2020 Expedition Max vs. 2020 Land Cruiser

[fran_swa]

I’ve been looking really hard at a 2020 Land Cruiser for next year but one of the things that has always bugged me for the price is the terrible gas mileage and somewhat dated interior.
For just a bit cheaper you can get a fully loaded 4x4 platinum or king ranch expedition.

i know with Toyota you’re also paying for the heritage and reliability, but the 4x4 expedition also comes with 2-spd transfer case, better gas mileage, arguably nicer interior and electronics.

what else should I be looking at in this comparison? I plan to test drive both. Fortunately for me there is a Ford and Toyota dealer literally next door to each other with both vehicles on the lot.

 

[phsycle]

I’ve been looking really hard at a 2020 Land Cruiser for next year but one of the things that has always bugged me for the price is the terrible gas mileage and somewhat dated interior.
For just a bit cheaper you can get a fully loaded 4x4 platinum or king ranch expedition.

i know with Toyota you’re also paying for the heritage and reliability, but the 4x4 expedition also comes with 2-spd transfer case, better gas mileage, arguably nicer interior and electronics.

what else should I be looking at in this comparison? I plan to test drive both. Fortunately for me there is a Ford and Toyota dealer literally next door to each other with both vehicles on the lot.

LC will be smaller. Much better suited for off-road ventures with vastly better aftermarket support.

Expedition won’t be as robust off road as the LC’s, but still can go on plenty of “High clearance 4x4” roads. Family trips will be more comfortable. Better power for towing.

So depends on your intended usage.

But the better comparison is the Expedition VS Sequoia.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

If you are planning on towing, the Expedition wins.

 

[fran_swa]

LC will be smaller. Much better suited for off-road ventures with vastly better aftermarket support.

Expedition won’t be as robust off road as the LC’s, but still can go on plenty of “High clearance 4x4” roads. Family trips will be more comfortable. Better power for towing.

So depends on your intended usage.

But the better comparison is the Expedition VS Sequoia.

Thanks.
No immediate plans to tow anything. Main use would be daily drive, road trips, camping with ability to sleep inside, and light off road fun.

If you are planning on towing, the Expedition wins.

No towing in immediate future.

 

[Halligan]

Thanks.
No immediate plans to tow anything. Main use would be daily drive, road trips, camping with ability to sleep inside, and light off road fun.

Appears the Expedition wins the day for your needs.

 

[fran_swa]

Appears the Expedition wins the day for your needs.

I’m not finding much in terms of expedition-specific forums; I’m not very knowledgeable of the expedition’s aftermarket in general. I also don’t see that the expedition has any sort of air suspension, so I’m wondering if there are lift options out there for the expedition to gain some ground clearance and put more aggressive AT tires.

 

[Oilbrnr]

What is your planned length of ownership? That Fords re-sale value is going to drop like a rock. In terms of quality of materials (everywhere, especially interior), mechanical reliability and off-road ability, you're kinda apples to oranges here.

 

[Todd780]

Personally, if it were me I'd pick the Land Cruiser. But, drive both and see which one you like better. Maybe look at the FX4 expedition. I think it's the off roady expedition...

 

[JakeH]

There are already aftermarket options for expedition, but I'm not sure they will ever reach the scale of LC's aftermarket support. Its for the same reason though, length of ownership. If you plan to keep a car the typical American way of 5-7 years or less, probably go Ford. If you plan to keep the truck 10 years or more, then 100% land cruiser. No turbos to replace, simpler drivetrain, less electronic gizmos, higher quality interior materials, etc.

 

[calicamper]

Lol funny I had a LC then switched to a 06 Sequoia for more room and better mileage/ range and better highway ability. And just bought a 2019 Expedition standard length.

I have a platinum all the silly special named packages are just a Limited trim with silly stuff like black trim or Texas crap stuck to them.

Lots of 2019’s still on the lots September was brutal for car sales especially the expensive rigs. I got $3200 below invoice which means I got a loaded Platinum with everything, heavy tow package etc for the price of a Limited.

