There are many fine choices in this price range and clearly most people vote with their dollars for other trucks. What other vehicles did you consider and what made you go with LC. Obviously there is legendary reliability and offroad performance, but there are also shortcomings that are hard to accept in this class. Share your thoughts and the decision process you went through
What made you choose a LC, what else did you consider
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I didn't seriously consider anything beyond the LC, although to give the appearance of impartiality at home I googled: ICON FJ40, LR4, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover, X5, XC90 ('16), Cayenne, Sienna and of course LX570. We test drove an LC and a Sequoia about 6 months prior to doing the deal.
I looked at Range Rover, depreciate to fast and unreliable. I looked at Mercedes more dependable but they still depreciate to fast. Audi drop a brick in the ocean and watch it sink!!! This is the same as Audi values.... Infinity depreciation is scary. I chose the Landcruiser because I know it is super safe, capable, 100% reliable and I don't loose my money as quick. Are there other cars that drive nicer yeah but not by much, are their other cars that are more prestigious? Yeah but I don't care about that. Are their cars that look nicer? Up to the eye of the beholder. The land cruiser is a capable off-roader that drives really really nice for what it is capable of, rock solid reliability and resale values. That will keep me, my family and my money safe and get me home everytime.
Well, we just got a 200 series a couple of weeks ago, we are a growing family and my wife had a civic that she didn't want to get rid of and I work offshore so when she was toting our daughter around while I was gone, lets just say I had some sleepless nights thinking of what could happen to a civic if she was in a wreck or hit a deer.
I have been a Toyota person all my life and purchased a '14 GM truck in '13, needless to say, I don't think I will stray too far from Toyota again.
We were really considering a Subaru, I had been looking for a 100 or 200 series for some time now and Subaru seems to be safe and hold value the same, I just never found the one. Then our current 200 showed up and theres just something about a cruiser!
I really do believe that these vehicles are made for longevity and before their time. There are little things, even on my 40 that other manufacturers just started doing.
We are looking forward to many years of service from the 200 and counting the days till the GM is out the door and I can get another Tundra (diesel???!!!! my fingers have been crossed for I don't know how many years)
I have been a Toyota person all my life and purchased a '14 GM truck in '13, needless to say, I don't think I will stray too far from Toyota again.
We were really considering a Subaru, I had been looking for a 100 or 200 series for some time now and Subaru seems to be safe and hold value the same, I just never found the one. Then our current 200 showed up and theres just something about a cruiser!
I really do believe that these vehicles are made for longevity and before their time. There are little things, even on my 40 that other manufacturers just started doing.
We are looking forward to many years of service from the 200 and counting the days till the GM is out the door and I can get another Tundra (diesel???!!!! my fingers have been crossed for I don't know how many years)
I looked at all similarly priced trucks including land rovers, Yukon denali, Mercedes, audi, etc.. What swayed me was.
The ride, the off road capabilities, reliability. Most important is the fact that it's low key as in its not flashy, no one knows the price as they are not that common. I have 135 employees and I do not want to show up to work in a flashy car.
There is a timeless look on the cruiser that will make it still look nice 10 years from now. I also like the fact that I can go anywhere anytime regardless of the weather/road conditions/and or no roads. I also know it will get me back home unless I do something really stupid.
Added benefit is that I usually have a lead foot, but in the cruiser I tend to naturally drive it around the speed limit as it is so comfy, and that is a nice relief for my points.
The ride, the off road capabilities, reliability. Most important is the fact that it's low key as in its not flashy, no one knows the price as they are not that common. I have 135 employees and I do not want to show up to work in a flashy car.
There is a timeless look on the cruiser that will make it still look nice 10 years from now. I also like the fact that I can go anywhere anytime regardless of the weather/road conditions/and or no roads. I also know it will get me back home unless I do something really stupid.
Added benefit is that I usually have a lead foot, but in the cruiser I tend to naturally drive it around the speed limit as it is so comfy, and that is a nice relief for my points.
We chose ours based on the legendary reliability, obvious build quality, comfortable ride, off-road capability (although I doubt we'll use it much...nice to know it is there), and lack of pretentiousness/flash. We looked at Yukon, MB, LR4, Infiniti. Just preferred what the LC had to offer overall. Literally, the only thing we don't love about it is the front cupholders. They are worthless. Everything else has met or exceeded our expectations.
Our 200 is our 3rd Land Cruiser. They were always my wife's family car and then I would inherit them 5 years down the road.
