I don't buy it. It can't be that hard or expensive to stick in a decent entertainment system that Toyota has already developed and deployed in other models. I mean if I can have the same Cruise Control switch, light and wiper controls in my LX that I had in my Sienna then I can have the same entertainment system.
" there is a reason there are minimal electronics on a Cruiser. All your nifty “tech” features are prone to failure. Particularly in dusty environments where electronics don’t survive. "
Again, I would buy that argument if the LC/LX had NO electronics. I don't buy all the "prone to failure" statements. I head that as a kid about power locks/doors/mirrors etc. The 200 is full of electronics, your argument makes no sense.
But since they do have an infotainment system then why can't it be as good as damn Sienna or RAV4 or Hilander? Is there some study showing the outdated 200 Infotainment system as a model of reliability? That is a nonsense argument.
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Actually, it can be hard and expensive to add those features to the infotainment. The one in the sienna can be the exact same as in the Camry, corolla, hell, a yaris, because the design goals are the same. The landcruiser is designed from the beginning to be different. It is intended to go 2.5 times as many years as any other toyota, and that means every part has to be validated to that standard or it doesn’t get used. A cruise stalk is about as simple as it gets. An infotainment system has orders of magnitude more complexity and wiring, the form factor from any other model may not allow one to just bolt in (if it could meet the 25yr standard), and our existing unit simply might not have the needed hardware for CarPlay so that a firmware update can add it.
True, but there are also great examples of cars doing it better. E.g., the 2020 Lincoln Navigator which is (1) heavier, (2) has more power, (3) and gets much better MPG.
I haven't heard those concerns before, but surely Toyota could design a screen cluster that is as reliable as their infotainment screen?
No problems with reading current clusters of course, but it's really cool to see what some manufacturers can do. Customizing the screen to specific types of driving / offroad etc.
I actually don't know a whole lot about this. The new Defender did away with live rear axle and is incredibly off road capable, but maybe there are other things I haven't considered?
Good example of course is the $35,000 Tesla which can do 95% of a road trip on its own, but other car companies are making major headway too. Adaptive cruiser on a $100k LX doesn't even work in stop-and-go traffic, where it'd be most valuable. Even a $40,000 Kia Stinger does that.
Looking at most 2020 SUVs it seems like most consumers prefer the electronic push button. Frees up a lot of space in the center console. Same with the gear shifter. Check out the Ram 1500 gear shifter. It's just a little turning knob on the dash, which allows for a ton of extra knee room and storage in the middle.
I will agree though that all these technological advances likely have some reliability concerns. But I think in 2020 the trade-off is becoming worth it at the $100k price point.
And I have some faith that a company like Toyota would be able to give us these things and have them be reliable. But from reading some of the comments here it seems like some people feel like you have to choose: old tech, or something unreliable.
You are probably aware the 300 is rumored to have a power train more along the lines of what allows those vehicles to get such good FE. And I trust toyota to do it better. But as I’ve said, toyota is conservative on these things. They are rarely pushing the envelope on technology, and part of this is letting things mature before they jump on board. Notable exception being hybrid powertrains and the Prius. I consider that a successful gamble on their part.
As for an old school gauge cluster, it’s hard to compare to a nav screen because of the different demands. Much higher resolution, refresh rate, and contrast are needed. Plus.. mid-model change? Unlikely. Possibly for the 300?
Which brings up another point.. much of what has been mentioned in this thread may be coming to the next generation. Guess we’ll have to wait a while to find out.
Things like the hand brake and shifter fit into the rest of the world expecting such things out of their much more utilitarian trim landcruisers. If I were toyota I wouldn’t see the need to invest in this just for bougie American buyers, but that’s me.
Overall, I get the impression the cruiser and LX aren’t trying to compete directly with the rest of the market. They understand a large portion of their buyers are attracted to these vehicles for the quality, will pay more for that, even if it means it not having some of the gee-whiz features of other stuff in the market.
And if they’d actually advertise them they’d sell way more. But that’s clearly not a priority for toyota.
