300 Series Land Cruiser wish list *Toyota Please Read* (1 Viewer)

[rlynch356]

I guess we should start the list over again.

1. TNGA-F Body on Frame construction
2. Solid F/R axles
3. Optional Lockers
4. Whatever engines the Tundra comes with in the US. (a diesel is probably too much to as for)
5. 2000lbs payload capacity minimum
6. Same or similar variants as ROW 79 series.

 

[PNWescapes]

We all joke about this but it's not really an investment. If you buy it for $85k then it needs to be worth $170k in 20 years for you to have made a measly 3.6% annual rate of return. How much was a new 80 series? If you could find a pristine one with zero mileage, what are they worth now? Cruisers are not exotic hand made 1960s Ferraris, despite the low volume sales numbers in the US.

A 95' triple locked 80 series with 162k miles recently sold on Bring A Trailer for $38,500. It was in good condition all around. Everything worked, leather was perfect, so was the paint and the undercarriage, so it was kind of a unicorn.

 

[Woodland Realm]

These suggested improvements below are based upon my experience with a 2020 Land Cruiser Heritage Edition, combined with having owned Lexus LX and GX models in addition to previous model 100 and 200 series Toyota Land Cruisers over the past two decades:

1. Fuel fill on driver side (regardless of market served). Driver side on left, fuel fill on left. Driver side on right, fuel fill on right.
2. Smaller headrest for second row, middle seat - or option to securely store the removed headrest inside the vehicle when not in use. In the 2020 LC HE the headrest is full size (great for safety of passenger), which, when in place, is large enough to hide a small car or object as seen from the rear view mirror.
3. Headlights that track with steering direction.
4. Remote engine start/stop from key fob and/or mobile app.
5. Adjustable suspension similar to LX, both height and stiffness. Though it's understandable it's important to keep reliability top on the list, this option would be lovely.
6. A selectable 2WD option for city driving or highway driving when 4WD isn't needed (again, likely full time 4WD for fewer moving parts, but other manufacturers have figured this out).
7. Heads Up Display
8. Larger drink/bottle holders in door pockets
9. Panoramic sun/moon roof
10. Puddle lights for ingress and egress
11. Put Climate Control with the rest of the controls. The Climate button to control fan speed, four zone, etc. is separate from the other buttons such as Nav, Apps, and Phone. And/or provide a manual control for fan speed in the climate button cluster.
12. Compass heading readout in the rear view mirror.
13. Upgrade the tech. This is another vote for Apple Car Play/Android Auto from other posts in this thread. We are using technology in a 2020 vehicle that was developed in the last refresh half a decade ago. Please keep up with other manufacturers - or at least keep up with your Lexus sibling.
14. Option to stop the automatic hatch lift. Having the lift assist on the rear hatch is great until it crunches the hatch into the garage (or other low object just above). Being able to manually stop it would be nice.
15. Deploy the rear wiper from beneath the spoiler. Not only does it hide nicely away from view or the baking sun to prematurely wear/crack the rubber wiper blade, it also wipes snow off downward rather than up and over. Range Rover figured this out, as did Lexus.
16. Illuminated buttons on roof cluster. In the dark, one is left guessing which button is being pushed for a map light or any other control on the roof cluster above the rear view mirror.
17. Option to turn off the courtesy lights in footwells and doors.
18. Diesel option for the U.S. market. Pay attention to other domestic and foreign manufacturers who offer this option on SUVs (Range Rover, Jeep), and domestic manufacturers offering it on lighter duty vehicles (Chevrolet, Dodge). Yes, we want enough torque to pull a house and diesel is the answer. (Unless hybrid electric or full electric is discussed, then pay attention to Rivian.)
19. Interior Rear Hatch Open. This is a safety feature that will come in handy if the vehicle finds itself in water to allow occupants to escape when/if egress through a door is not an option.
20. A place for smartphones to sit on the dash or center console. Though the 'charging garage' in front of the shift lever at the bottom of the center stack on the dash is nice, it's awkward for when your passenger needs to put their phone somewhere.

Agree with everything except that I really prefer the rear wiper on the bottom. I’ve had it both ways on my various Toyota’s. Mounted below it gets thoroughly cleaned in the car wash, instead of emerging dusty and filthy to smear across my rear window.

 

[TWILLY]

I guess we should start the list over again.

1. TNGA-F Body on Frame construction
2. Solid F/R axles
3. Optional Lockers
4. Whatever engines the Tundra comes with in the US. (a diesel is probably too much to as for)
5. 2000lbs payload capacity minimum
6. Same or similar variants as ROW 79 series.

7. 35 gallon fuel tank
8. 90-100 cu.ft. cargo capacity, tall greenhouse
9. Available in base / cloth trim

 

[04UZJ100]

What am I missing here? The Cruiser is officially dead in the United States after this year.......

