200 Series LC vs G550 (1 Viewer)

[Leelanau]

I owned a 2014 G550, 2016 G550, and 2017 G63. I currently own a 2020 LC HE.

The G63 handled FAR better on the highway than the G550’s did due to the different suspension tuning and both versions of the G have more power than the LC, but again the G63 has a LOT more power. The G63 was quite frankly a blast to drive. The big downsides to the G’s are Mercedes vs Toyota reliability and MUCH higher maintenance costs - parts are $$$$.

The LC is definitely the option that will get less attention, but I didn't really care about that either way. As far as that goes, buy what you want and don’t worry about what people think, unless it's your spouse.

As far as space goes, the rear seats in the LC are roomier, but at just over 6 feet tall and a big build, i was perfectly comfortable riding in the rear of the G's on long trips when we split up the driving. Cargo space is actually fairly similar, but shaped differently. For reference on the cargo space, I had built a cargo shelf for behind the 2nd row on the G and it almost fits like a glove behind the 2nd row seats of the LC.

I looked at the new 2019+ G when it first came out and really didn’t like what they did with it as there’s less cargo space, it has way more bling inside, the MSRP went much higher, and it just lost a lot of what made it special IMHO. I was pleased to see that they kept the exterior styling very similar though.

All that said, I’m trading the LC in for a 2024 Highlander Platinum on Friday. I just don‘t need all the capabilities the LC has and have to go into the office 3 days a week now, so I really need something that gets better mileage. The Highlander is a reasonable compromise that gets me better mileage but can still haul stuff when I need to. I’m getting just about what I paid for the LC 3.5 years ago on the trade and leaving with a fully loaded Highlander and a big bag of cash, so I got to enjoy the LC for 3.5 years for pretty much nothing. There aren't many vehicles out there that hold their value anywhere close to that well.

Great comparison but you lost me at the last paragraph—trading in for a Highlander? I commend your financial discipline, but I hope you don’t regret that decision!

 

[greynolds]

Great comparison but you lost me at the last paragraph—trading in for a Highlander? I commend your financial discipline, but I hope you don’t regret that decision!

I was being realistic. I never took the G wagons or the LC off road. I don't have a family to transport (I'm single, no kids). My parents are elderly and it's a lot easier for them to get in and out of the Highlander. Cost of ownership should be lower. It's still a Toyota.

Do I miss the G wagon? Heck yes. Every time I see one, I wish I had mine back. But I don't miss the associated costs.

Same thing with the LC. I miss it, but I had to be realistic about things.

In the end, I had several years of fun owning both, so I'm good. After what happened with my employment, I'm really glad I made the switch to the Highlander.

I've been planning to retire in about 5 years (my current employment situation may change that plan a bit depending on how things work out) and being more financially responsible will help me achieve that goal. I was not expecting the layoff. I knew the company was planning to go public or be sold within the next 12 months and I knew there were going to be some layoffs because there were a few products that weren't selling well. So I was totally expecting people in those groups to be let go. The product I was working on had a legacy version that was allegedly paying the bills while I shiny new Cloud based version was being worked on and they had split us into 2 teams with the expectation that the rest of us would transition to the new Cloud product by the end of last year. I also knew that the new CEO who was put in place to get the company sold/public was high on hiring new people outside the US to save money. What I totally didn't see coming was getting rid of good talent and replacing them with cheaper talent that obviously had no company domain knowledge. One could perhaps argue if I was "good" talent or not, but I can say with certainty that some really good people were kicked to the curb and they kind of treated us like crap when there was really no reason to do that. We didn't get the typical 2 weeks of severance per year of service. Our personal stuff was tossed into boxes and shipped without any bubble wrap or other packing materials. Absolutely no need to treat people who were leaving on good terms like that. This was a restructuring layoff, not a company in a dire financial situation type of layoff. Thankfully, I've been pretty smart about saving money and keeping a safety net for in case something like this happens. The layoff also prompted me to meet with a financial advisor and it turns out I'm in a better position to retire than I thought, so I just need to find a full-time job of some sort (even just a regular retail gig) to have some ongoing income AND affordable medical insurance and I should be fine. That's my backup plan - if I haven't found a replacement job by the time unemployment runs out, I'll make the rounds at the local hardware store, grocery store, and various retail places in order of easy commute and where I feel I would like to work until I find a gig. That may mean working until 62 or 65 instead of 60, but so be it. The job market for software developers is pretty tough and not having a few years of Cloud experience makes it even harder.

 

[LX Cruiser]

Great comparison but you lost me at the last paragraph—trading in for a Highlander? I commend your financial discipline, but I hope you don’t regret that decision!

An AWD Highlander can still handle 99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud.

Best option out there for an efficient 3-row family hauler if you hate minivans and don’t want a diesel GM product.

For context, wife and I each put 18k miles/yr on 12mpg Toyotas. I’d love to get her into a Sienna, but she wants an Expedition. I’ll be lucky to talk her into a Sequoia.

