If you want a rugged SUV that keeps working even on the harshest of terrains, there is a high chance that a Toyota badge would be stamped on it. Earning the bragging rights of being continuously dependable with each successive generation, Toyota’s SUVs are highly capable and offer the right mix of comfort and practicality.
The Land Cruiser lineup, however, has been the cream of its SUV crop, offering great off-roading capabilities without compromising on comfort. With the Land Cruiser 300 focusing all out on luxury and great off-roading, Toyota has now announced the Land Cruiser 250 as a Light Duty SUV meant for regular folks.
It succeeds the Land Cruiser Prado and, in its fifth-generation avatar, shifts its focus from a luxurious 7-seater to a utilitarian SUV with better off-roading capabilities. The Land Cruiser 250 also goes high on its retro design theme which seems inspired by the recent influx of retro-style off-roaders such as the Land Rover Defender and Ford Bronco.
Along with the Land Cruiser 250, Toyota has also revamped the legendary Land Cruiser 70 and is bringing it back to the Japanese market as a more affordable model in the lineup. But we digress for we are here to talk about the Land Cruiser Prado’s natural successor.
While Toyota is yet to decide on the Land Cruise 250’s launch date or market availability, considering the Land Cruiser’s popularity worldwide, we have decided to compile all the information we have on the new model in one place. So, without further ado, here is everything you should know about the rugged Toyota SUV.
Toyota Land Cruiser 250: Is this the new Land Cruiser Prado?
The Land Cruiser 250 is the fifth generation of the Prado series of Land Cruisers. Unlike its predecessor which put all its focus on luxury and comfort, the new model aims to go back to its roots of providing a no-nonsense SUV experience with a greater focus on off-roading. To that effect, it derives a lot of mechanicals from the Land Cruiser 300 and falls back on Toyota’s vast array of reliable diesel and petrol engines.
Toyota clarifies that the Land Cruiser 250 is a Light Duty off-roader and hence, its off-road capabilities are capped, which again is a departure from the older models. In other words, this model has been tuned to be easier on the roads and by extension, more practical to live with.
Toyota Land Cruiser 250’s features at a glance
The Land Cruiser 250 is based on Toyota’s TGNA-F platform that also underpins the Lexus GX SUV. Toyota is going for a retro design theme here, basing it on the Land Cruiser 70’s retro styling though it might look peculiar to some, especially with the funky front bumper and the rectangular LED headlights. The side profile is also reminiscent of a typical boxy SUV and the overall dimensions have grown compared to the outgoing model. It’s a utilitarian design that could fit well with the typical SUV buyers seeking a higher road presence.
If this Land Cruiser 250 looks a bit odd, perhaps you can opt for the 1958 trim, which is sort of the entry-level variant. The Land Cruiser 250 1958 trim offers circular LED headlamps, black cladding for the front bumper and lots of rugged cladding elements all across the body. While it comes with 18-inch wheels (with all-weather tyres) as standard, there’s an option to upgrade to 20-inch wheels. This variant is reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender and we wonder how the designers at Land Rover feel about Toyota’s bold decision to make it a Defender-lookalike.
Land Cruiser 250’s engine and chassis
Whichever trim you opt for, Toyota has a wide variety of engines on offer. A 2.4-litre turbo hybrid petrol mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox is available for the top variant. This engine produces 330bhp and 630Nm of torque. A non-hybrid variant of the same powertrain develops 281bhp and 430Nm of torque.
The diesel engine is borrowed from the popular Toyota Fortuner. The 2.8-litre turbo diesel with the 48V e-motor makes 204bhp and 500Nm of torque. You can get this engine in a hybrid mode too. Lastly, a 2.7-litre petrol engine producing 163bhp is reserved for the Japanese market. There aren’t any all-electric models for the Land Cruiser Prado (yet).
The engines, however, are just one aspect of the Land Cruiser 250. It’s the rest of the off-road kit that makes things interesting.
The frame gains 50 per cent additional rigidity with overall chassis rigidity up by 30 per cent. Toyota says that this should help with driving dynamics, both on and off-road.
Drivers will also have a full-time All-Wheel Drive system at their disposal with high and low gearbox ratio modes. Besides these, the Land Cruiser 250 also gets multiple terrain drive modes, including a Crawl mode designed specifically for off-road use (think of it as low-speed cruise control). The approach angle rated at 31 degrees, departure angle rated at 22 degrees and breakover angle rated at 25 degrees should help it perform basic off-roading with absolute ease, especially when you consider the 220mm of ground clearance. Not to mention, a full 360-degree camera system allows easy tackling of rough terrains. Toyota offers tow and recovery hooks as standard.
Taking a look at the Land Cruiser 250’s interiors
Despite Toyota boasting a rugged and practical interior design, the Land Cruiser 250’s interiors look plush for an off-roader, though not quite as luxurious as the previous generation Land Cruiser Prado. Despite the all-black colour theme, the chunky dash has modern design elements to spice things up. Its off-roading intentions have also led Toyota to offer a plethora of control buttons instead of stuffing all of the functions on the display.
As part of the ‘creature comforts’, Toyota offers a 12.3-inch infotainment display for the top-spec models and a smaller 8-inch display for the lower trims. These displays offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in wireless modes. There’s also climate control, powered seats and more on offer.
The SUV can seat up to five people.
Toyota Land Cruiser 250’s price and availability
Toyota is yet to reveal any details about the exact launch date for various regions, and the same goes for the price. The Land Cruiser 250 will replace the Land Cruiser Prado and slot in between the Toyota Fortuner and the Land Cruiser 300. Hence, in terms of pricing, it could compete with the Land Rover Defender and Ford Bronco rugged SUVs.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is The Electric Hot Hatchback That Could Rival Sports Cars
(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Toyota)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: The 2024 Land Cruiser 250, also popularly known as the 2024 Land Cruiser Prado, is yet to reveal its official pricing.
Answer: The 2024 Land Cruiser Prado, or Land Cruiser 250, gets features such as a AWD system with low and higher ratios, a choice of hybrid petrol and diesel engines mated to an 8-speed auto gearbox, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and lots of off-roading tools.
