Toyota is celebrating their 60th anniversary in Canada this year it in a couple of big ways. Not only have they taken a lucky few of us across the country to celebrate the milestone, they have also re-introduced the Land Cruiser after a 35-year hiatus. It was one of the three models the company sold here when they first arrived in 1964, and now, we spent a week with the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser First Edition to understand just how far this humble company from Japan has come along.
The Toyota Land Cruiser come in two distinct styling flavours. The standard models feature more trendy and stylish rectangular LED headlights, while the base 1958 and this top-of-the-line First Edition tester throw it back to the ’60s with a pair of round halo headlights. The First Edition gets additional dress-up including skid plates, rock rails, mud flaps, and unique roof rack. The 18-inch wheels are also exclusive to the First Edition, which is limited to 5,000 units in all of North America—290 of which will be destined for Canada. Say what you will about retro-modern styling as a whole, the Land Cruiser looks great. It strikes the right balance between clean and striking; the amount of attention we received throughout our time with it confirms Toyota has indeed nailed the look.
Much like the purpose-built exterior, the Land Cruiser’s interior is designed with utility in mind. There is an abundance of buttons laid out over the feature-rich cabin and the materials feel premium for a Toyota product. The seats are heated and cooled, the heated steering wheel is ideal for when you are out on the trails in the fall, and the oversized buttons and knobs are big enough to be used with winter gloves. It seats five adults comfortably, and the 1,063-litre cargo hold can be considered generous even among hardcore outdoorsy types.
Powered by Toyota’s range-topping 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, the Land Cruiser puts out 326 horsepower and a very useful 465 pound-feet of torque. This new powertrain delivers usable torque basically from the get-go and keeps up the surge in all urban situations. Stepping on the throttle brings out the grunt we have come to love from Toyota trucks, and the switch to the turbocharged engine did not take away any of the charm from the brand’s tried-and-true V6 and V8 engines.
Max towing capacity is rated at 6,000 pounds—not bad at all from an engine with a smaller displacement than the Toyota RAV4. Fuel economy is rated at 10.7 L/100 km in the city, 9.5 on the highway, and 10.1 L/100 km combined, which is close to our observed number for the week. These are phenomenal figures for a full-sized SUV and more than make up for the premium-grade gasoline requirement.
Like the 4Runner, the Land Cruiser is made specifically with off-road capability in mind. Toyota spared no effort in equipping the Land Cruiser with their most advanced technologies such as Multi-Terrain Select, which optimizes traction for terrain such as sand, dirt, or mud. There is also an an advanced crawl control feature that allows the Land Cruiser to move at one of five pre-programmed speeds, thus freeing up the driver from having to modulate braking and acceleration, and only focus on steering in the trails. There is also an all-new front stabilizer bar disconnect feature that gives the Land Cruiser added flexibility to tackle tougher tracks.
One aspect that really surprised us with the Land Cruiser is how composed it feels even at highway speeds, which is a rare feat for a rugged body-on-frame truck like this. Road imperfections are nicely absorbed and we observed no sudden shudders behind the steering wheel. There is also great visibility thanks to the tall windows and commanding view, and Toyota’s latest Safety Sense 3.0 suite of safety and driver assists comes standard on all Land Cruisers.
Pricing starts at $69,290 for the base 1958 model, ranging up to $90,370 as-tested for this 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser First Edition tester. This price tag puts it in the upper echelon against other off-road capable SUVs such as the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler, but we think the Land Cruiser carries the extra appeal of a more refined package to justify the higher price. Plus, unless the exclusivity, utmost capability, or the round headlights from this First Edition model are absolute must-have, the standard Land Cruiser costs $10,000 less and packs just as much capability and style.
