2024 GX/Prado Release and Discussion (4 Viewers)

[greynolds]

Was it sales numbers that killed the FJ cruiser? I dont remember.

That rings a bell, but if that's the case it's weird because there's a really strong market for them now that you can't buy new FJ Cruisers here. Maybe people just like complaining about what they can't have.

We say we want a 300 series Land Cruiser (so long as they bring back the split tailgate, of course). But why were they only selling a few thousand 200 series here each year? The stupid obvious answer is that they only sent a few thousand here each year . The other obvious answer is that most potential buyers decided to go with the LX for only a few thousand more and have a nicer interior. The other other obvious answer is that most people don't go to a Toyota dealer planning to spend ~$85-90K on one vehicle as it isn't a luxury brand.

Lots of us say we want to be able to buy a 70 series Land Cruiser. But how many of us would actually buy one if they went to the effort and brought it over here?

Toyota surely has some smart people running the numbers and know what they're doing, even if the decisions they make are often a mystery to us. Or maybe they're just successful in spite of themselves.

One thing is certain - when (if?) Toyota officially announces the next Land Cruiser for the USA, we'll then know exactly what they have in mind.

 

[OSS]

Was it sales numbers that killed the FJ cruiser? I dont remember

Absolutely. Compare the FJ Cruiser annual sales to the 4-Runner. Not-very-good.

I sat in a brand new FJ Cruiser on the Toyota lot back when they were still available, and just about everything about it I disliked (compared to my FJ60). I remember the conclusion I came to after my 10 minutes of sitting in the driver’s seat in the lot : The FJ Cruiser is a messed up 4-Runner.
I also sat in a new Landcruiser on the lot - and my takeaway was: This thing is really freaking nice.

 

[AnyMal]

Absolutely. Compare the FJ Cruiser annual sales to the 4-Runner. Not-very-good.

I sat in a brand new FJ Cruiser on the Toyota lot back when they were still available, and just about everything about it I disliked (compared to my FJ60). I remember the conclusion I came to after my 10 minutes of sitting in the driver’s seat in the lot : The FJ Cruiser is a messed up 4-Runner.
I also sat in a new Landcruiser on the lot - and my takeaway was: This thing is really freaking nice.

View attachment 3185985

Damn, if they hadn’t clown car-d the exterior this could’ve been a whole different thread…

 

[UZJ100LC]

Absolutely. Compare the FJ Cruiser annual sales to the 4-Runner. Not-very-good.

I sat in a brand new FJ Cruiser on the Toyota lot back when they were still available, and just about everything about it I disliked (compared to my FJ60). I remember the conclusion I came to after my 10 minutes of sitting in the driver’s seat in the lot : The FJ Cruiser is a messed up 4-Runner.
I also sat in a new Landcruiser on the lot - and my takeaway was: This thing is really freaking nice.

View attachment 3185985

It was that damn B pillar that was necessary for support for the way they made the rear doors. If not for that would have been a great vehicle

 

[Specialeyes]

Ok- so hopefully everyone has gotten their BMW and Mercedes thoughts taken care of - but what about the topic of this thread? Does anyone really think Toyota is going to bring back “a” Landcruiser to the USA in a few years?
Personally I don’t think so just based on a guess (not a salesman heard the manager heard the Director said)

If I had to bet on it I would say yes it is coming back but it's going to be some sort of Wrangler/Bronco competitor. Not the 300 Series.

 

[TaishoCruiser]

My two yen while we wait two years for availability of an LC300 in a Toyota dealership ...

1) The LC200 didn't sell well as a Toyota versus a Lexus for a number of reasons beaten to death in the LC200 forum... I still come back to marketing and the average level of Toyota dealership service in the States (versus, say, Japan).

2) The FJ Cruiser - I have a soft spot for them but I am surprised it sold as well as it did. Visibility versus the competition then (and now) was kind of a joke, as was the 8 inch mini truck rear axle under a 4,000 lb plus rig trying to roll around at 5,000 pounds with amor, 35's, and gear.

