2024 North American Land Cruiser

Thought I'd start a thread to discuss the upcoming re-release of the LC in the USA / Canada. There is some good info becoming available as some dealers are starting to be a little more open to discussing the info they have. Full disclosure, I'm not a Toyota dealer. Here's what I've gathered so far from discussions with people that I know.

1- Canadian dealers were shown the actual vehicle before Xmas in the Toronto during a Toyota Canada dealer meeting. They had the opportunity to see the exterior and briefly sit in it. Cell phones and cameras were collected at the entry to prevent leaked photos.
2- Initial launch in Canada will be two trim models, both off-road focused, and will hit dealers by Nov/Dec '23.
3- The vehicle was best described as very similar in size and shape to the LX600, but with a beefier off-road appearance, and obviously missing the Lexus focus on luxury. This was a common description / comparison and it's because Canadian / American dealers aren't that familiar with the LC300 and can only compare to what they've seen (LX600).
4- The vehicle will slot in at approximately the same price range as the lower / middle trims of the Sequoia, and be a 5 seater. They will be more expensive than the existing 4Runner, including the 4R TRD Pro.
5- Doesn't appear to be a new Prado model, as that has already been seen in Japan and does not share the resemblance to the LC300 / LX600.

Separately, some news on the new 4Runner. It is extremely likely, as it is very much a North America only model, that it will change to share a platform with the new Tacoma, and move away from being the primary off-road focussed mid-sized SUV in the Toyota lineup, with the LC300-esque Land Cruiser taking that role.

Anyway, that's what I know at this time. Inviting others to post good info please. Lets not make this a discussion of "this vs that", let's just post the info we gather from speaking to Toyota dealers that are avid fans of the Land Cruiser and can't wait to support the re-introduction of this timeless nameplate to North America!

 

Following. Bought my first Cruiser, an LX, recently. I'm just beyond impressed with it. It is arguably a better tow vehicle for certain situations than a half ton truck. Full time 4wd with unlocked Low range and a 4300lb rear axle. All your boat ramps are belong to me. Lol.

Is this going to be two new NA-specific trims of the same LC300 the rest of the world gets? Or will it be a new model entirely?

5-seater is kind of a bummer. It would be nice to have a 3-row body-on-frame Toyota without a hybrid battery that ruins the cargo area.

I'm wondering if these previously MIJ 4runner and LC will stay that way or if they'll be built here.

 

I seen a LC the other day and I think I may have one in my future

 

Curious to if it will have the v6 or the not. Rumor is the taco and 4runner will have the 4 only.

Wish they would redo the 40 as a Jeep/Bronco competitor. My trail rig is a HDJ81, I love it. I still don't get why Toyota left offroad roots for luxury with the 100/200.

 

Overseas friends report that LC300 is plagued with electric gremlins after Toyota decided to switch to a cheaper copper plated aluminum wires. Being stranded in wilderness because of undetectable crack in aluminum wire is a wonderful experience.

 

What I was told is that there will be multiple trims offered after the 1st year release of the two trims. The names will be aligned with existing NA models to facilitate customer recognition of trims (SR, SR5, Premium, Limited, Off-Road etc) vs the international / global trims for the LC300 (GX, GXL etc). The global top trim for the LC300 is the GR Sport(Gazoo Racing) and sits above the GXL.

I anticipate the first two trims for NA will be the Off-Road Premium and GR Sport, with the GR Sport version being the "TRD Pro" which may or may not be the nomenclature used.

The LC will have the 3.4L TT engine (non hybrid) to start. The non-hybrid is a requirement because the LC will come with the same 4WD system of the LC300 / LX600 which is fulltime 4WD with a locking centre diff and optional rear and front lockers (all three are standard on the GR Sport, not available on the Lexus product).

There will likely be trims that offer the 3rd row, but as you know, the LC300 and LX600 don't really have a useable 3rd row for anything other the the smallest children, and then there is no cargo room behind the 3rd row. Time will tell.

The LC will continue to only be built in Japan.

 

I really want to pick up a 4R before they move on to a turbo 4 cylinder.
I'm betting it won't be made in Japan if it shares the same platform with the Taco..

 

I spoke to my dealer in November and the response was "TFL Truck will know before we do". (which I should probably watch their videos on it)

Can you share more about what you learned of non-hybrid?