Toyota Land Cruiser reaching the end of the road in 2021

Toyota is discontinuing its top of the line Land Cruiser SUV at the end of 2021. The off-road vehicle has ben on sale since 2008.

www.foxnews.com

Toyota Land Cruiser Axed In The US After 2021

Bad news, the Toyota Land Cruiser will be axed in the U.S. after 2021.

www.motor1.com

Toyota confirms the current Land Cruiser will retire after 2021 - Autoblog

Toyota confirmed that 2021 will be the current Land Cruiser's last model year on the American market. Its replacement hasn't been unveiled yet.

www.autoblog.com

 

[TWILLY]

What am I missing here? The Cruiser is officially dead in the United States after this year.......

Toyota Land Cruiser reaching the end of the road in 2021

Toyota is discontinuing its top of the line Land Cruiser SUV at the end of 2021. The off-road vehicle has ben on sale since 2008.

www.foxnews.com

Toyota Land Cruiser Axed In The US After 2021

Bad news, the Toyota Land Cruiser will be axed in the U.S. after 2021.

www.motor1.com

Toyota confirms the current Land Cruiser will retire after 2021 - Autoblog

Toyota confirmed that 2021 will be the current Land Cruiser's last model year on the American market. Its replacement hasn't been unveiled yet.

www.autoblog.com

Recently a Toyota dealer issued a statement saying that, despite Land Cruiser's demise in the U.S. market, enthusiasts should keep an eye out for future offerings in the large SUV segment. So, some still hold out some sliver of hope for the future. And, this is an enthusiasts' forum where enthusiasts are enthusiastic.

 

[04UZJ100]

s

Recently a Toyota dealer issued a statement saying that, despite Land Cruiser's demise in the U.S. market, enthusiasts should keep an eye out for future offerings in the large SUV segment. So, some still hold out some sliver of hope for the future. And, this is an enthusiasts' forum where enthusiasts are enthusiastic.

That's a marketing department getting you excited for some watered down boat of an SUV that doesnt share anything with a true cruiser.

 

[OSS]

The "Land Cruiser" name plate is gone for good in the USA but based on what Toyota said, there's going to be some new vehicle in the future to placate land cruiser fans.
They tried to do it in the past with the maligned FJ Cruiser (technically not a land cruiser) and I suspect they'll try to do something like that again a few years from now - hopefully learning from all the mistakes they made with that vehicle

 

[Skywalker2UZ]

I disagree on the more luxury stuff like 360 degree camera and captains chairs. Its just more stuff to break and any land cruiser owner wouldn't actually be using a 360 camera on the trail. And no TRD option, either. It doesn't need to get sucked into the TRD world of the Tundra, Tacoma, 4runner, and even the sequoia, Camry, and Avalon. I just hope it goes more utilitarian than luxury, if we could get like a 100 series type luxury yet utility, it would be fantastic. if they did go more luxury, it would just get more expensive with less buyers, making sales worse than they already are. If people want a more luxury option just buy a 570 or even like the highlander or sequoia. Good list though.

 

[PNWescapes]

I disagree on the more luxury stuff like 360 degree camera and captains chairs. Its just more stuff to break and any land cruiser owner wouldn't actually be using a 360 camera on the trail. And no TRD option, either. It doesn't need to get sucked into the TRD world of the Tundra, Tacoma, 4runner, and even the sequoia, Camry, and Avalon. I just hope it goes more utilitarian than luxury, if we could get like a 100 series type luxury yet utility, it would be fantastic. if they did go more luxury, it would just get more expensive with less buyers, making sales worse than they already are. If people want a more luxury option just buy a 570 or even like the highlander or sequoia. Good list though.

I personally want something like the troop carrier, that can also have a removable top for things like roof conversions into campers. The likes of which Alu-Cab has offered for the troop carrier. They should obviously also have front/rear/center lockers, solid axles, and should be shooting for high availability of aftermarket over landing solutions. High customizability.

Think competing with jeep, and bronco, but has more cargo area and also appeals to vanlifers.

Could even have factory upgrades like dual battery systems, interior switches for easy addition of lights/auxiliary equipment, dual alternators, crawler gears, manual transmissions, off road packages that come with 35" BFG MTs or ATs, disconnecting sway bars, armor, winch, bead locks, etc.

 

[rlynch356]

lets hope they don't pull a Land Rover Defender 2 and Give us a crappy CUV with the old name slapped on it.

 

[TWILLY]

s


That's a marketing department getting you excited for some watered down boat of an SUV that doesnt share anything with a true cruiser.

Time will tell what, if anything, they do.

I for one doubt that the same great minds who engineered Land Cruiser's demise in the U.S. will somehow orchestrate its second coming.

 

[Jetboy]

Toyota could do well by looking at the option set for the new Ford transit van and put it in a Toyota bof 7/8 size SUV with great suspension and clearance for 35" tires with no cutting.

Transit van has a remarkably complete option set including dual alternators. Dual agm battery systems. Pre-wire switches and harnesses. Etc. Basically everything you'd ever want in an oem platform for utility. And you can spec it very well with 4x4 250 series running gear, twin turbo V6, and 10 speed at for $50k. Same concept but suv body and it's a winner.

