The Toyota Land Cruiser Is Coming Back To America

K9LTW

Active member
I don't recall hearing that....but looking at the photos on IH8MUD - the rear axles looked to me to be the same size between the LX600 and the GX550.
This is from their global website's newsroom, but is pretty much the verbiage used in the presentation...basically they're coming right out and saying that North America is getting the Prado. I don't see it as good or bad...it just is. And it's definitely high on our possible purchase list! It doesn't surprise me at all that the underpinnings would be shared with the GX. It IS the same platform after all. And that's all a good thing, IMO.


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Tex68w

Beach Bum
Another article with more pics:


@Tex68w when are you getting yours? lol

I wonder if this one will come to Canada since we haven't had a Land Cruiser here since the 80 series?

We will most likely be getting the Lexus GX550 Over Trail in a few years, probably trade in the current GX460 for one. Gotta let the hype and markups die down as well as let them work out the first year issues. Not interested in the new neutered "Land Cruiser" Prado, I'll take the better power plant in the GX please.
 

nickw

Adventurer
This is from their global website's newsroom, but is pretty much the verbiage used in the presentation...basically they're coming right out and saying that North America is getting the Prado. I don't see it as good or bad...it just is. And it's definitely high on our possible purchase list! It doesn't surprise me at all that the underpinnings would be shared with the GX. It IS the same platform after all. And that's all a good thing, IMO.


View attachment 789996
That is a lot of marketing jargon, that's painful to read.

I don't care per-se, but the enthusiast piece of Landcruisers exists because they are different, built to a higher standard and use unique pieces engineered for specific purpose.....it's too bad that is not the case anymore.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
That is a lot of marketing jargon, that's painful to read.

I don't care per-se, but the enthusiast piece of Landcruisers exists because they are different, built to a higher standard and use unique pieces engineered for specific purpose.....it's too bad that is not the case anymore.

I couldn't agree more.

They stripped down the GX550, put a smaller power plant in it, dropped the Prado name tag and gave us what was left and then call it a replacement for the Land Cruiser as we know it. The Land Cruiser is the 300 Series (the 70 Series is also a LC but in a very different way), cousins to the current LX600, not a Prado without the name. I know they have been doing this in Russia and a few other countries for a while but as a Land Cruiser enthusiast I find it insulting. I am sure they will sell simply because of the price point in comparison to the GX, but the raised cargo area for the battery, no third row and 4 cylinder power plant kill it for a lot of us, myself included.
 

nickw

Adventurer
I couldn't agree more.

They stripped down the GX550, put a smaller power plant in it, dropped the Prado name tag and gave us what was left and then call it a replacement for the Land Cruiser as we know it. The Land Cruiser is the 300 Series (the 70 Series is also a LC but in a very different way), cousins to the current LX600, not a Prado without the name. I know they have been doing this in Russia and a few other countries for a while but as a Land Cruiser enthusiast I find it insulting. I am sure they will sell simply because of the price point in comparison to the GX, but the raised cargo area for the battery, no third row and 4 cylinder power plant kill it for a lot of us, myself included.
Toyota needs to tread very very carefully IMO, enthusiasts drive the legacy, LC are what they are in the US because of enthusiasts, they don't want to step on those toes and need to respect that relationship. It keeps prices up, drives forums sections like on Expo and IH8MUD, drives aftermarket, social media enthusiasm, etc....you lose or water that down, those thing start getting diluted and IMO (as an underqualified market analyst) you lose what the name stood for. If I was in that Toyota board room I would of fought tooth and nail to keep the drivetrain in line with other HD options....even if it wasn't needed, even if it didn't really make a huge difference in performance, the perception is the key IMO. I saw this on IH8MUD the other day, LX vs GX tie rod ends.....this is the stuff that gets most enthusiasts excited:

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Tex68w

Beach Bum
Toyota needs to tread very very carefully IMO, enthusiasts drive the legacy, LC are what they are in the US because of enthusiasts, they don't want to step on those toes and need to respect that relationship. It keeps prices up, drives forums sections like on Expo and IH8MUD, drives aftermarket, social media enthusiasm, etc....you lose or water that down, those thing start getting diluted and IMO (as an underqualified market analyst) you lose what the name stood for. If I was in that Toyota board room I would of fought tooth and nail to keep the drivetrain in line with other HD options....even if it wasn't needed, even if it didn't really make a huge difference in performance, the perception is the key IMO. I saw this on IH8MUD the other day, LX vs GX tie rod ends.....this is the stuff that gets most enthusiasts excited:

