► All-new version of Toyota Land Cruiser
► Plenty of retro charm for tough new 4×4
► New body-on-frame GA-F platform
You’re looking at an all-electric version of the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, soon to be exhibited at the Tokyo mobility show. The new seven-seat BEV, called the Land Cruiser Se, will be shown alongside at least three other Toyota concepts, including a pickup, sporty electric concept and a practical compact e-SUV.
Anything else?
Details about the new Land Cruiser are thin on the ground now, but Toyota has at least released several pictures of the new concept.
Although it features a similarly blocky design to the two ICE-powered variants already shown, the new BEV Land Cruiser has a few differences that set it apart from the previous two cars: As you’d expect from an electric car with lower cooling demands, the Land Cruiser Se features a smoother, closed-off front end – probably making it more efficient through the air than the standard car.
The Land Cruiser Se will also benefit from the low-end power and high-torque of a BEV, making it more suited to off-road driving. At the same time, a quieter powertrain should also make the cabin more refined when on the road.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about the standard car.
The new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: all you need to know
The new Land Cruiser is described as all-new and 4×4 enthusiasts will be relieved to hear it’s not dropping any of its rough ‘n’ tough credentials or veering on-road. UK order books open this autumn, ahead of first deliveries in the first half of 2024.
It’s one of the world’s most successful nameplates, Toyota claiming 11.3 million sales since the first Toyota BJ-generation model launched in 1951.
The new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: a touch of retro style?
The brand has dipped into its long archive and turned up the nostalgia for its newcomer, as it has displayed the new 2024 Land Cruiser alongside a classic FJ62 from the 1980s. An earlier teaser shot issued in July showed a snapshot of the new vehicle revealing the inspiration for its square headlights, chunky grille and snub front nose (see below).
Despite the nostalgic style, the new Toyota Land Cruiser is bang up to date in the engineering department. The big news here is the adoption of the group’s global GA-F platform, which means the 4×4 leapfrogs the older architecture to bring niceties such as electric power steering and a new anti-roll bar system that can disconnect fully for better wheel articulation off-road.
These two innovations neatly summarise the engineering objectives of the 2024 Land Cruiser: to save fuel and economise, but also to ace the off-roading requirements of some of the world’s harshest environments. This car has become synonymous with use by agricultural workers, equine enthusiasts and those needing a car for all seasons and all terrains.
New 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser: what to expect
The GA-F platform brings a much stiffer base upon which to hang the drivetrain. Like the J150 hardware before it, this is a classic body-on-frame construction, so safari game park owners can rest easy. Toyota has not gone soft this time. It claims the frame is 50% more rigid, making it perfect for driving on dusty tracks and off road.
A range of powertrains will be offered in the new Land Cruiser, but European buyers will be restricted to the 2.8-litre turbodiesel. We don’t yet have the full specs, but we do know it will produce 201bhp and Toyota promises it will tow up to 3500kg. It knows its target market well.
An eight-speed automatic will be the only transmission choice. A year or so after launch, in early 2025, this diesel will be mated to a 48-volt mild hybrid system to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
A retro refit: the design story
The 2024 Land Cruiser is a big car: dimensions stretch to 4920mm long, 1980mm wide and 1870mm high. Note the shorter, stubby overhangs to retain decent departure and ramp angles when offroading.
‘Tradition has been blended with modernity to create a timeless look that expresses the vehicle’s ability to withstand harsh conditions,’ says the promotional blurb at launch. ‘The styling also captures the functional beauty that’s found in the best professional tools.’
It certainly identifies as a Land Cruiser; this is still a boxy, no-nonsense 4×4, with just enough retro charm to give it a bit of an edge. To these eyes, it’s not as cutesy as a bigger Jimny and nor is it as try-hard as the over-styled Defender.
Toyota Land Cruiser interior
The new cabin can be specified with five or seven seats. Toyota claims the instruments and switchgear are designed to be operated even when traversing rough terrain.
This is a roomy car and the first interior photograph confirms a mix of physical switchgear alongside the latest digital niceties; the digital screen will show off-roaders the activity of differentials and traction control systems when plugging through the mud.
The first Land Cruiser to arrive here will be the First Edition model, of which only 3000 examples will be sold. It comes with classic round headlights and two-tone paintwork available in Sand and Smoky Blue (see below). When they’ve run out, chunky rectangular lights will be order of the day.
No word yet on pricing: expect the new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser to soar comfortably past the £50k threshold. It can’t come soon enough: Toyota’s UK website says the model is off-sale owing to ‘unprecedented demand.’