I would love to see a LC300, a GX, or Prado that offered G-class capability (W463 Professional is my benchmark . But if it is a G-class looking vehicle with moderate off-road capability due to poor visibility (FJ), poor clearance (later GX460's), or watered down parts versus the international spec (Tacoma versus Hilux), I'll pass.

 

[on the rocks]

Why do so many here think Toyota would upsize the next get 4R? To kill it off like they did the Land Cruiser? Don't think so. I think this guy has it right. Just a guess tho
Those that went out and got a LX600 basically bought an overpriced Sequoia.
The Land cruiser will come back as the Prado/ GX
Their biggest struggle and delay with it all is what to do with the huge sales and following here on the 4R. I think they are freaking out with the thought of the Prado being the target sales in the states so will offer a smaller 4R to compete with the Bronco and Jeep.
To help bring the 4R crowd over they will offer the turbo 6 in the LC/ GX and only the turbo 4 in the 4R.
Short answer to the thread title. "NO", not as the world knows it. They made that clear.

 

[UZJ100LC]

Why do so many here think Toyota would upsize the next get 4R? To kill it off like they did the Land Cruiser? Don't think so. I think this guy has it right. Just a guess tho
Those that went out and got a LX600 basically bought an overpriced Sequoia.
The Land cruiser will come back as the Prado/ GX
Their biggest struggle and delay with it all is what to do with the huge sales and following here on the 4R. I think they are freaking out with the thought of the Prado being the target sales in the states so will offer a smaller 4R to compete with the Bronco and Jeep.
To help bring the 4R crowd over they will offer the turbo 6 in the LC/ GX and only the turbo 4 in the 4R.

Bringing the Prado here still wouldn’t make much sense. It’ll be competing with both the 4Runner and GX. This is what lead to declining sales of the 200 series as it competed with the lx counter part and the sequoia trd packages. By your same logic the prado would just be an overpriced 4Runner.

They will not make the 4Runner smaller it sells huge numbers and if smaller would compete with highlander and Rav4.

Only thing that makes sense would be an updated fj cruiser type vehicle

 

[on the rocks]

Only thing that makes sense would be an updated fj cruiser type vehicle

BINGO!! In the form of a 4 cylinder turbo 4R. It will piss alot of people off but most current 4R owners are Toyota enthusiast so it's less likely they would trade their 4R in for a Bronco or Jeep. Next logical step is to go buy a twin turbo Prado Land Cruiser which they really already wanted but couldn't afford...
The GX is already based off the Land Cruiser Prado NOT the 4R. They also have a grand Highlander launching so there is no room for another SUV in the lineup.

Toyota is trying to downsize naturally asperated engines with the ultimate goal of hybrid or full EV. This doesn't work well with the bloated, oversized American SUV lineup the U.S.A. forced them into. When they were launching the new 300 series they mentioned the 80 series in their videos and trying to get back to the Land Cruiser of the 80's and 90's, and this would do that, downsize AND reduce cost of the current lineup.

It would also get the 4R sized closer to this same era and pair it up well with the Bronco and Jeep. They seem to be delaying this release longer than any other in the lineup. One it is still selling well somehow and two, it's their money maker so they are seeing how the market reacts to the changes and sell another 500K of them while they do it. I think it will be close to the Prado with a shorter wheelbase and likely slightly smaller.

Makes sense to me. Also why they killed of the already too large Land Cruiser and paired the Sequoya up with the LX. They probably would have killed off the LC(300) all together if it wasn't for the middle east funding that larger SUV market.

 

[greynolds]

Bringing the Prado here still wouldn’t make much sense. It’ll be competing with both the 4Runner and GX. This is what lead to declining sales of the 200 series as it competed with the lx counter part and the sequoia trd packages. By your same logic the prado would just be an overpriced 4Runner.

They will not make the 4Runner smaller it sells huge numbers and if smaller would compete with highlander and Rav4.