 

[Madtiger]

An AWD Highlander can still handle 99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud.

Best option out there for an efficient 3-row family hauler if you hate minivans and don’t want a diesel GM product.

For context, wife and I each put 18k miles/yr on 12mpg Toyotas. I’d love to get her into a Sienna, but she wants an Expedition. I’ll be lucky to talk her into a Sequoia.

For me Sequoia is out of the question…kinda shoddy materials…BUT the main NEG for me is lack of AWD. That is a huge miss by Toyota for Sequoia and Tundra. Inexcusable for the price they are asking.

And you can’t say that Sequoia makes too much power for AWD…look at Lexus LX700!

My F150 can be 2wd, AWD, 4Hi, and 4LO. It gets 22 mpg on regular gas.

I would love to own Tundra as my future vehicle…….BUT Toyota needs to give me AWD and get away from using Nickel battery for their hybrid! Lithium baby! Then Toyota can use Tundra to power a house!

 

[Coupedncal]

I was being realistic. I never took the G wagons or the LC off road. I don't have a family to transport (I'm single, no kids). My parents are elderly and it's a lot easier for them to get in and out of the Highlander. Cost of ownership should be lower. It's still a Toyota.

Do I miss the G wagon? Heck yes. Every time I see one, I wish I had mine back. But I don't miss the associated costs.

Same thing with the LC. I miss it, but I had to be realistic about things.

In the end, I had several years of fun owning both, so I'm good. After what happened with my employment, I'm really glad I made the switch to the Highlander.

I've been planning to retire in about 5 years (my current employment situation may change that plan a bit depending on how things work out) and being more financially responsible will help me achieve that goal. I was not expecting the layoff. I knew the company was planning to go public or be sold within the next 12 months and I knew there were going to be some layoffs because there were a few products that weren't selling well. So I was totally expecting people in those groups to be let go. The product I was working on had a legacy version that was allegedly paying the bills while I shiny new Cloud based version was being worked on and they had split us into 2 teams with the expectation that the rest of us would transition to the new Cloud product by the end of last year. I also knew that the new CEO who was put in place to get the company sold/public was high on hiring new people outside the US to save money. What I totally didn't see coming was getting rid of good talent and replacing them with cheaper talent that obviously had no company domain knowledge. One could perhaps argue if I was "good" talent or not, but I can say with certainty that some really good people were kicked to the curb and they kind of treated us like crap when there was really no reason to do that. We didn't get the typical 2 weeks of severance per year of service. Our personal stuff was tossed into boxes and shipped without any bubble wrap or other packing materials. Absolutely no need to treat people who were leaving on good terms like that. This was a restructuring layoff, not a company in a dire financial situation type of layoff. Thankfully, I've been pretty smart about saving money and keeping a safety net for in case something like this happens. The layoff also prompted me to meet with a financial advisor and it turns out I'm in a better position to retire than I thought, so I just need to find a full-time job of some sort (even just a regular retail gig) to have some ongoing income AND affordable medical insurance and I should be fine. That's my backup plan - if I haven't found a replacement job by the time unemployment runs out, I'll make the rounds at the local hardware store, grocery store, and various retail places in order of easy commute and where I feel I would like to work until I find a gig. That may mean working until 62 or 65 instead of 60, but so be it. The job market for software developers is pretty tough and not having a few years of Cloud experience makes it even harder.

You made a great call moving into a Highlander. Frankly, for the miles we drive on paved roads, fuel economy and maintenance costs should be more central to our decisions. I agree with the earlier post Highlander will take you to 99% of the destinations that an LC or a G wagen will.

BTW, this tech downsizing theme is prevalent in the sectors some of us work in. Our financial model rewards CEO who cut costs to improve their margins so I can't say I blame this on the companies' management layer. They themselves won't survive if they don't show a path to their target valuation.

 

[MRego]

I agree with the earlier post Highlander will take you to 99% of the destinations that an LC or a G wagen will.

Humm...I do not know about that. Are you saying I can do most of the Colorado passes in a stock Highlander?

 

[gasman4u]

Humm...I do not know about that. Are you saying I can do most of the Colorado passes in a stock Highlander?

One way to find out!

 

[MRego]

One way to find out!

Not on my dime.

 

[LX Cruiser]

Humm...I do not know about that. Are you saying I can do most of the Colorado passes in a stock Highlander?

99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud? You bet.

Those AWD Highlanders have a similar wheelbase and a center diff lock, too.

Sure, they don't have a suspension lift, but I don't think I needed a lift at all to do Imogene Pass. Some of the others, sure.

 

[gasman4u]

Not on my dime.

I believe in you….post pics when you do it!

 

[Madtiger]

99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud? You bet.

Those AWD Highlanders have a similar wheelbase and a center diff lock, too.

Sure, they don't have a suspension lift, but I don't think I needed a lift at all to do Imogene Pass. Some of the others, sure.

No underbody protection. Highway lightweight tires. No low gear. Zero articulation. Poor angles everywhere.

