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Toyota seems determined to take its time with generation updates for especially legendary models. The last gen-Tacoma soldiered on for years, but the 2024 Toyota Tacoma proved the long wait was worth it. Similarly, when Toyota pulled the legendary Land Cruiser from its lineup in 2021 due to a high price tag and low sales, choosing not to bring the globally-available new-gen Land Cruiser J300 in as a replacement, fans have held their fingers crossed for a spectacular return. Which is what our 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser render previews.
Taking what we know of Toyota’s SUV plans for 2024 and beyond, this new-gen Land Cruiser created by HotCars digital artist Rostislav Prokop is visually-based on the full-size J300. But, with a few important distinctions that will make it a true Toyota-version of the recently revealed (and smaller) 2024 Lexus GX. And if you think about it, that’s exactly what fans have been asking for.
The Land Cruiser May Return To America Based On The 2024 Lexus GX
North-American Land Cruiser Likely To Be GX-Sized, Not LX-Sized
Wait, wasn’t the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser supposed to be based on the internationally-available J300 Land Cruiser? Well, yes and no. The new Land Cruiser, sold everywhere else but America, sits on Toyota’s new GA-F modular platform for body-on-frame vehicles. It underpins new Toyotas and Lexus SUVs of the last few years. Both the Land Cruiser J300, and the more luxurious version of it, the Lexus LX600, are based on it.
Similarly, the rugged-and-boxy 2024 Lexus GX is based on it too, as will be the 2024 Land Cruiser. The Lexus GX, for those wondering, has always been the Lexus-equivalent of the Land Cruiser Prado, again a model sold internationally, but not in the US.
So while this 2024 Land Cruiser render is technically a North American Prado, the Prado name isn’t one that most people stateside are familiar with. Except for the diehard Toyota SUV fans, of course. Those will also be the gear heads who are eagerly awaiting the 2025 Toyota 4Runner — another Toyota SUV that exists to fulfill the needs of people who otherwise thought the previous-gen Toyota Land Cruiser 200 was a bit too expensive for what it was.
As a result, this Toyota Land Cruiser TRD Pro concept borrows styling cues from the larger Land Cruiser GR Sport model, including its off-road oriented styling. But what you can’t really make out is the smaller dimensions, in line with the rumors of Toyota developing a smaller Land Cruiser 250 to fill in the gap in the lineup. It’s a little confusing, yes, but imagine a Land Cruiser that’s smaller than the flagship, and more luxurious than the aging Toyota 4Runner, and you’ll land on roughly the 2024 Land Cruiser for America. It most likely won’t be the full-size, three-row SUV that was last on sale in America as the 2021 Land Cruiser. Expect something just slightly more compact, more 70 Series than 300 Series.
Exploring All The Possibilities For A New American Land Cruiser
The rumor mills are abuzz with what the new Toyota Land Cruiser for America will look like, and more importantly, what it will actually be. One theory, which sticks with safe tradition, is that the ’24 Land Cruiser will be the Toyota-version of the fresh, new Lexus GX. Expect a tough-as-nails, body-on-frame SUV with two- or three-rows of seating, packed to the brim with the best of Toyota’s off-road tech, as well as safety and creature comforts.
Another option that fans have been debating is the return of the Land Cruiser as an in-between model — something that will slot in above the aging Toyota 4Runner, whilst being positioned under the 2024 Toyota Sequoia.
What that could mean is that the Toyota Land Cruiser could return to its roots as a relatively no-nonsense off-roader like the LC 70 Series, perhaps with removable roof panels like the first-gen LC. This would put it back up against the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. It would be a smart way for Toyota to leverage all the history of the Land Cruiser brand, without the bloated price tag of the later models. Remember, the only reason the Land Cruiser was killed in America after 2021 was because not many people wanted to a buy a near-$80,000 Toyota SUV.
Expect 2024 Land Cruiser To Be Priced Around $55,000-65,000
Knowing what we know about the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, it wouldn’t be a far bet to expect a $60,000 starting price. The outgoing Lexus GX starts at just under $60,000, with pricing on the 2024 GX not announced yet. Expect the new GX to start considerably higher at just under $70,000. To give buyers a good enough reason to pick the new Land Cruiser over the Sequoia, which starts at just under $60,000 but can bloat in price quickly to over $85,000, Toyota will have to price it well. Especially against the more affordable 4Runner.
Prices on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner start at $40,000, extending to $54,000 for range-topping models, and the new Land Cruiser should slot in between the price of a 4Runner and the Sequoia for it to make sense. Keep in mind, pricing on the Sequoia itself has risen to where the Land Cruiser once was.
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Will Be Available In The US
At least the one thing we can rely on and be excited by is that the Toyota Land Cruiser is returning to America. The smart money will be on the new Land Cruiser based on the in-development 250 series — a Land Cruiser that will sit between the Toyota 4Runner and the Toyota Sequoia in terms of price. Going by what the most people want and need, a modern Land Cruiser 70 Series is more in demand than another Land Cruiser 300 Series-spinoff. And the new Land Cruiser Prado being developed should be exactly that, which should come to America minus the Prado name tag. Here’s hoping Toyota gets the return of the Land Cruiser to America right.
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