The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser: Separated at Birth?

Toyota’s attempt to revive the Land Cruiser name for a smaller vehicle has met with mixed reviews, as the new version, while handsomely retro and more eco-friendly than before, isn’t really a Land Cruiser. Anyway, let’s take a closer look …”

While driving the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser recently, I found myself thinking about brothers.  My wife and I raised three boys, and it’s interesting how you can see an older brother in 11th grade who’s mature and six foot next to a 7th grade younger bro who’s short and young, and they’re so different. It’s amazing that they’re even related.

And, yet, ten years later you’ve got 27- and 23-year-old men who are physically similar and look like brothers.  That’s kind of the new Land Cruiser and 4Runner.

From Big and Bold to Streamlined
Four years ago, the Land Cruiser was a full-size SUV that cost $80,000 with three rows of seats and a big V8, while the 4Runner was about 20% smaller with a V6 and much lower price tag. Then, that Land Cruiser, the 200-series, was dropped from Toyota’s model lineup after the 2021 model year, and a very different Land Cruiser debuted as a 2024 model riding on the same platform as the 4Runner, with the same drivetrain and looking pretty similar, just a little taller and larger.

A Note on the “Real” Land Cruiser
For the record, the newest “real” Land Cruiser, the 300 generation, is available in many countries around the world and can “sort of” be purchased in the US, but the only way to get it here is to buy the much costlier Lexus LX 600.
As you might expect given all that, Toyota’s attempt to revive the Land Cruiser name for a smaller vehicle has met with mixed reviews, as the new version, while handsomely retro and more eco-friendly than before, isn’t really a Land Cruiser. Anyway, let’s take a closer look at the, umm, Land Cruiser America?

Off-Road Cred Holds Strong
The 2025 Land Cruiser’s design has a rugged look that draws heavily on the classic 1970s second generation FJ60’s styling. While the LED headlights and assertive front grille give it some upscale touches, this is a utilitarian SUV that breaks little new stylistic ground but rather looks a lot like the box it came in. You’re excused for arguing that it’s trying a little too hard to replicate the FJ60’s vibe, but the new Land Cruiser is undeniably handsome, and of course those boxy dimensions are good for passenger and luggage space.
The shrunken size and weight of the 2025 Land Cruiser make it more maneuverable in tight spaces, which is good, but it loses some of the commanding road presence that made the last generation so pleasing on the highway. Acceleration isn’t great, but neither was it in the last version despite its V8 engine because of its prodigious curb weight. Nevertheless, the 200-series Land Cruiser was quieter thanks to more sound deadening, and whatever V8 engine sounds the previous model made were much more pleasing than the new version’s four-cylinder droning. The four-wheel drive system and Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Select make the new Land Cruiser just as capable off-road as the last one. I didn’t take my press car off road, but many testers have, and no one has raised concerns about how the 2025 Land Cruiser does in the dirt.
Pricing is significantly lower than it was for the larger 200-series models, as you’d expect. Base model 2025 Land Cruisers go for around $58,000, with loaded versions maxing out at approximately $71,000.
All 2025 Land Cruisers come with turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines assisted by two electric motors to make 326 horsepower. This hybrid powertrain is rated at 22 MPG City and 25 MPG Highway, a big improvement over the 200 series but still not particularly impressive.

Interior: Tough But Sparse
Not surprisingly, the interior of the new Land Cruiser lacks some of the premium feel that the last Land Cruiser had. To their credit, Toyota made sure that everything you see and touch inside this year’s model looks tough and durable, but the subtraction of some nicer touches inevitably leaves the cabin feeling a bit spartan. And naturally, the new Land Cruiser’s smaller size means that rear passengers will find themselves with less room than before. Toyota decided not to include a third-row seat in the new Land Cruiser, which reduces seating capacity to five.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen comes standard, offering Toyota’s latest infotainment software, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Standard safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and pre-collision braking are all included too.

A 4Runner in Land Cruiser Clothing?
So, the newest Land Cruiser and its little brother the 4Runner have kind of merged, just like male siblings do when they’re all “growed up.” That’s a good thing with people, but it makes choosing between a 2025 Land Cruiser and the slightly smaller 4Runner a lot more difficult than it used to be. They’re both excellent SUVs to be sure, but they’re a lot more similar than they are different, which wasn’t the case just a few years ago.

Stephen Schutz has covered the automotive world for more than 30 years as a syndicated writer and podcast host. Read his column monthly in The Cricket.