I have driving Imogene…i would not recommend a stock Highlander.

 

[LX Cruiser]

No underbody protection. Highway lightweight tires. No low gear. Zero articulation. Poor angles everywhere.

I have driving Imogene…i would not recommend a stock Highlander.

I've driven Imogene, too. I went up it in rain and hail. It is not very technical. Engage the center diff lock on an AWD Highlander, and I think it would make it just fine. Maybe air down a bit, too.

Search Toyota Highlander off-road on YouTube; there are some vids that may surprise you.

 

[Madtiger]

I've driven Imogene, too. I went up it in rain and hail. It is not very technical. Engage the center diff lock on an AWD Highlander, and I think it would make it just fine. Maybe air down a bit, too.

Search Toyota Highlander off-road on YouTube; there are some vids that may surprise you.

Sure…i see videos of Honda Pilot, etc. I used to own a Honda Ridgeline with SH-AWD. I saw YT videos of it off-road. I saw skid plates being sold for it. It turns out when i looked underneath…where the skids are supposed to be mounted are PLASTIC! Vaporware being sold to unsuspecting owners. The underbody was just exposed and soft.

These soft off-readers may make it fine…but at what risk? High chance of failure from just taking the wrong line. And when these things fail on the trail, it is a PIA to recover.

It is like taking a LC200 to a race track. Sure, it can speed thru it once or twice…but then the brakes burnout. It is just a poor choice with high risk of failure.

 

[MRego]

I believe in you….post pics when you do it!

I do not own a Highlander, but wish I had lots of spare money to burn in one and put to its paces in Imogene just for fun. I am sure it would not survive, so would do it alone. If taking the family I am using my 200, like I did a couple times already. Not one scratch on the 200.

 

[greynolds]

For me Sequoia is out of the question…kinda shoddy materials…BUT the main NEG for me is lack of AWD. That is a huge miss by Toyota for Sequoia and Tundra. Inexcusable for the price they are asking.

And you can’t say that Sequoia makes too much power for AWD…look at Lexus LX700!

My F150 can be 2wd, AWD, 4Hi, and 4LO. It gets 22 mpg on regular gas.

I do not own a Highlander, but wish I had lots of spare money to burn in one and put to its paces in Imogene just for fun. I am sure it would not survive, so would do it alone. If taking the family I am using my 200, like I did a couple times already. Not one scratch on the 200.

I’m definitely not convinced a Highlander would do that and live to tell about it .

But given that I live in the Boston area and never took my G wagons or LC off road, the Highlander will definitely handle everything I ask of it, be less expensive to own, and generally handle better on normal roads too. I’m not going to pretend that it has anything resembling legit off road capabilities - I would have switched to a 4Runner if that had been a priority.

As far as tires go (someone mentioned this above), it’s easy enough to put better tires on any of these vehicles. The G550 and especially the G63 didn’t come with tires I would want to use on any serious trails and the LC really didn’t either.

When I bought the G63, the dealer swapped the factory tires for BFG KO2’s for no extra charge. The stock G63 tires would have been terrible in snow.

 

[bloc]

The steep sections of Imogene would really stress the transmission in a Highlander since it doesn’t have a low range.

Not to mention how tippy it would be in some of the switchbacks..

There are video reviews all over the place of Highlanders struggling with really basic off-road tasks.

One on Imogene would remind me of the dolt that took his outback down black bear. Make it? Sure. But he also showed the whole world why that vehicle shouldn’t be on that trail.

 

[MRego]

One on Imogene would remind me of the dolt that took his outback down black bear. Make it? Sure. But he also showed the whole world why that vehicle shouldn’t be on that trail.

Is there a video of that? Please link it. Must be entertaining.

 

[LX Cruiser]

The steep sections of Imogene would really stress the transmission in a Highlander since it doesn’t have a low range.

Not to mention how tippy it would be in some of the switchbacks..

There are video reviews all over the place of Highlanders struggling with really basic off-road tasks.

One on Imogene would remind me of the dolt that took his outback down black bear. Make it? Sure. But he also showed the whole world why that vehicle shouldn’t be on that trail.

Black bear is very different from Imogene. I drove Imogene in a stock Tundra. Never scraped, no obstacles. More ground clearance than a Highlander? Sure. But also a substantially longer wheelbase. Metal splash shield up front, plastic fuel tank skid. Came out unscathed. An AWD Highlander with the center diff locked could do it without major damage. Maybe some scrapes underneath.

My original point was not about Imogene in particular; I said a Highlander could tackle 99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud. I still think that is accurate.

 

[bloc]

Is there a video of that? Please link it. Must be entertaining.

There was, years ago. The guy may have taken it down due to the heat he was getting. Based on the sounds it was making I’m sure the bottom of the vehicle looked like a war zone.

My original point was not about Imogene in particular; I said a Highlander could tackle 99% of the dirt road pics posted on Mud. I still think that is accurate.

Fair enough.