All-new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser premieres with retro style

Toyota's iconic off-roader takes the fight to Land Rover with a design harking back to the halcyon days of Land Cruiser FJs.

Although Land Rover might be the first name which springs to mind when you think of rough and tough go-anywhere transport, in the most inhospitable corners of the world where reliability can be a matter of life and death, Toyota’s Land Cruiser has long dominated.

And now, 72 years after the original Land Cruiser (BJ) became the first vehicle to successfully climb to the sixth station on the slopes of Mount Fuji, Toyota has given us the all-new J250 version.

Truth be told, the world has been crying out for a new Land Cruiser for some time, as its predecessor was forced to endure a 14-year stint in production. But first appearances would suggest that it’s been well worth the wait.

As with so many manufacturers these days, for the design, Toyota has chosen to draw inspiration from its back-catalogue of smash-hits. Those familiar with early Land Cruisers will instantly spot the similarities: round headlights, square wing mirrors, and two-tone paint to name a few.

Interestingly, at launch the Landcruiser will feature an increasingly unfashionable diesel-only powerplant paired to an 8-speed automatic gearbox; a 48v mild hybrid will follow in 2025. The familiar 2.8-litre 4-cylinder pumping out 204 hp is unlikely to break any land speed records, especially in such a heavy machine, but it should be sufficient to keep pace with lower-powered versions of the diesel Defender.

The engine’s real USP though will be its relentlessly reliable nature. Whether you’re bashing over desert dunes in 50-degree heat, or wading through a torrent while towing a caravan, it won’t leave you stranded. The whole car in fact, if it’s anything like predecessors which have achieved nearly one million miles on original internals, will probably outlive its owner.

However, Toyota is keen to stress that while all the usual Land Cruiser hallmarks are present and correct, the injection of new technologies across the board has vastly improved the car’s abilities both on and off the tarmac.

A new SDM (Stabiliser with Disconnection Mechanism) allows the driver to change the status of the anti-roll bar with the flick of a switch, for better handling and on-road comfort. And an upgraded Multi-Terrain Monitor uses an HD camera to provide the driver with a live feed of the area around and under the car. All in all, pretty clever stuff.

The Japanese giant has taken care of all the fundamentals too. As pictured, the car sports quality Michelin off-road rubber on all-four corners — tyres like Michelin’s CrossClimate 2 SUV or Latitude Cross Terrain would help ensure that the fancy tech is working with optimal grip. Plus, new electric power steering and a 30% stiffer body and frame will further complement the Land Cruiser’s road manners.

Pre-sale for the European market is set to open in October, and if like us, you’re a fan of the two-tone Sand paint scheme, you’ll want one of the 3000 First-Edition variants. While we can’t yet tell you how much the J250 is set to cost, we can say with certainty that demand will be strong.

Let us know if you think the new Land Cruiser is a worthy successor to the legendary bloodline, or if you’d rather splash the cash on something with Land Rover script on the bonnet.