SALT LAKE CITY — Toyota‘s venerated Land Cruiser nameplate rejoins the brand’s U.S. lineup next year in a trimmed-down and less-expensive form much closer to the off-roader’s roots than its bloated predecessor, which had evolved to overlap similar body-on-frame Lexus models.
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser will be smaller, more nimble and equipped with a hybridized turbocharged powertrain, a host of infotainment and driver assistance features and a boxy look that evokes its early heritage.
Imported from Japan and based on the Land Cruiser Prado that Toyota sells in Japan and other global markets — badged in the U.S. as the Lexus GX — the U.S. version of the Land Cruiser will start in the mid-$50,000 range, Toyota said. In comparison, when Toyota suspended U.S. sales of Land Cruiser in 2021 after a 63-year run, the low-volume off-roader started at $86,880, including shipping.
“This icon belongs in our lineup,” Toyota division head Dave Christ said in a written statement. “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.”
The 2024 Land Cruiser is 4.4 inches narrower than the previous version and 1.2 inches shorter, and it is built on the automaker’s global F1 body-on-frame platform. With ground clearance of up to 8.7 inches, it has an approach angle of up to 31 degrees, max departure angle of 22 degrees and a breakover angle of 25 degrees.
Under the hood, it will be powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that has an integrated 48-hp electric motor and small, separate battery. The iForce Max hybrid powertrain generates up to 365 hp and 465 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy will be revealed in the future.
Toyota will unveil a double-wishbone front suspension with twin-tube shocks, with a multi-link and coil spring setup in the rear. The 2024 Land Cruiser will feature full-time four-wheel drive with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case and center-locking differential. Toyota says the 2024 Land Cruiser will be capable of towing up to 6,000 pounds.
In terms of safety, the Land Cruiser will come standard with Toyota Safety Suite 3.0, the automaker’s suite of driver assistance technologies that includes lane keeping, dynamic cruise control, automated high-beam headlights and pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection.
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser will arrive in U.S. dealerships in the spring.