Everyone knew the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser wouldn’t be gone for long when Toyota announced its departure after the 2021 model year. Fast forward to August 2023 and an all-new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser made its world debut. Now it's hit the road, and after a 3-year hiatus this 66-year-old nameplate emerges with all-new hardware, advanced tech, and a return to its old-school charm.<br /><br />See, the original 1958 Land Cruiser was a serious off-road bruiser that put capability ahead of comfort or passenger capacity. But the last version was a pricey, premium three-row luxury conveyance that, remarkably, remained one of the most capable off-road vehicles you could buy. Still, at a starting price of $81,000 it wasn’t a particularly accessible model for serious off-roaders, with most of them serving soccer practice and premium mall duty as owners trembled at the thought of dusty paint and dirty tires.<br /><br />The new Land Cruiser is (thankfully) all about dirt and dust, powered by Toyota’s “i-Force Max” hybrid drivetrain, employing a 2.4-liter turbo engine mated to an electric motor, 8-speed automatic, and standard full-time four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. This drivetrain makes 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. It’s also EPA-rated at 23 miles-per-gallon (more than any previous Land Cruiser).<br /><br />A standard 7-inch digital driver-information screen is paired with an 8-inch touchscreen on base “Land Cruiser 1958” trims. The mid-grade “Land Cruiser” and premium “First Edition” trims get 12.3-inch driver displays and central touchscreens, along with heated and ventilated leather seats, larger wheels, upgraded audio, and LED headlights and foglights.<br /><br />Families that can get by with five-passenger seating will find the Land Cruiser’s on-road manners quite accommodating. Ride quality and seat comfort match more on-road-oriented crossovers like the Honda Passport or Kia Sorento. But the Land Cruiser’s starting price of $57,345 reflects a lot of off-road engineering most families won’t need, and with upper trim costs approaching $70,000 parents might get better value from a traditional crossover. For genuine off-road enthusiasts, they’ll find the new Land Cruiser as capable as ever, and with six decades of heritage few SUVs can match.<br /><br />Read more on Forbes:<br />https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottyreiss/2024/09/30/toyota-land-cruisers-heritage-charm-modern-details-are-a-hot-ticket/<br /><br />For more from Scotty Reiss:<br />https://agirlsguidetocars.com/<br /><br />Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:<br /><br />https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_so