View attachment 790004

Yea, it's a bummer. We were planning for the 300 Series Land Cruiser to come out here in 2022 and we would have added one to stable immediately but all they gave us was the LX600 and we just aren't fans. Our 2020 Land Cruiser just went on down the road, it was a sad day but I am ready for something fresh, looks like we will have to settle for the new GX instead.
 

nickw

Adventurer
Yea, it's a bummer. We were planning for the 300 Series Land Cruiser to come out here in 2022 and we would have added one to stable immediately but all they gave us was the LX600 and we just aren't fans. Our 2020 Land Cruiser just went on down the road, it was a sad day but I am ready for something fresh, looks like we will have to settle for the new GX instead.
Why not just get a clean low mile 2022?

Something else I thought about from an enthusiast perspective is a more subvert position from Toyota....all the new rigs are (apparently) based on a common platform, why not make the attachment points the same so GX/LC250 folks can upgrade to the HD stuff when the time comes? Allow fitment of HD parts or sell them aftermarket, sim to what Ford did with the Bronco.....D60 and D44 front diff drop in replacements from Dana. You keep the enthusiasts engaged and promote an extensive OEM aftermarket much in the same way the older rigs can be updated to FF axles, H55 trans, modern split cases, etc.

You could buy a GX/LC250 and when the time comes buy a 9.5" rear diff for drop in replacement....that would be cool.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
Why not just get a clean low mile 2022?

Something else I thought about from an enthusiast perspective is a more subvert position from Toyota....all the new rigs are (apparently) based on a common platform, why not make the attachment points the same so GX/LC250 folks can upgrade to the HD stuff when the time comes? Allow fitment of HD parts or sell them aftermarket, sim to what Ford did with the Bronco.....D60 and D44 front diff drop in replacements from Dana. You keep the enthusiasts engaged and promote an extensive OEM aftermarket much in the same way the older rigs can be updated to FF axles, H55 trans, modern split cases, etc.

You could buy a GX/LC250 and when the time comes buy a 9.5" rear diff for drop in replacement....that would be cool.


2021 was the last year of the 200 Series here in the states, we just sold our 2020. A few pics from its last trip in Colorado a week or so back.

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AggieOE

Trying to escape the city
Are you girls really discussing MPG? Really? Range, maybe, but actual MPG? It's too late for pearl clutching! The earth is dead. The heat we're seeing now is from Pittsburgh pollution in 1982, we haven't even gotten to the industrial revolution of china yet. We done messed up, we're all dead, toss a HiPo 2fe and h55f in there and party like youre on the Titanic Dance floor.

This mentality is on par with: "Back in my day we earned $1 per hour and we were happy about it. Now these new workers demand more than $2 per hour? What a bunch of girls!"
I assume your vehicle of choice is an ox with a wagon due to its boxy shape and lack of electronics.

This isn't just a point of increased efficiency and reduced emissions, it's a cost savings.
On a 6,700-mile trip (which I and many have done in one stint) at $3/gal, going from 11.5mpg, as @DaveNay noted, to 27mpg would save $1,000.

Ha! Only girls like to save money.
 

nickw

Adventurer
So apparently I am out of the loop, is the new Tacoma getting the 9.5" rear diff the cruisers used to get? There are some rumors they are, that would surprise me since even a F150 which has much more payload, heavier and tows more has a 8.8" one stock with the Max Payload getting a 9.75".

Any intel on this or what size the front Diff is?
 

SkiWill

Well-known member
Wonder if towing is decreased due to added battery weight or the vehicle not being built as robust? It does concern me towing is down....it kinda points to it being less Landcruiser and more Prado.
It's because it's a turbo charged 4 cylinder motor with hybrid to get the the 465 lbft torque number. That number is probably only available for seconds or minutes time scales and not tens of minutes driving from Denver up to the Eisenhower Tunnel. So, they rated it for what it will tow when the electric motor and battery are no longer helping the cause.

This is why the GX is rated to tow something like 7700 lbs or more as it has the 3.4 V6 torque monster and no hybrid drivetrain so it has well over 400 lbft of torque whenever you like.
 

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