2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Returns as a Hybrid With a $30K Price Cut
The retro icon gets its first revamp since 2021, and is set to hit US dealers in spring 2024 with a shockingly steep price cut.
Toyota’s next-gen Land Cruiser is a hybrid set to launch in spring 2024 with a much lower price.
“Since its introduction in the US market in 1958, the Land Cruiser evolved over the years,” Toyota says. “Now, Land Cruiser stays true to its heritage, returning as a high-quality off-roader at a more accessible price point that will take a wider range of customers on numerous backcountry adventures across the globe.”
Toyota says the new Land Cruiser will be priced “in the mid-$50,000 range and be announced closer to its on-sale date.” That’s almost $30,000 cheaper than the 2021 Land Cruiser, which had a starting price of over $85,000.
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The 2024 Land Cruiser, however, doesn’t claim to be a direct successor to the 2021 model, which was more of a luxury SUV. The new version is slightly smaller; 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter for “more off-road prowess,” Toyota says. It seats up to five, while the 2021 version could accommodate up to eight, according to Kelley Blue Book.
The vehicle will feature Toyota’s newly designed dash screen with updated connectivity, including over-the-air updates. A suite of self-driving assists will apply light braking and steering when appropriate.
A new hybrid powertrain should improve the 2021 model’s dismal 14mpg fuel efficiency, but Toyota says it will reveal the 2024 model’s miles-per-gallon closer to its launch date. Hybrids are usually just as expensive as gas-powered vehicles or more, making the price drop even more notable. Toyota still hopes to enjoy a big margin on the 2024 Land Cruiser, Reuters reports, as is common with larger SUVs.
The choice to launch the vehicle as a hybrid, not an electric vehicle, may draw criticism from those who believe the brand is not moving quickly enough on EVs. Toyota only offers one EV currently, the bZ4X, and has not shared any information on possible future models, even after re-organizing the company to focus on EVs in February 2023.
The bZ stands for “beyond zero” and the 2024 Land Rover will wear that same beyond zero badge, Toyota says. For now, it seems the brand is still prioritizing its hybrid comfort zone with a little retro design sprinkled in for the fans.
Originally published on PCMag.com