 

If you're referring to the 6th Gen 4R, it'll have the I4 2.4L Turbo and Hybrid versions. The Land Cruiser will have the 3.44L Twin turbo non-hybrid.

 

The non-hybrid is actually a requirement due to the fulltime 4WD powertrain that's in the LC300 and LX600 with lockable centre diff. The current hybrid setup for the 3.44L TT, with the hybrid section sitting between the engine and transmission / transfer case is troublesome for the installation of the TORSEN centre diff.

 

If the 6th gen 4Runner continues to be based on the Prado / LC Prado platform, then production will likely remain at the Tahara plant in Japan. If it shifts to align fully with the new Tacoma (frame and powertrain) then most likely it'll move to Mexico, where the Tacoma is and will continue to be built.

 

Talk dirty to me - would absolutely love a refresh of the FJ40 as a short wheelbase, off-road focused vehicle... so much so that if they don't ever remake it, I'm going to have to buy/restore one myself one day.

Edit: the only problem is finding one that isn't just a beat to shit & back import from South America.

 

Gotcha - makes sense. Are you hearing it's the same 409 hp as the global truck? I know that diesel is highly unlikely in Canada, but I can still dream.

 

I'm hearing detuned to 348hp.

 

Ouch. That’s not much power for such a heavy vehicle and considerably less than the 5.7.

 

I had a 79 BJ40 and an 84 BJ42. The 84 was one of the last 100 ever made - 5 speed, power steering, diesel and purchased new in Canada. They were special to the point where a new model won’t be able to recreate the magic. Restoring is the only way to live it again.

 

Great information! thanks for sharing. following

 

Sorry, the 348hp is the mentioned number for the Prado / GX550. The V6 Petrol (Gas) in the LC300 is 409hp. I'd suspect that is the version that would be in the LC300 that comes here. My bad.

 

That's what would make sense for Toyota. With the Sequoia only available with the hybrid, the 409hp non-hybrid version in the LC would fit in nicely below that.

 

I would seriously consider putting a deposit on a LC with a non-hybrid turbo that makes >400hp and has a >8k towing capacity.

 

I was under the impression that the LC300 was just a shorter sequoia but shared most of the architecture. Kind of like a suburban vs a Tahoe, or an expedition XL vs an.. expedition (gee, how original, Ford). I mean, most of the 2023 sequoia speculation and early info was gleaned from the global LC300 release, with the understanding that it would be a stretched platform to accommodate 3 rows of seats.

As to the power train, the torsen differential equipped transfer case in the gen2 sequoia is only ~1.5” longer than the gen2 tundra transfer case. And it has selectable 2wd, unlike the Land Cruisers of yesteryear. I understand that the 10 speed transmission is likely longer than the outgoing 6 speed, but that additional space requirement to fit a torsen equipped T case with the hybrid model should, IMO, be a non- issue. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall the full time 4wd cases in land cruisers being any bigger than the part time cases in tundras. @ViktorG ? It’s not like we are asking for a fullsize bronco/blazer wheelbase. Or maybe we are?

How different does Toyota really plan to make this LC than the worldwide released LC300? Besides eliminating the diesel option and putting the steering wheel on the correct side I would think that they share as much of the architecture as possible with the existing design. I would also think that the non-hybrid v6TT be the base option and the hybrid optional - like the tundra.

 

This sounds like the Land Cruiser that Toyota should have been offering all along.

Now I will provide my predictions based on Toyota’s recent product launches. Listed from most likely to least likely:

1.) Toyota will not offer a new Land Cruiser in the United States, and probably not in North America. The dealers got to see it rumor is most likely made up nonsense.

2.) If a Land Cruiser is offered Toyota will royally botch it. It will not have full time 4 wheel drive. It will only be offered with a 2.4L I4 turbo, or a hybrid with a stupid battery that ruins interior storage space like the Sequoia and Tundra. Performance will be glacially slow and frustrating. It will have approach and departure angles that suck, and less ground clearance than a Subaru station wagon. There will be no meaningful off road package offered and it will come with 22” wheels with highway tires, and the wheels will be a bolt pattern and size that no one makes real tires for and no one offers aftermarket alternatives for.