Plus I got the 400hp only in the platinum

Lets not kid our selves anything beyond rough graded roads the big full sized rigs are too big for trail bashing. But they absolutely crush the ancient LC on mileage, technology, seating room and highway performance. Plus you can just tow a real trail rig if you must have a trail rig.

 

[calicamper]

8 yrs in the LC - 7 yrs in the Sequoia and I simply could not go Toyota again.

I have 700 miles on the Expedition now. Most of it lousy short trips carting kids around and I have a solid 18mpg tank. The Sequoia was 14-15mpg in this use pattern the LC was 12mpg. Friend has a 2017 LC and hes still getting 12mpg!!!!

The Expedition isn’t a offroad trail beast its a rough graded road vehicle. The LC is rough graded road with rocky ledges rig.

The Expedition absolutely crushes the Toyota options in on road use, seating, comfort, mileage, power, every day use its not even a comparison. It like comparing a 1980’s Datson 210 to a 2020 Honda Civic.

Outside of trail capability I honestly have zero idea why people even buy LCs in the US now.

 

[fran_swa]

Lol funny I had a LC then switched to a 06 Sequoia for more room and better mileage/ range and better highway ability. And just bought a 2019 Expedition standard length.

I have a platinum all the silly special named packages are just a Limited trim with silly stuff like black trim or Texas crap stuck to them.

Lots of 2019’s still on the lots September was brutal for car sales especially the expensive rigs. I got $3200 below invoice which means I got a loaded Platinum with everything, heavy tow package etc for the price of a Limited.

Plus I got the 400hp only in the platinum

Lets not kid our selves anything beyond rough graded roads the big full sized rigs are too big for trail bashing. But they absolutely crush the ancient LC on mileage, technology, seating room and highway performance. Plus you can just tow a real trail rig if you must have a trail rig.

Thanks for the reply. Does add a layer of consideration to my thoughts.

 

[calicamper]

My choices for remote US National Park trips were Domestics and Toyota for the dealer network. Break down in Moab all three GM, Ford Toyota can get fixed.

You won’t be sleeping in the back of a LC!! Too short and cramped been there done that and one of the reasons I switched to a Sequoia.

Sequoia was nice but today buying new the Sequoia is ancient news, lousy mileage, lousy power, still a $60k rig? No thanks

The old ie sold rear axle Yukon/Tahoe is dated too wasn’t super impressed but liked the Engines and transmissions solid stuff decent mileage nice driver.

New Expedition as of 2017 one 10 minute tour playing with seating arrangements and looking at space its in a whole different class. No comparison

Mileage and tech its current. Drives nice turning radius is shockingly impressive.

For new rigs it was the clear choice.

Used? Get a 4 yr old Sequoia

 

[calicamper]

The expedition max is 20inches longer than the “Expedition” just like the Yukon vs the Yukon XL both are massively long super tankers they are not off road rigs beyond graded maintained roads. Tight parking lots? Lol good luck

The standard length rigs are much easier to live with every day. Tighter turning radius etc.

The 360 camera in the Expedition is great.
The driving modes thing I always saw them as a gimmick but the Expedition they actually have a very clear impact on driving dynamics especially with the 10spd and 400hp. Eco mode is an easy relaxed around town throttle response nice for tight parking and busy roads.

Sport mode in a giant SUV seems stupid but it does really change the beast best description the angry over caffeinated road rager soccer moms probably use sport mode 24/7 lol.

 

[calicamper]

When my silly 22’s wear out I’m probably going to find a set of 18’s from the XLT and put normal truck tires on it. Though I will say these 22’s the tires are pretty decent just wrong for any off pavement use.

The expedition does have active suspension but its not like typical 4x4 stuff where you can boost height etc. its more focused on load control etc. The front tire vs air dam placement makes the dragging the low air dam a low probability Ford really shoved the front wheels to the corners it’s actually a bit crazy how far forward they placed them vs how short the nose is on the truck.

There are basic lifts typical hockey puck under the strut lifts but I’ve never been into that stuff. If my vehicle in stock mode isn’t able to do what I want it’s clearly the wrong vehicle. No reason to try and fit a square peg in a round hole by filing corners lol. Just get a round peg