CRSKTN
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Toyota Land Cruiser Megathread (300, 250, Prado, etc)
- Thread starter Carmaker1
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So there is basically no difference between US Landcruiser and EU Prado, in other words the Prado is now a world wide sold model. And there is really no difference compared to the GX, Prado and GW are twins as they have always been. The the "retro" Landcruiser is nothing else than a choice between squared and round headlights, other than the headlights, nothing else changes. This choice of headlight is also available worldwide, so nothing exclusively US.
I am not specially disappointed in the product. Compared to LC150, this LC250 is an improvement, and to give this vehicle more appeal and make it more interesting, TMC decided to change its (GX/LC150) styling more drastically compared to the change between LC120 and LC150. This change is welcome and fits the car.
What I am disappointed about is the marketing of this product. It is just a next gen Prado, the base of the GX. The GX has always been slightly more special because of its engines it had (GX 470 and GX 460), but the Prado was "a poor man's Landcruiser". There were indeed buyers that purchased the LC150 over the LC200 because of is smaller size and lower weight, but the lack of a 230 PS V6 diesel always made it feel under-engined compared to the LC200 with its V8 diesel. Nissan used Renault's 3.0l diesel (V9X) in the Navara pickup and the FX crossover. In the case in petrol engines there was no such discrepancy between both the LC150 and the LC200, with the 1GR and the 1UR/3UR, in the markets that sold petrol engines. This also applies to the the 4Runner and Sequoia pair.
For the diesel market, the LC250 brings nothing new, no V6 diesel not to hurt LC300 sales, not even in the markets where the LC300 is not sold, and it is now no smaller than the bigger brother, it is the same size. For the NA market, the same applies, because at the end it is just a Prado. NA LC200 owner/buyers, are not getting in the LC250, the equivalent of the LC300. Granted, there are few buyers compared to those that will accept the LC250 as is.
The deception on Toyota Marketing's part is that NA just gets a Prado, nothing more, but they sell it as a Landcruiser, the real and only one.
What I am disappointed about is the marketing of this product. It is just a next gen Prado, the base of the GX. The GX has always been slightly more special because of its engines it had (GX 470 and GX 460), but the Prado was "a poor man's Landcruiser". There were indeed buyers that purchased the LC150 over the LC200 because of is smaller size and lower weight, but the lack of a 230 PS V6 diesel always made it feel under-engined compared to the LC200 with its V8 diesel. Nissan used Renault's 3.0l diesel (V9X) in the Navara pickup and the FX crossover. In the case in petrol engines there was no such discrepancy between both the LC150 and the LC200, with the 1GR and the 1UR/3UR, in the markets that sold petrol engines. This also applies to the the 4Runner and Sequoia pair.
For the diesel market, the LC250 brings nothing new, no V6 diesel not to hurt LC300 sales, not even in the markets where the LC300 is not sold, and it is now no smaller than the bigger brother, it is the same size. For the NA market, the same applies, because at the end it is just a Prado. NA LC200 owner/buyers, are not getting in the LC250, the equivalent of the LC300. Granted, there are few buyers compared to those that will accept the LC250 as is.
The deception on Toyota Marketing's part is that NA just gets a Prado, nothing more, but they sell it as a Landcruiser, the real and only one.
It wasn't at the press event, but there's going to be a 'First Edition' that will have off road goodies.
Colors:
“The 2024 Land Cruiser will be offered in seven exterior color choices: Ice Cap, Wind Chill Pearl, Underground, Black, Meteor Shower, Trail Dust, and Heritage Blue. The two-tone Trail Dust and Heritage Blue exterior colors feature a Grayscape roof.”
It’s nice to see Underground as an option, and Ice Cap should look really good with all the black cladding. Meteor Shower is my favorite though.
I was hoping the new bronze color from the Tacoma would be an option. Overall though, I think the GX definitely has the better color options.
“The 2024 Land Cruiser will be offered in seven exterior color choices: Ice Cap, Wind Chill Pearl, Underground, Black, Meteor Shower, Trail Dust, and Heritage Blue. The two-tone Trail Dust and Heritage Blue exterior colors feature a Grayscape roof.”
It’s nice to see Underground as an option, and Ice Cap should look really good with all the black cladding. Meteor Shower is my favorite though.
I was hoping the new bronze color from the Tacoma would be an option. Overall though, I think the GX definitely has the better color options.
LateToLexus
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Tried too hard with the retro look. Vehicles hyper focused on recreating past nostalgia often don't age well in the future. Is that chicken wire fencing used for the grille? The TOYOTA lettering is too small. Body shape is great, the front end, in any guise....Meh.
Isn't this just an FJ Cruiser with a couple nicer bits.
GX >>>>>>>>>>> Land Cruiser. Not even close.
Isn't this just an FJ Cruiser with a couple nicer bits.
GX >>>>>>>>>>> Land Cruiser. Not even close.
F1 Silver Arrows
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mikeavelli
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Toyota can’t miss….
Which one is more offensive, the Prado being advertised in NA as if it's the proper Land Cruiser or the FWD Crown crossover thingy being marketed in NA as if that's the direction that the Crown is going and pretending that the new RWD Crown sedan a.k.a. the actual Crown doesn't exists?
Makes me think it's an upscale Bronco, if Bronco was a TOY product
Fully kitted ala TRD Pro would intrigue me, but at that price point I can do anything aftermarket
The Hilux in Australia has/had both TRD and GR badging. Two performance badges are still confusing, given even Lexus has TRD parts for F-Sport cars.
And the new GX is just a fancier "FJ Cruiser" with Lexus badging & a better powertrain. 🤣
I like the 1958 black bar all the way across the back. If I were to buy a Land Cruiser edition, I’d probably add the black bar across the back. I like the black roof too. Hopefully that is an option, but I haven’t seen anything to indicate that it is. Some of the initial images appeared to have smoked taillights. They looked really good. I assume it was probably just photoshopped effects, but I’d love smoked taillights on the LC.
Apparently there will be a Premium package available. One of the things it offers is leather seats instead of Softex. Hopefully the leather is offered in Java.
Apparently there will be a Premium package available. One of the things it offers is leather seats instead of Softex. Hopefully the leather is offered in Java.
The styling is great (of both Prado and GX). It will appeal to a lot of buyers. I personally don’t like it (for what I want), but TMC did an incredible job – probably inadvertently – for it to be so competitive against every other very different design of the G Wagen, Defender, Bronco, Wrangler while being unmistakably Landcruiser. A perfect mix of everything in the right doses, resulting in something very harmonious that does not look copied from others, is original and in the same time shocking/controversial.
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I think they will do yearly limited editions with different themes instead of a single top trim. Good way to create scarcity.
Prado was always a proper Land Cruiser. Just a smaller version of it.
I have sold hundreds of Prados back in my other life, and I never heard of this connotation that it is not a proper Land Cruiser from anyone. It does not break, we never had any issues on LC120 or LC150s that were not related to crappy diesels, but at the same time LC200 had same or more issues with crappy diesels or actually more.
And more people offroaded Prado than LC200, not only it is cheaper (but still very expensive), but also it is lighter and smaller so you are not bringing a tank into a trail.