Love the under the radar mentality. Everyone thinks that because it's got a Toyota badge means it must be a 30-40k truck. Neighbors and employees have no ideas.
Each truck was reliable in a way that nothing I have ever owned can match. Both 100s are still on the road with over 200k and the 200 has 70k
I recently had dinner with a cousin who bought an Escalade when we bought the LC. At 75,000 his is rattling and he's ready for a new truck. Ours still feels new. Anyway we entered the info about our trucks into Nada to get trade in values. His is $25-30k. The Land Cruiser is $40-$45k. He couldn't believe it. BUT he's still shopping for a new Escalade, Denali or RR because he needs to be seen.
Now the wife has a GL 350 Bluetec. Stupid move to take her for a test drive. BUT it meant I got her 200. Completely different vehicle and it threw off the family hand me down plan but at least we're both happy. The Mercedes was the only other vehicle we considered because the diesel has really good resale value and she fell in love. It's been very good for the first two years but I honestly don't know if I'd keep it beyond 4 or 5 years since I can't really work on it. There's not much I can't fix myself on the Land Cruiser with basic tools.
Mercedes interior is beautiful, Land Cruiser is not. The land cruiser leather feels like vinyl and the wood is fake. BUT if you're looking for a truck that you know can be in the family 10+ years and you'd consider handing it down the family as it ages then the Land Cruiser is an easy choice
My kids are 13 and 15. If either of my daughters want the 200 Id feel 100% safe having them in the tank over a Civic.
Love the under the radar mentality. Everyone thinks that because it's got a Toyota badge means it must be a 30-40k truck. Neighbors and employees have no ideas.
Each truck was reliable in a way that nothing I have ever owned can match. Both 100s are still on the road with over 200k and the 200 has 70k
I recently had dinner with a cousin who bought an Escalade when we bought the LC. At 75,000 his is rattling and he's ready for a new truck. Ours still feels new. Anyway we entered the info about our trucks into Nada to get trade in values. His is $25-30k. The Land Cruiser is $40-$45k. He couldn't believe it. BUT he's still shopping for a new Escalade, Denali or RR because he needs to be seen.
Now the wife has a GL 350 Bluetec. Stupid move to take her for a test drive. BUT it meant I got her 200. Completely different vehicle and it threw off the family hand me down plan but at least we're both happy. The Mercedes was the only other vehicle we considered because the diesel has really good resale value and she fell in love. It's been very good for the first two years but I honestly don't know if I'd keep it beyond 4 or 5 years since I can't really work on it. There's not much I can't fix myself on the Land Cruiser with basic tools.
Mercedes interior is beautiful, Land Cruiser is not. The land cruiser leather feels like vinyl and the wood is fake. BUT if you're looking for a truck that you know can be in the family 10+ years and you'd consider handing it down the family as it ages then the Land Cruiser is an easy choice
My kids are 13 and 15. If either of my daughters want the 200 Id feel 100% safe having them in the tank over a Civic.
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MScruiser
obsessive-compulsive oppositional-defiant wise-ass
This is my second Land Cruiser. I had a REALLY nice FJ40 that was my DD, and then one day my wife was getting the itch to have a baby. One thing led to another (won't get into any details here). Ok, I'll say it, I had sex. Booya. Lo, and behold, she got preggo, and the 40 had to go to make way for a family friendly vehicle. I sold it, and bought the 200.
One of the ONLY issues with the landcruiser with a family of 3 kids, is no luggage space behind the 3rd row. Yes I have a roof rack and a 21 cubic feet Thule box, but its not fun putting it on and off daily to haul strollers.
This is the ONLY reason Suburban/Escalade ESV wins for many people. I have seen 10 year old Suburban/Escalade and they look like garbage inside, whereas a 100 series still look amazing.
Many I think get the sequoia for the added room, however it doesn't have the legendary build quality or reliability of the Land Cruiser
This is the ONLY reason Suburban/Escalade ESV wins for many people. I have seen 10 year old Suburban/Escalade and they look like garbage inside, whereas a 100 series still look amazing.
Many I think get the sequoia for the added room, however it doesn't have the legendary build quality or reliability of the Land Cruiser
Would you give a comparison to a 100/200 vs the Sequoia? I have yet to drive one...but family needs might require one
All highway driving. It's a longer wheelbase so the ride is more comfortable than a LC. The quality is typical Toyota Tundra which is good. Everything is built in US vs Japan. The resale won't be as good as a LC. You could probably find a sweet 2-3 year old Seq for a great price. The Black exterior with the saddle brown interior is really nice.
