After three years of absence, 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser LC250 debuts in USA – Brawn in a Compact Form
Toyota has a reputation for running forever (with proper care) and being abuse-friendly. Topping that list is Land Cruiser. A name usually associated with legend status. Recently, Toyota launched Land Cruiser LC300 in India for Rs. 2.17 crore (ex-sh). This is LC300 model, which was not on sale in USA.
After three year of absence, Toyota has re-introduced Land Cruiser in USA. But this is not LC300 model that is sold outside USA. Instead, this is a brand new LC250 model that is US-only, for now. This is a smaller vehicle than LC300 and gets US-spec powertrains as well to achieve price competitiveness.
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser LC250
The speculated price tag is mid USD 50,000 range. Which is roughly between Rs. 41 lakh to 49 lakh. This price point is crucial for Toyota in USA as there are stalwarts operating in this space like Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. Both similar in attributes and start from around mid USD 50,000 rnage.
Just like its bigger brother Land Cruiser LC300 and its Lexus counterpart GX, 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser LC250 gets the same TNGA-F underpinnings. This platform will also underpin upcoming Hilux and Fortuner as well. Toyota has went with a boxy and old-school design akin Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco.
There are design cues from old Land Cruiser vehicles. Toyota has named base trim as 1958, mid-spec trim as ‘Land Cruiser’ and top-spec trim as First Edition. Front fascia is squared-off and rectangular, which perfectly encapsulates both retro cues and modern trends. Only the 1958 and First Edition trims get round headlights.
While mid-spec ‘Land Cruiser’ trim gets triple ice-cube LED headlights. There are no Toyota logo anywhere. Instead, we get old-school ‘TOYOTA’ lettering. Base model gets a lot of unpainted plastics. Cheaper to replace if damaged while off-roading. None of the LC250 trims offer steel wheels as Land Rover Defender does.
LC250’s Multi-Terrain Select: Customising Adventure at Your Fingertips
Speaking about off-road, 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser LC250 boasts a 31-degree approach angle, 22-degree departure angle, 25-degree break-over angle and 8.7” ground clearance, which is 221 mm in metric system. Interiors are fairly functional. Design is industrial and robust-looking. For starters, this is a cut below LC300.
1958 gets cloth upholstery, ‘Land Cruiser’ gets faux leather and First Edition gets real leather upholstery. There are soft-touch plastics at the top and rubberized finish at bottom half of the dash and door pads. 1958 gets an 8” system, while the top two trims get a 12.3” system.
There is an ADAS suite in the house along with a Multi-Terrain Select off-road modes and Multi-Terrain Monitor with top two trims. Under the ‘hood’, there is a 2.4L 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine, unlike a V6 turbo diesel in LC300. This hybrid engine makes 326 bhp of power and 630 Nm of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
This gearbox has a 48 bhp electric motor integrated as well. This reduces turbo lag. There is a full-time 4WD setup with a 2-speed transfer case (high and low). Do we want it in India? Yes. Will we get it in India? Probably no. We hope this powertrain debuts in India, though.
