100 Series vs 200 Series

[LXstatic]

Has anyone seen this, i just stumbled on it a second ago...

2016 Lexus LX 570 vs. 2006 Lexus LX 470 - Video - Autotrader

Love my 100, but will probably be forced to get a 200 series for the wife one day, haha!

 

[WestTX28]

Love my 100, but will probably be forced to get a 200 series for the wife one day, haha!

I was in the same boat. Kids are grown up now so the wife decided to downsize to a new GX. Apples and oranges but never thought I'd be so happy to spend only 60 grand. Our '06 LC continues to be an awesome vehicle.

 

[landylover21]

When my mom had her 14 LX I had the opportunity to take it off her hands in return for her getting the '98 Land Cruiser back. After living with the 570 for a good two weeks, I declined which surprised not only her but a couple of her friends. Initially I was pumped about having the extra horsepower, and tech features, but over the course of the two weeks that we traded, I realized that newer wasn't always better. The HVAC and radio controls were a pain in the butt to use, unlike on the older truck which required just a quick twist of a knob. Certain materials also felt cheaper like interior door panels, which already showed signs of wear even though the interior was a cream puff and wasn't abused... and I when it came to DIY work on almost anything, forget about it!

Case in point, I prefer the old-school method of thinking versus having all the newest electronic gadgetry which will be obsolete and outdated in ten years (look at the nav system for the 03-07s). Manual control over my vehicle is another paramount for me, unlike some families who may be looking for more tech and safety, etc.

This truck has been with me all my life since we got it new in '98, and so many people are amazed it's a 20 year old vehicle. Styling-wise, I think it has aged very well, and only certain elements (like the two-tone color scheme on the exterior, and certain aesthetic touches on the inside) give away its age. The fact that I just hit 100k and everything still feels as tight as it did when my father drove it off the dealer lot really is a testament to these vehicle's and the build quality that they stand for. Taking her down the road last night, letting her run on some back country roads just made me smile, not from the sheer speed or power (which is one thing these beasts do lack), but just the fact I can say "this truck is 20 years old" and still feels as tight as it was when it was new!

That's just me though.

 

[re_guderian]

... not from the sheer speed or power (which is one thing these beasts do lack),...

you never drove a 2F powered Cruiser, did you? (or even a 1FZ_FE) The 100 series is a rocketship in comparison...

 

[landylover21]

you never drove a 2F powered Cruiser, did you? (or even a 1FZ_FE) The 100 series is a rocketship in comparison...

Well, comparing strictly the 100 vs 200. I was too young at the time to drive my father's 96 80 Series haha but I do remember him remarking at how much more powerful the 100 was when he took it on the initial test drive. I do know what you mean though, my friend who had a 95 80 would accelerate and he'd just go "well, we'll get there one day..."

But yeah, last evening on some of those back roads I opened her up and she spun to redline willingly (not that I normally drive like an a**hole but I was in a spirited mood and the roads were all open). I actually prefer the intake note of the 2UZ-FE vs the 3UR-FE, but again, that's just me haha.

 

[Cruzer_89]

Yeah, I'm very afraid of those touch screens. I hesitated buying a newer 100 until last year sometime when i found a 100 that had been brought in from Puerto Rico without the GPS that you normally find in US spec 2006 LC's.. So i get the fears of all the gadgets breaking too..

 

[tabraha]

Here's my extended take as an owner of a couple 100's and a 200:

No doubt the 100 was a big move in Land Cruiser "speediness"; but I actually stopped playing the video when he said the 570 doesn't always feel like it has more power LOL. Our '16 ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS feels like it has more power. Not a little more power where there may be some room for their opinion to be subjectively valid but so much more power that the idea of there being any room to argue is laughable at best. I even had to go look up the 0-60 times just to see how big of a difference it was after watching that. Sure enough 0-60 a 2006 is 11+seconds. A 2016 is 6.7. Let's put that into perspective, the current Toyota sportscar, the GT86 is sitting at ~6.2-6.4. There is no room for subjectivity in that large of a gap and it's disingenuous at best.

I love my 100's. I have no desire to get rid of my 100's but yeah, I'm not too sure on that video... No doubt the 100 was so far ahead of it's time it's amazing. That in particular applies to the early LX470's IMO as they had all of the cool gadgets, beautiful gauges, sound deadening and better lighting that the LC didn't get until way later, heck the Toyota version of the 100 NEVER got good lighting from the factory! A well maintained 200,000 mile stock 99LX can still rival almost any new SUV in the quietness and ride quality department.

The 200 differs from the 100 in that to me with the 100 series the LX470 was a leg up on the LC version in comfort and technology but didn't sacrifice much in stock capability. Heck AHC actually made it easier to upsize tires on a stock LX than a LC once we started looking at it harder back in the early 2000's. I feel with the 200 series the '16 forward LX570 perhaps sacrificed a little more function than the LC version just for the sake of looking a bit more outlandish.

So yeah the video had some validity on the '16 and up LX, but perhaps not so if they had considered the LC version. The LX570 is out there in the exterior style department and the interior is more complicated than it needs to be. The LC version of the 200 with the updated interior however is a good balance of modern tech without the outlandish feeling the LX 570 has. The same goes for the exterior. The LC version of the 200 has a graceful exterior that I feel will age as well as the 100.

One thing which is a humorous comparison: It took Toyota until 2016 to finally put some decent factory headlights in the Toyota version. The LX in 1999 was amazing in the lighting department and is easy to upgrade to be awesome even by today's standards. I've got to say though the LC is finally there 17 years later. The LED headlights in our '16 LC don't play and will give the philips bi-xenon powered morimoto projectors on my 100 a run for their money...


Lastly in true Land Cruiser fashion, the gas tank is STILL too damn small on the 200.