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You are mix and matching generations. The 250 is not in the same line as the 80/100/200. Obviously, anything lighter-weight with less unsprung weight will be "more fun to drive" than something heavier duty. Hell, a RAV4 could be more fun to drive in many conditions. Sounds like, you should've gotten a 120/150/250 series instead of the 80/100/200. Don't get me wrong, they are both GREAT "lines" of vehicles. They are different and nobody had an issue until they gave them the same name.
Don’t get me wrong, but the 70 is the heaviest duty Land Cruiser. IMO if you’re using the phrase “heavy duty” it’s best to mention the 70 because that’s literally the one that carries that label.
I already have a "heavy duty" 4x4. It has a diesel, manual, 40" tires, and solid axles. Everything folks say they want from a HD Land Cruiser. But, my HD 4x4 is not very fun to drive on the highway, so it gets trailered places by my "Light Duty" Prado.
They are different and nobody had an issue until they gave them the same name.” Honestly, they should’ve put an 80/100/200 badge on the Station Wagons. Because they didn’t, folks now get bent out of shape, thinking Toyota pulled a fast one just because the “Prado” was dropped for the States and called it the Land Cruiser 250. My bet is if they bring the 300 to the States, they’ll also call it Land Cruiser, just with a shiny chrome 300 on the liftgate. The thing is, they do have the same name always have just different series numbers. Prado is just a fancy name for the light duty LC. Add the series badge on the cruisers, and everyone should be happy, right? Nah. The real issue is gatekeeping. all I gotta say is deal with it, Nuff said.
That's exactly it. Everyone has different uses. The difference between a Heavy Duty vehicle and a Light Duty vehicle is weight capacity. A 250/Prado, "out of the box", will have vastly better ride and more "capable" than a heavy duty LC70 series. But the LC250 has a cargo capacity of less than 1,000 lbs. The LC70's cargo capacity is ~2500 lbs. The "capability" is in carrying a heavy load over rough terrain over thousands of miles over many years.
''They always choose the Station Wagon'' Nah, plenty of Australians use the Land Cruiser Light Duty. ''But the LC250 has a cargo capacity of less than 1,000 lbs.'' Nah, it’s more. That also depends on what tires you’re running. Hell, a 4Runner moves mountains with the right tires. ''I don't daily drive any of them. I'd much rather daily drive a car'' Enjoy your car. I’d rather daily a Cruiser.That's exactly it. Everyone has different uses. The difference between a Heavy Duty vehicle and a Light Duty vehicle is weight capacity. A 250/Prado, "out of the box", will have vastly better ride and more "capable" than a heavy duty LC70 series. But the LC250 has a cargo capacity of less than 1,000 lbs. The LC70's cargo capacity is ~2500 lbs. The "capability" is in carrying a heavy load over rough terrain over thousands of miles over many years.
The Australians have had all three lines of Land Cruisers since introduction. They called the Light Duty line, the Land Cruiser Bunderra, actually. There are at least a dozen companies that convert Land Cruisers to Dual Cab with extended wheelbases for extra capacity. They always choose the Station Wagon or 70 series as the base vehicle, never the Prado.
My Land Cruiser Wagons are built up. Loaded, I'm about 2,000 lbs over curb weight plus towing. It's the Bees Knees for what I do. I don't daily drive any of them. I'd much rather daily drive a car than any SUV. I don't need carrying capacity on a daily basis.
I have nothing against Prados. I considered buying a GX460 and doing a Prado body conversion... I just don't need that type vehicle. Just like a lot of 250 owners don't need a heavy duty Land Cruiser. It's not the best tool for the/their job at hand.
Nah, I don’t put much weight on the payload numbers. They’re usually set by Toyota based on the door jamb tire pressure, calculated tire load rating, minus the vehicle weight. So it’s not really a rating of anything related to the vehicle’s physical properties beyond the stock tires.
That's exactly it. Everyone has different uses. The difference between a Heavy Duty vehicle and a Light Duty vehicle is weight capacity. A 250/Prado, "out of the box", will have vastly better ride and more "capable" than a heavy duty LC70 series. But the LC250 has a cargo capacity of less than 1,000 lbs. The LC70's cargo capacity is ~2500 lbs. The "capability" is in carrying a heavy load over rough terrain over thousands of miles over many years.
The Australians have had all three lines of Land Cruisers since introduction. They called the Light Duty line, the Land Cruiser Bunderra, actually. There are at least a dozen companies that convert Land Cruisers to Dual Cab with extended wheelbases for extra capacity. They always choose the Station Wagon or 70 series as the base vehicle, never the Prado.
My Land Cruiser Wagons are built up. Loaded, I'm about 2,000 lbs over curb weight plus towing. It's the Bees Knees for what I do. I don't daily drive any of them. I'd much rather daily drive a car than any SUV. I don't need carrying capacity on a daily basis.
I have nothing against Prados. I considered buying a GX460 and doing a Prado body conversion... I just don't need that type vehicle. Just like a lot of 250 owners don't need a heavy duty Land Cruiser. It's not the best tool for the/their job at hand.
I'm not mixing and matching anything, I'm simply saying its more fun to drive (imo) then the previous generations. The vehicle is similar in size and weight to the rest of them. Nobody had an "issue"? LOL, do you think Toyota cares if you have an issue? Last I checked, they build Landcruisers, if they say it's a cruiser, it's a cruiser.
I personally do prefer the exterior of the GX550 compared to GX460. I just wish they refined the interior a little more in the 550.
