Review: The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser First Edition is not what you’re expecting

Now that the hype has died down, I finally got some time with the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. As a former 100-series Land Cruiser owner, I was very, very interested in how the week of testing would go. Spoiler alert: It was OK, but a little disappointing. I admit, I’m a little heartbroken. 

Few vehicle nameplates evoke feelings of off-road adventure like the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the 2024 Land Cruiser First Edition marks the return of the storied nameplate to North America after a few years in hibernation. With a condensed size, eye-catching styling, modern tech and a renewed dedication to off-road capability, could the new LC live up to the legendary reputation of its predecessors? It's certainly a tall order. 

As a Land Cruiser fan and former owner, here are some of my main takeaways about the new Land Cruiser after spending a week with it.

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Photo credit: Toyota Newsroom

It looks amazing

Hands down, one of the best and coolest features of the new Land Cruiser is how it looks, especially in its First Edition guise. This thing looks sharp. The proportions are excellent and the styling is spot on. It hearkens to LCs of the past but also carves a fresh way forward for the nameplate. It’s tall and narrow and an agile monster on the trails.

Curiously, it visually appears to be about the same size as a fifth-generation 4Runner, which makes me curious to see how the forthcoming sixth-generation 4Runner will compare to this Land Cruiser. 

It’s very capable off-road

Off-road is where the new Land Cruiser really shines. Built on Toyota’s TNGA-F platform, which also serves the new 4Runner,  Lexus LX600 and GX550, the new Cruiser is built from the ground up with adventures in mind. The larger off-road Toyotas also utilize versions of the TNGA platform. The Land Cruiser boasts impressive ground clearance and all the off-road essential approach, departure and breakover angles. The First Edition includes a front skid plate, rock rails and all-terrain tires on retro-inspired wheels.

It’s also equipped with all the tech and gear necessary for the hardest trails. Some of these include full-time four-wheel drive, locking rear and center differentials, a stabilizer disconnect mechanism, multi-terrain select, crawl control and downhill assist control.

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Photo credit: Toyota Newsroom

The seating position is excellent

One of my favorite things about the new Land Cruiser is how easy it is to drive, and a lot of that comes from its commanding seating position. With large, rectangular glass all around, it’s easy to see out and gives you a real “king of the road” feeling.

It's not so big that it’s difficult to park, making it just as friendly in Costco parking lots as your neighbor’s Honda Civic. Along with the excellent seating position is a dash and button layout that is ergonomically positioned, with large knobs and buttons for the most frequently used settings and features. 

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The powertrain is a mixed bag

Under the hood, the 2024 Land Cruiser swaps out the naturally aspirated, bomb proof V8s of yore for a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder hybrid powertrain, delivering 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. This complex motor is coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission and Toyota’s full-time four-wheel drive system, complete with locking differentials and low-range gearing. It’s essentially the same motor as what’s in the new Tacoma. 

On the road, I was surprised at how ill-matched this powertrain felt at times to the Land Cruiser’s attitude. It's whiny and noisy, and while it can deliver decent torque, there are times when you can feel it working hard to do what it does.

Photo credit: Toyota Newsroom

Additionally, the fuel economy was disappointing. Don’t let the estimates fool you. During our week of combined testing, we averaged 17 mpg — lower than what I used to get in my V6-powered fifth-generation 4Runner.

The estimates for the new Land Cruiser are 23 mpg combined and 25 on the highway. I never achieved anywhere close to that, which has me scratching my head regarding the purpose of the hybrid, turbocharged 4-cylinder. Why not just give us a more powerful V6? Sadly, this poor fuel economy also means you’ll eke out just over 300 miles between fill-ups. In our testing, we got less than 300 miles on the tank.

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On-road drivability is lacking

I have owned a Land Cruiser and two TRD Pro 4Runners. I loved those rigs and still miss my 2022 Lime Rush 4Runner. That said, I was shocked at how rattled and unsettled the new Land Cruiser felt on the road. Somehow, the buttoned-down confidence from my 4Runner is gone in the new Land Cruiser, which again left me scratching my head. Some really nice Fox shocks would go a long way in settling down the ride, as would some larger, thicker side-walled tires. 

Small, cheap interior

Among the most disappointing aspects of the new Land Cruiser was the interior space, especially for the driver. I am not a large person. I am an average height and weight, but I found the front space to be tight. There’s very little knee room, and it’s pretty slim on the shoulder room as well.

The headroom is good, but if you are looking for a nice, spacious place to spend time, keep looking. The rear seat was decently spacious, but really the Land Cruiser is best considered as a four-seater. Our two young children had adequate space back there, but three would be tight. 

Photo credit: Toyota Newsroom

Unfortunately, the motor’s hybrid components ate up some cargo space, resulting in a higher-than-expected load floor. There’s still quite a bit of space for cargo, but it’s not quite as much as you’d expect or as easy to access. 

Lastly, the interior feels cheap. The plastics and materials feel flimsy and they like to rattle — a quality I’ve noticed in other modern Toyota trucks as well. Don’t get me wrong, the interior looks good, but the quality seems to be lacking — especially when you see the price tag.

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Electronics are overkill

This is a minor nitpick, but a theme that I’ve noticed after driving so many of the modern Toyota trucks is just how beepy and chimey they are with their tech and monitoring systems. It seems there’s always some new message on the digital gauge cluster, or some warning chiding my driving. I’m a pretty decent driver, but these messages grow tiring nonetheless. 

It’s so expensive

Perhaps the biggest deal-breaker of the new Land Cruiser is the price. It’s so expensive when loaded up. Our First Edition tester, which really didn’t feel like anything lavish or luxurious, priced out just shy of $77,000. That honestly is egregious. My 2022 4Runner TRD Pro, which in many ways felt like a better vehicle than this, cost less than $57,000 — $20,000 less than the new Land Cruiser. Where is that extra $20,000? I don’t know. Maybe it's in the hybrid, turbocharged engine? Perhaps, but still, $20,000 more expensive than a 5th gen TRD Pro 4Runner?

So yeah, $77,000. Woof. 

Final thoughts

The new Land Cruiser First Edition is a mixed bag. It delivers on modern tech, off-road capability and sharp looks, but it falls short in some key areas that have defined the Land Cruiser’s legendary status: interior space, material quality and a bulletproof sense of durability. 

For fans of the Land Cruiser nameplate, it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re in love with the retro-inspired design and hybrid powertrain. However, for those who’ve experienced the glory of the older Land Cruiser generations, the new Land Cruiser might feel like a bit of a step down rather than a huge leap forward.

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Photo credit: Toyota Newsroom

Highs

• Rugged and retro good looks

• Capable off-road

• Easy to drive with an excellent seating position

Lows

• High price

• Smaller than expected interior

• Flimsy interior materials

• Inefficient, complex engine

FAQs

Is the new Land Cruiser good for families? 

For smaller families, yes. For larger families or for families with larger children, probably not. 

Is it fun to drive? 

Definitely. But some of the competition might offer more fun for far less money. 

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.