser First Edition comes with a two-tone paint job and additional off-road equipment. Prices start at about $55,000.
The market strength of Stellantis’ Jeep Wrangler, the return of the Ford Bronco, General Motors’ introduction of the GMC Hummer EV and Volkswagen’s revival of the Scout brand as an off-road BEV may have factored into the decision to bring back the Land Cruiser to the U.S. after a three-year hiatus. But Christ says Toyota always planned to reintroduce the Land Cruiser to this market.
Land Cruiser annual U.S. sales topped 15,000 units in 2000 but slid to half that number a year later and continued to decline to about 3,000 sales or less per year until the vehicle was pulled from the market in 2021, when 3,711 Land Cruisers were sold, according to Wards Intelligence data.
The iconic truck first hit the U.S. market in 1958. The Land Cruiser’s style moved from 2-door models like the 40 Series with its fold-down front windshield, white roof and rear jump seats to the fully loaded 200 Series, the last model sold in North America.
