Ooooppph I hope so and the LX600 concept Lexus commissioned is maybe an indicator of that. Although admittedly I'm the niche buyer for that type of vehicle.
This is probably going to be very unliked, but this is just like my opinion man. This is my issue with the LC250 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dbbowen
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Too funny, guess they are staying true to their word.
Funny enough I’ll probably be keeping my 62 in addition to whatever I replace the 80 daily with because I find it to have more usable space inside than the 80. Which really translates to - I seem to be able to haul more lumber in the 62 than the 80
The j250 feels like a new 4runner with a Land Cruiser badge. Now all the 4runner people can upgrade and say they have a Land Cruiser. Not unique, not special, and not overbuilt. The Toyota bean counters won. A jeep wrangler/bronco fighter with a Land Cruiser badge would have been awesome. Like a 73 series. A 2 door and 4 door version, convertible, and with a manual option. I have 3 20+ year old 100 series and they will not get sold. The next Land Cruiser will be a 1995+ HZJ73.
I can't wait to see these beasts in real life. I am excited for the next group of buyers however it is just different now.
I hope the Land Cruiser people stay the same.
Like others say, the 100 is just another outdoor tool to get me to my outdoor activities however I like offroading as well.
The tailgate is used often as a seat, workbench, fishing/hunting prep, mountain bike prep, kayak prep, etc. The split gate should have been option.
Enjoy and post pictures.
I can't wait to see these beasts in real life. I am excited for the next group of buyers however it is just different now.
I hope the Land Cruiser people stay the same.
Like others say, the 100 is just another outdoor tool to get me to my outdoor activities however I like offroading as well.
The tailgate is used often as a seat, workbench, fishing/hunting prep, mountain bike prep, kayak prep, etc. The split gate should have been option.
Enjoy and post pictures.
Last edited:
Well, it is a Land Cruiser Prado and the 4Runner and Prado have been platform mates since the 4th Gen 4Runner debuted around 2002.
So I’m confused as to why you would have expected anything different.
This the biggest let down for me personally for the 250/300. I genuinely love all my Land Cruisers and hands down the common favorite feature between them is the tailgate.
I understand the POV that the Land Cruiser should have that overbuilt, special, flagship feeling that the 100 and 200 had. The obvious problem is those were complete overkill, that very few could afford. And those that did buy new didn't do so to primarily run it under extreme off road conditions like Toyota's marketing department would have you believe.
With the cheaper, "lesser" 250 this is somewhat remedied. And as a result the LC heritage over the past 25 years we've all gotten used to has been watered down. Overall though, this is a good thing.
Imagine if Toyota brought the decked out 300 as the new LC at wayyyy over $100k. Awesome, right? But your not gonna buy it. You'd be staring at one as it drives by not much different than the way you'd stare at a Ferrari. "Maybe one day..."
One can hope. I was wanting overbuilt, special, and unique. Like I said the bean counters won. It is ok, I will adapt. Also, I would have preferred a jeep wrangler/bronco killer. I will end up with a very nice hzj73 to go with my 04 100. And everyone is correct, I would never buy a new car no matter how much money is my bank account or bitcoin. I only buy overbuilt used because I beat on vehicles and the 100s seem to be the only vehicles that can hold up. This is the whole reason I own Land Cruisers and the tailgate of course. ;<)
You left out the relevant portion of my post: Phillyd2 asking for a triple locked 300 at triple the price.
However, you also make a great point about "real" Land Cruisers in the US market: they are toys.
I'm not sure asking for a 9.5" axle on a 5400lb SUV with 465 ft lbs of torque is "overbuilt". In my opinion - that's just a reasonable size. I think the 8.2 is probably undersized for the vehicle (my guess is that we'll see them go boom when fitted with larger tires and used in challenging conditions). A LR Defender is 10.8 for comparison. It's easy to forget that despite being a midsize SUV - it weighs more than (I think) any current full size crew cab 4x4 half ton truck except the Tundra, Ford Raptor, and TRX. It's a very heavy vehicle. I believe the smallest GM uses now is a 9.5 for the base models and a larger 9.8ish for the max tow. F150 has an 8.8" and 9.5" axle for various models. All of the EB F150s I think have the 9.75" rear end. Rams are 9.25. Tundra is 9.5 or 10.5.
