The Land Cruiser has, through the years, earned a reputation as the world’s most reliable and capable SUV. And rightly so, as a multitude of generations that were launched since 1951 has proven all around the world.
The thing is, the current iteration has become too expensive. So much so, that Toyota has priced it roughly the same as the posher Lexus LX.
Yes, you read that right: the 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser and the 2018 Lexus LX (which is based on the Land Cruiser), cost about the same. Actually, at that price range you can buy lots of premium SUVs, such as the Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE and GLS, BMW X5, 2019 Land Rover Discovery – or two Highlanders, and get lots of change, too.
What’s more, if you add just $3,000 more to the base price of the Land Cruiser, you can buy a brand new 2019 Range Rover, which is by no means a scrub when it comes to taking on harsh terrain.
According to Doug DeMuro, there is more than enough method to the madness here. Toyota builds its Land Cruiser as a full size SUV that’s able to take on just about anything you can throw at it and not break down. This is the type of vehicle that’s built to last for decades, which is pretty rare in a 2018 model year vehicle.
It also holds onto its value pretty well, as anyone who has searched for a used on can testify, and it’s not as boring to drive as you’d expect, especially if you take it off-road and really lean into its 5.7-liter V8, which puts down 381 HP (386 PS) and 401 lb-ft (543 Nm) of torque.
Still, 85 gees? For that sum, it has to equal or best its competition in this class – not just on off-roading, but as a luxury item, too. Does it? The answer lies below.