 

[OSS]

As stated above, Toyota has nobody but themselves to blame for designing the land cruiser into extinction. They blew it.

 

[04UZJ100]

As stated above, Toyota has nobody but themselves to blame for designing the land cruiser into extinction. They blew it.

Did they though?
Sales are booming globally and they didn’t want to jeopardize 4Runner sales which are crushing it in the US. They are getting $15k MSRP markups on 4Runners which is a platform from 2003.

Toyota did it on purpose. Don’t kid yourself.

 

[TWILLY]

Did they though?
Sales are booming globally and they didn’t want to jeopardize 4Runner sales which are crushing it in the US. They are getting $15k MSRP markups on 4Runners which is a platform from 2003.

Toyota did it on purpose. Don’t kid yourself.

No, they definitely blew it.

 

[04UZJ100]

No, they definitely blew it.

Disagree. Their market share has been declining since early 2000. They could have done something.

They didnt. It did not occur overnight.

 

[TWILLY]

Disagree. Their market share has been declining since early 2000. They could have done something.

They didnt. It did not occur overnight.

The luxury 200 was a catastrophic failure in the US. Its annual sales from 2008-19 averaged only 2900 units--which is only 37% of the average annual sales of all previous Land Cruisers dating back to 1973. That failure was not deliberate. Nobody goes to the trouble to design and produce a vehicle only to see it fail miserably in the U.S. market.

Now, it's possible that their failure to correct course was deliberate. Or, perhaps that was ineptitude (my bet), or indifference--there's no way to know for sure. My bet is that the same people who engineered luxury Land Cruiser 200s failure in the first place also, not surprisingly, had no idea how to correct course. On that we probably disagree, which is okay.

 

[kevin2i]

The "Land Cruiser" name plate is gone for good in the USA but based on what Toyota said, there's going to be some new vehicle in the future to placate land cruiser fans.
They tried to do it in the past with the maligned FJ Cruiser (technically not a land cruiser) and I suspect they'll try to do something like that again a few years from now - hopefully learning from all the mistakes they made with that vehicle

The FJ has highest resale value of any Toyota for the model years it was built, in hindsight the mistake was to stop production. Or maybe the ‘mistake’ with the FJ is it hit the market too soon. Late model FJ’s with 100k are approaching/surpassing of MSRP’s when new. Toyota lacked the patience to stick with it long enough. Whether the FJ or Land Cruiser sells well or not is really irrelevant to the overall corporation. They have to be aware of rocketing prices of used SUV’s and 4x4’s - maybe they don’t care. My impression is the LC’s are a nuisance at this point for (most) US dealerships.

If Toyota wanted to address the market, the 70 series would kill the emerging ‘overlanding’ market here (small but growing). Worrying about ‘competing’ with yourself is bad strategy - it is better to compete with yourself in a hot market than let the competition take the sales. (Maybe it is a Japanese thing? Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are very careful to not compete themselves, leaving large gaps in product lines. None of the top-growth manufacturers are Japanese. European KTM stuffs each segment (KTM and Husqvarna models compete with themselves) , and is growing strongly even in declining segments/areas)

 

[TWILLY]

The FJ has highest resale value of any Toyota for the model years it was built, in hindsight the mistake was to stop production. Or maybe the ‘mistake’ with the FJ is it hit the market too soon. Late model FJ’s with 100k are approaching/surpassing of MSRP’s when new. Toyota lacked the patience to stick with it long enough. Whether the FJ or Land Cruiser sells well or not is really irrelevant to the overall corporation. They have to be aware of rocketing prices of used SUV’s and 4x4’s - maybe they don’t care. My impression is the LC’s are a nuisance at this point for (most) US dealerships.

If Toyota wanted to address the market, the 70 series would kill the emerging ‘overlanding’ market here (small but growing). Worrying about ‘competing’ with yourself is bad strategy - it is better to compete with yourself in a hot market than let the competition take the sales. (Maybe it is a Japanese thing? Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are very careful to not compete themselves, leaving large gaps in product lines. None of the top-growth manufacturers are Japanese. European KTM stuffs each segment (KTM and Husqvarna models compete with themselves) , and is growing strongly even in declining segments/areas)

In my opinion Toyota needs new marketing imagination--or any marketing imagination, for that matter--to salvage both the nameplate and the availability of Land Cruiser's robustness in the U.S.

They could, for example, brand an entire Land Cruiser line. This could include an FJ-like Jeep and Bronco competitor, a re-badged and beefed up 4-Runner (making it the Prado, as with the rest of the world) , and then the 300, and perhaps even a 76 adventure tourer. All of these would be available in multiple trims, as with the rest of the world. All of these, like Bronco and Jeep, could harken to Land Cruiser's magnificent heritage--in Land Cruiser's case that being quality, capability, durability, and reliability.

Instead, and showing that they've learned absolutely nothing from the failure of the luxury 200, Toyota officials in Motortrend hint at a future Land Cruiser replacement for the U.S. that will be even more... Luxurious.