Maybe it's strong enough. But it's definitely small comparatively. The 9.5 would be more like industry standard size for this class of vehicle.
Maybe it's strong enough. But it's definitely small comparatively. The 9.5 would be more like industry standard size for this class of vehicle.
At today's exchange rate, MSRP on a turbo gas v6 GR Sport (triple locked) LC300 is about $50k USD. Seems pretty attainable for many/most LC250 buyers. FOB Export price right now is $72k USD. I can't think of very many buyers who wouldn't buy the turbo v6 GR Sport 300 at $72k over a LC250 First edition at $76k. And that's the price for a new grey market export. If Toyota sold them direct it should cost less than that.
I simply don't understand why anyone would have thought that Toyota would bring out a Wrangler/Bronco "killer". When was the last time that Toyota competed in that space in the US?
The FJ Cruiser was basically a shortened 4Runner with horrid visibility and a fixed roof, which was last sold in the US in 2014. Toyota executives since stated that they would never sell another short wheelbase offroader in the US due to the large number of rollover lawsuits involving the FJ Cruiser. While that sort of competed with the Wrangler/Bronco, I certainly wouldn't call it a Wrangler/Bronco killer in any way other than reliability.
The last time a 4Runner had a removable top was the first generation, last sold in the US in 1989.
So, I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.
If you told me 5 years ago Toyota would sell a AWD Corolla with a 300hp turbo 3 cyl engine and a track specialty Yaris model built only 4 per day in a small production setting - I would have about the same response. Not a chance.
Do I think Toyota will build something in the Wrangler/Bronco realm? No way. Do I wish they would? Absolutely. The FJ40 is the closest I'll probably ever get. I'm looking to add a 1st gen 4Runner to the stable so I can have both. I don't think we'll ever see another. But there's no doubt a big demand for that category.
Also - FJ Cruisers did have remarkable occupant safety ejection systems for rollovers, so I don't really see the danger.
I would have preferred a jeep/bronco killer The FJ was hard to see out of. I have heard that before and Toyota is risk adverse. However Jeep and Bronco some how make it work.
If you are bringing in a rebadged 4runner/prado why not go all the way and bring back an actual legend. Not a rebadged prado. Instead, if you want a new convertible 4wd you have to settle for jeep or bronco. They already have a 70 series. They could do but it will never happen. So strange because LR has the 90 series defender 2 door and no convertible. At least they offer a v8.
I was hoping Toyota would step up. Luckily lots of great convertible LC's are now available with the 25 year import rule.
TheLCProject
SILVER Star
Why don't you just buy a 2024 Land Crusier 1958 and just modify it to be exactly that?! You can probably do all that for just a couple thousand dollars. After all, they are the same platform and I've read and heard that Toyota made the 1958 extremely modular and modifiable for your exact purposes.
TheLCProject
SILVER Star
Proof of this..this is an aftermarket roof rack on a 2020+ Bronco...
I've seen plenty of high dollar LC aftermarket bumpers (Slee, ARB, etc) looks like this after just a few years..no thanks.
The 4R (old and new) is well positioned as the affordable option for the masses. The LC was supposed to be and is marketed as something special. Something different. Something better. Something prestigious. Its obviously not but if it was then by definition it wouldn't be for everyone or even most.
Fort9378
SILVER Star
As pointed out in your own thread by (I think) @TheLCProject, the 1100lbs is when accounting for 5 passengers.
TheLCProject
SILVER Star
I ended up clarifying my post after a re-read.
1,100 includes the weight of passengers.
Get a big boy like me in there and you've only got barely over 800 lbs left. Not nearly enough.