3.) Toyota brings the new Land Cruiser. They don’t screw up the product, but they screw up the marketing and sales strategy like the GR Corolla. In other words offer so few of them no one can actually get one without paying $20-$30K over sticker, thus defeating the point.

4.) Least likely (winning lottery ticket unlikely) Toyota brings the described vehicle here and sells it at a reasonable cost, and makes it readily available without artificial limits on production.

We know they won’t do this because all their new products outside of the GR Corolla are compromised and half assed. When they don’t half ass the product they decide to build 6 of them for the world and everyone is pissed off because of it.

 

Even if it does only come with 348hp, I bet it feels stronger than the 5.7L. 405 torque at 2000 rpm will do that. And really, how much time are you spending with your 5.7L at 5600 rpm making 381 hp? even at 6500' of elevation, my 3.5L Ecoboost in my 6500 lb F150 on 35's rarely needs to get above 3000 rpm. It scoots. Even towing a 5500 lb travel trailer it really spends minimal time above 3k, and almost never hits 4k.

 

Yeah but reliability trumps everything ever.

I was watching a Munro Live youtube video the other day where they talked about some of the major MFG's(VW, GM, Stellantis, Ford, etc) and they were pretty critical of Toyota. They basically said they think they have made some poor decisions, but due to the culture in Japan they will do anything to save face and pretend like nothing is wrong unless they can somehow change leadership.

 

I agree with this just based on my experience towing my 5500 lb travel trailer with my GX. There are places where I think the GX actually pulls better than my 157" wheelbase F150. Certainly on twist mountain road it really seems to be more stable. I think the beefy KDSS sway bars help there. Out in the open with crosswinds doing 65-70mph(if the GX can get there) is where the F150 has a distinct advantage. its like a rock.

And yeah the unlocked low range is great.

If my GX had some more power and another 6-7 gallons of fuel capacity I would be very happy with it. Thats why I really like the 200 series. You get the extra 80hp and 70 ft-lbs and a little extra fuel(although not enough).

 

Great thread, and WILDLY interested in the North American LC if it truly is a 5 seater, non-hybrid 3.4TT, fold flat cargo, full time 4H, and slots between the 4R and Sequoia. Basically a more beefy and stripped down LX600. Perfect vehicle for my needs.

 

Same. They will have my money if its reasonably priced for sure. Cloth seats, no sunroof, etc is totally fine with me.

I wouldnt mind if they had a 3rd row option like whats in the 200 series. Flip up to the side and can be removed in like 10 minutes.

 

The 2024* Land Cruiser is supposed to go on sale in USA around exactly 365 days from now, per what is official insight passed onto me. Whether that holds through, remains to be seen. The GX 550 is apparently something quite special, from what I heard about 2 years ago, after they first showed it on stage, February 10, 2021. Outgoing GX meets G-Class and Defender 110/130. The badging on the rear doesn't have the signature L enclosed circle insignia, but instead L E X U S on the rear. All redesigns have been adopting this since 2021, with the 2022 NX and 2022 LX 600. It will be in dealers by this Christmas, while the Land Cruiser is "Easter 2024", delayed 3 months from original December launch date recently.

I'm not sure about the supposed kinship to Land Cruiser 300, because that model is apparently not coming here at all and the Land Cruiser basis is strictly a derivative of the new Land Cruiser Prado. I was generously sent a Japanese rendering by a longtime chat contact via PM, but I want to get their permission, if they paid for it.

For some weird reason Japanese media keep referring to the FJ Cruiser, while Toyota recently shared on both their IG and FB, the 1999 Retro Cruiser Concept. Doesn't make sense to me, if this is supposed to be more a retro interpretation of the 70-Series or however you name it. Seems to be conflicting accounts on this vehicle, because Americans refer more to the retro and boxy nature of it. While Canadians keep likening it to something more sedate w/off-road capability. I highly doubt two different models are being offered under the same nameplate at TMNA, so something I guess will show itself come this summer hopefully.

 

A land cruiser prado doesnt excite me that much unless they are gunna put a 3.4L in it for some reason, which I seriously doubt.

 

I would love to have a new LC or updated 4Runner. They are both going to be very expensive! LC will cost more than the current Sequoia. Think $80k plus…