Only thing that makes sense would be an updated fj cruiser type vehicle

If they differentiate the body style (swinging rear door instead of a tailgate and a more angular design, both of which the current GX have?) and engine options (more powerful engine) from the 4Runner, that may be enough to do the trick on the Toyota side, though it would still clearly be competing with the GX. Unless I'm mistaken, the FJ Cruiser was pretty much a 4Runner with a different body on top of the same platform. But I think they blew it with the massive blind spots and (IMHO) the ugly body design. If they had, instead, made it really look like the classic FJ-40 but with modern "stuff" (infotainment, cruise control, etc.), I suspect it would have been a much more successful addition to the lineup.

I honestly think the problem with the LC200 was not just that it was so close in price to the LX, but also that it was priced too far above the next most expensive Toyota, which was a problem given that Toyota isn't considered a luxury brand in the USA. People just don't expect to pay that much for a Toyota here. Being very similar in appearance and price to the GX may be less of a problem as the price won't be out of line for a Toyota.

 

[Bludozer]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

 

[Specialeyes]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

View attachment 3186694

I’m not mad at this rendering one bit.

 

[OSS]

That tan vehicle concept looks almost exactly like the current LC76 except for the front grill.
And the current LC76 is pretty much just a newer FJ60.
I’m all in.

 

[AnyMal]

Why do so many here think Toyota would upsize the next get 4R? To kill it off like they did the Land Cruiser? Don't think so. I think this guy has it right. Just a guess tho
Those that went out and got a LX600 basically bought an overpriced Sequoia.
The Land cruiser will come back as the Prado/ GX
Their biggest struggle and delay with it all is what to do with the huge sales and following here on the 4R. I think they are freaking out with the thought of the Prado being the target sales in the states so will offer a smaller 4R to compete with the Bronco and Jeep.
To help bring the 4R crowd over they will offer the turbo 6 in the LC/ GX and only the turbo 4 in the 4R.

Bringing the Prado here still wouldn’t make much sense. It’ll be competing with both the 4Runner and GX. This is what lead to declining sales of the 200 series as it competed with the lx counter part and the sequoia trd packages. By your same logic the prado would just be an overpriced 4Runner.

They will not make the 4Runner smaller it sells huge numbers and if smaller would compete with highlander and Rav4.

Only thing that makes sense would be an updated fj cruiser type vehicle

I like the enthusiasm but hasnt it grown every single release already?

 

[LCHOU]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

View attachment 3186694

Take my money

 

[AnyMal]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

View attachment 3186694

Will be funny after all this to get a toyota g wagen.

 

[UZJ100LC]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

View attachment 3186694

are you bring at least somewhat serious or messing with our emotions?! I would buy this instantly

 

[on the rocks]

are you bring at least somewhat serious or messing with our emotions?! I would buy this instantly

Serious if you live in Australia. That photo is not a new spy shot. Google it and it will come up as far back as 2019 as their new 70 series release. Chances are Toyota wouldn't release a rebadged 3 - 4 YO Land Cruiser to the states. It would be sweet and would convince the wifey to buy one as she loves them. If they did this I think it would pretty much shock everyone.

 

[medani007]

My dealer sent me this pic of the ALL NEW LAND CRUISER (apparently its a real spy photo only shared with car dealerships) coming to the US!!!!!!

It's happening!!!!!!!!

View attachment 3186694Unfortunately that’s the 70th anniversary 70 series being sold in Australia. That wouldn't be the exact model we would get.

 

[UZJ100LC]

Serious if you live in Australia. That photo is not a new spy shot. Google it and it will come up as far back as 2019 as their new 70 series release. Chances are Toyota wouldn't release a rebadged 3 - 4 YO Land Cruiser to the states. It would be sweet and would convince the wifey to buy one as she loves them. If they did this I think it would pretty much shock everyone.

That’s what I thought! But I also thought there was no way a fellow Land Cruiser enthusiasts on the internet would try to pull one over on us