I'd take a LC over the Seq but I'd take a Seq over a suburban.
I'd take a LC over the Seq but I'd take a Seq over a suburban.
I can speak to the 200 vs Sequoia -- the Sequoia has much more room behind the third row and is more family oriented with storage, cup holders, window shades, etc. It has the American made 5.7 so it's powerful enough and gets similar gas mileage like the 200. Many will knock the quality of plastics used in the cabin on the 200. I found the Sequoia has lesser quality plastics and design than the LC. There's nothing wrong with the Sequoia as it's still way cooler than a minivan, but you can feel the difference in how solid the LC is put together and in its ride. The Sequoia is what it is at its price point, while the LC is what it is at its price point. I would expect a few good years out of a Sequoia for sure (it's a Toyota after all), but I didn't get the sense that I'd be driving it for as many decades as I would the LC200. I would still get the Sequoia over a Chevy or a Ford if I needed the extra room though.
I have owned many different domestic SUVs over the past 30+ years from S10 Blazers to Diesel Excursions about everything in between I tried at one time or another. My 2010 LC was my first Import SUV. actually it was only my second Import car ever.
In 13 I sold my LC and kept my Tahoe and added a Hemi AWD Citadel Durango which was very tech filled and quick and sporty to drive, but nothing was ever really as nice as that LC I had sold. I had test driven most all the body on frame large SUVs left in the US market in 2013 - 2015 and also several uni-body SUVs priced from 50-90K.
So many of the MFGs are going to uni-body. IMO nothing really ever compared to the quality and comfort of that 2010 LC.
So I spent about a year - 18 months trying to get back an identical LC to that 2010 model, that I had regrettably sold, and ended up after 18 months or so of trying to get back what I felt that I had lost, I ended up with 2, 2011 LCs when it was all said and done. Along the way I ditched LX, the Tahoe and the Durango. Nothing was really wrong with the LX, but that ever elusive sub 20K mile White LC finally turned up and after all that searching and settling, I had to have it. Very happy now. Seems once people have had one of these things, they just cant be really satisfied by anything else. My Dad and bother also both seem hooked on these things as well, both of them own 2014 model LCs.
Body on frame is by far my preference. I have tried owning 3 different uni-body Suv's. They are just not the same thing, they are very car like basically station wagons made to resemble a SUV's styling.
All the uni-body models from the ones I test drove to the ones I have owned were all notably louder inside from the transfer of road noise up through the chassis into the cabins. The Body on frame design like the LCs use seem to isolates you from the road much better.
The LC has many features that I have grown to love, like the 2 pc tailgate setup, I don't know anyone else doing that. The side fold 3rd row, the mini fridge console, the superb use of space in its design. LC's seems to have more room inside it than my old Tahoe, even though it has smaller physical exterior dimensions. Power and handling are top notch, Its trailering ability is better then any SUV in its class with that sort of wheelbase.
The low key presences I have grown to really appreciate. Similar reasons to what Island1064 mentioned. For me it not so much employee concerns but, I do business with a lot of contractors and rolling into there office or mine in a bling mobile, is really not a good thing in my line of work. When I had that LX570 for that short period, it never saw my office parking lot or a customers.
With my LC, most people know its a nice car, but most people would not know an LC from a highlander or Sequoia. Basically the LC allows me to travel in first class accommodations and top shelf quality without advertising it.
In 13 I sold my LC and kept my Tahoe and added a Hemi AWD Citadel Durango which was very tech filled and quick and sporty to drive, but nothing was ever really as nice as that LC I had sold. I had test driven most all the body on frame large SUVs left in the US market in 2013 - 2015 and also several uni-body SUVs priced from 50-90K.
So many of the MFGs are going to uni-body. IMO nothing really ever compared to the quality and comfort of that 2010 LC.
So I spent about a year - 18 months trying to get back an identical LC to that 2010 model, that I had regrettably sold, and ended up after 18 months or so of trying to get back what I felt that I had lost, I ended up with 2, 2011 LCs when it was all said and done. Along the way I ditched LX, the Tahoe and the Durango. Nothing was really wrong with the LX, but that ever elusive sub 20K mile White LC finally turned up and after all that searching and settling, I had to have it. Very happy now. Seems once people have had one of these things, they just cant be really satisfied by anything else. My Dad and bother also both seem hooked on these things as well, both of them own 2014 model LCs.
