This story includes renders that are not affiliated with or endorsed by Toyota. Additionally, we have updated the article with the latest official teasers and information.
Toyota is ready to unveil the all-new 2024 Land Cruiser on August 1, marking the return of the iconic nameplate to the North American market after a short hiatus. The SUV will be a different model from the international market J300 that debuted in 2021, and is expected to receive the J250 codename, essentially serving as a replacement for the Prado (J150) in global markets.
The outgoing Land Cruiser Prado has been around largely unchanged since 2009 despite receiving two facelifts and numerous model year updates. Americans got their hands on the closely-related Lexus GX, which just went through its first full redesign in nearly 14 years, with the Toyota twin set to follow shortly after. A set of revealing official teasers confirm the close ties between the 2024 Lexus GX and the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, with the two SUVs sharing their underpinnings and silhouette.
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Illustrations Thanos Pappas for Carscoops
Historically, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and the Lexus GX have maintained close ties, not only in terms of their shared foundations but also in their exterior and interior designs. This has resulted in a case of extended rebadging, where the main differences were primarily limited to unique front ends and badges, while the body panels on the profile and most of the tail remained the same across previous generations. However, the fact that both the new SUVs will be available in the U.S. market prompted Toyota to invest in a greater styling differentiation.
Our speculative renderings are based on the Lexus GX adopting the Toyota-specific elements shown on the teasers. Those add a nostalgic note to the exterior, talking to the hearts of Land Cruiser fans and owners.
At the front, the rectangular headlights are mounted above a pair of intakes, evoking the style of the J60. The plastic grille extends to a black trim piece on the utilitarian bumper, also carrying the same old-school design and leading to a skid plate. The plastic cladding on the sides of the front bumper is more prominent than in the Lexus, integrating extra inlets while the sculpted body-colored parts of the bumper house the foglights. Finally, the bonnet is slightly different with the bumps fading away into the boxy nose.
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Toyota teased the new 2024 Land Cruiser with these official pictures
The profile appears to be shared between the sibling SUVs, likely with different wheels and minor changes on the trim. The tail however is another story as the Toyota gets a unique pair of vertically-stacked taillights instead of the Lexus‘ full-width treatment. The tailgate adopts Land Cruiser lettering while the rear glass is shared. Note that those details apply to the North American model as Toyota may use the Prado moniker for other markets in order to differentiate it from the J300.
Toyota has yet to show us the interior but judging from the Lexus it is safe to assume it will represent a significant step up compared to the previous generation. Toyota designers will likely add the latest bits of available technology including a fancy digital cockpit with a large infotainment display, while improving the quality of the materials. The SUV won’t come short of practicality either, offering a spacious cabin, quite possibly a three-row seven-seater layout, and a large boot, perfect for adventure-seekers.
Body-on-frame Underpinnings And Powertrain Options
The new Toyota Land Cruiser will utilize the TNGA-F body-on-frame architecture, which also serves as the foundation for the Toyota Sequoia, Tundra, and Land Cruiser J300, as well as the new Lexus GX and LX. In terms of size, the Land Cruiser J250 will be very close to the 197.04-inch (5,005 mm) long Lexus GX, something that creates a paradox, as it might end up being slightly larger than the 196.3-inch (4,985 mm) long Land Cruiser J300. In any case, it will still be considerably shorter than the Toyota Sequoia, which retains its status as the largest SUV offering from the brand, measuring 208.1 inches (5,286 mm) in length.
While Toyota has not commented on the powertrain options of the new Land Cruiser, leaked documents suggest that the SUV will be available with a trio of 4-cylinder engines – at least in global markets. The “1GD-FTV” is the 2.8-liter turbodiesel from the Hilux and the Fortuner and will likely be reserved for markets outside North America. The “TJA250” is believed to be a turbocharged 2.4-liter petrol from the Tacoma and the Kluger which could be a part of a hybrid setup. Finally, the “2TR-FE” is referring to a naturally aspirated 2.7-liter petrol unit, likely destined for entry-level models.
Interestingly, the twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6 engine of the 2024 Lexus GX which would normally be the most plausible candidate is missing from the list. Although this doesn’t mean it couldn’t be added later on, its omission could serve as an extra point of differentiation between the two SUVs, making the Land Cruiser a four-cylinder affair. What we do know for certain is that power in all variants will be routed to all four wheels via a standard 10-speed automatic transmission and a full-time 4WD system.
All of our questions will be answered on Tuesday, August 1, at the official world premiere of the Toyota Land Cruiser. We expect the first models to reach US dealers sometime in 2024, with more markets to follow. Until we lay eyes on the real thing, check out a few more speculative renderings from other sources that we believe are fairly accurate.
Illustration Khodrobank