Body on frame is by far my preference. I have tried owning 3 different uni-body Suv's. They are just not the same thing, they are very car like basically station wagons made to resemble a SUV's styling.
All the uni-body models from the ones I test drove to the ones I have owned were all notably louder inside from the transfer of road noise up through the chassis into the cabins. The Body on frame design like the LCs use seem to isolates you from the road much better.
The LC has many features that I have grown to love, like the 2 pc tailgate setup, I don't know anyone else doing that. The side fold 3rd row, the mini fridge console, the superb use of space in its design. LC's seems to have more room inside it than my old Tahoe, even though it has smaller physical exterior dimensions. Power and handling are top notch, Its trailering ability is better then any SUV in its class with that sort of wheelbase.
The low key presences I have grown to really appreciate. Similar reasons to what Island1064 mentioned. For me it not so much employee concerns but, I do business with a lot of contractors and rolling into there office or mine in a bling mobile, is really not a good thing in my line of work. When I had that LX570 for that short period, it never saw my office parking lot or a customers.
With my LC, most people know its a nice car, but most people would not know an LC from a highlander or Sequoia. Basically the LC allows me to travel in first class accommodations and top shelf quality without advertising it.
I currently have an '03 4Runner V8. I will be trading it in on a 2013 Landcruiser later this week.
I drove a 2016 4Runner Limited on a couple occasions. It drives reasonably well and has more room inside than my '03. But I just didn't like that V6 and it really needs another gear or two in the transmission. I'm also not a fan of the 20" wheels.
I drove a 2016 Lexus GX 460 a couple times. I didn't like the fact that it loses a lot of space to the third row. Cargo capacity is only 60 cu feet. And I don't like the barn door. I didn't like the fact that so many of the advanced features are only available on the Luxury trim, which is stupidly priced. The drivetrain was good. I found the seats to be uncomfortable. I also didn't like that it had a large turning circle (40' +) and only 8" of ground clearance. I'm not a fan of the spindle grill.
I test drove a Mercedes ML350 last year and I loved the way it drove. But I am afraid of it being unreliable and concerned that it won't handle the beach as well as my 4Runner did. I never got stuck on the beach, and we've been on the beach for two weeks every year for the past 12 years.
I drove the LC this weekend and loved the drivetrain. It seemed smaller behind the wheel than I expected. It has all the bells and whistles that a GX 460 Premium wouldn't have (surround view, radar cruise, etc.). Fuel economy won't be fun, and I'm a bit worried about how hard it will be to navigate the narrow streets and parking garage here in Cambridge, but time will tell.
I drove a 2016 4Runner Limited on a couple occasions. It drives reasonably well and has more room inside than my '03. But I just didn't like that V6 and it really needs another gear or two in the transmission. I'm also not a fan of the 20" wheels.
I drove a 2016 Lexus GX 460 a couple times. I didn't like the fact that it loses a lot of space to the third row. Cargo capacity is only 60 cu feet. And I don't like the barn door. I didn't like the fact that so many of the advanced features are only available on the Luxury trim, which is stupidly priced. The drivetrain was good. I found the seats to be uncomfortable. I also didn't like that it had a large turning circle (40' +) and only 8" of ground clearance. I'm not a fan of the spindle grill.
I test drove a Mercedes ML350 last year and I loved the way it drove. But I am afraid of it being unreliable and concerned that it won't handle the beach as well as my 4Runner did. I never got stuck on the beach, and we've been on the beach for two weeks every year for the past 12 years.
I drove the LC this weekend and loved the drivetrain. It seemed smaller behind the wheel than I expected. It has all the bells and whistles that a GX 460 Premium wouldn't have (surround view, radar cruise, etc.). Fuel economy won't be fun, and I'm a bit worried about how hard it will be to navigate the narrow streets and parking garage here in Cambridge, but time will tell.
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BulletHead
Village Idiot
ISIS uses it.
We had our 100 series LC when we lived worked in Beacon Hill, and it did fine in the narrow streets. It was only an issue when I went to North End with it.
The new 4 runner Limited is horrendously ugly with the chrome strip on the front bumper. If I got a new 4 runner has to be a Trail version, the front end of the Trail is gorgeous.
GX460 has barn doors? I was down at the LExus dealer servicing our 600h, and they have a normal tail gate
I don't like the Trail's front-end and with all the snow around here, I prefer the Torsen center diff to a part-time system.
It has a single, side-hinged barn door. It opens to the side, instead of lifting up:
