Toyota Land Cruiser Prado/250 Series Discussion

[TexasFunRunner]

I'm having a hard time understanding how Toyota is positioning the Land Cruiser, it slots above the 4Runner to be the premium BOF for Toyota yet there is no mention of X-REAS or any Adaptive Suspension, either basic or premium.

Did I miss it among the multitude of reviews?

 

[Motor]

Toyota PressRoom

toyota.pressroom.com.au

 

[Gecko]

Press release is saying 27 combined MPG rating. Dang. That’s a lot better than I was expecting.

This is amazing!!! Is that US?

 

[NomadDan]

This is amazing!!! Is that US?

It would appear so.

2026 Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota.com

Meet the 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser, reimagined with heritage design and legendary grit. With trail-tested capability and cabin comfort, it’s ready for any adventure.

www.toyota.com

Scroll down to “Adventure Ready Comfort” then click “Performance”.

 

[TexasFunRunner]

Did anyone else read more about the "vehicle stability control" (VSC), I've googled it and no reviews discuss it.

Has Toyota or Lexus used this on any other models under different names, akin to "Rollover Control" or something?

All Land Cruisers are equipped with a full-time four-wheel drive system with a center locking differential and an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case with high/low range. The system also features vehicle stability control (VSC) and an automatic limited-slip differential (Auto LSD). An electronic locking rear differential is standard on all Land Cruisers and can help split power 50/50 to the rear wheels for improved traction control on rough terrain.

 

[Gecko]

Lexus has had VSC on their models since the late '90s, but I am less familiar with Toyota's use of the system. I would expect they are quite similar?

 

[Motor]

 

[Demetrius]

I believe the Tacoma iForceMAX is also rated at 27 MPG combined. We can assume a GX550h gets 27 MPG as well. Makes me have a hard time believing the GX550 with the 3.4TT only gets 17 combined when the heavier LX gets 19 combined. I'm hoping for 20 MPG combined on the normal 550.

 

[Gecko]

Perfect formula: GX 550 exterior + Land Cruiser interior + 3.4TT V6 iForce MAX powertrain.

 

[NomadDan]

I think these Land Cruisers are going to look really good with some basic mods. Throw on a aftermarket bumper on the front and some 33s or 35s with a mild lift, and it should look stellar.

I don’t know much about the T24 setup. Does the intercooler have its own dedicated cooling system and coolant pump? IIRC, the V35 is setup like this, but not sure about the T24. I think I’d prefer to have the intercooler system isolated from the engine cooling.

 

[cookieyh]

The biggest disappoint of LC is that there is no Trd-Pro/Trailhunter type of trim with aggressive looking, tires, etc.

 

[cookieyh]

I also don't understand the idea behind to have two different headlight options. If you tell us that it's retro, you should stay with the circular headlight.

 

[Gecko]

These seats really are nice, especially the driver's seat with what looks like thigh extenders?

I also really like the interior of the base model, surprisingly. Those seats take me back to the J80 and some of the other 90's Toyota BOF products.

 

[Demetrius]

These seats really are nice, especially the driver's seat with what looks like thigh extenders?

I also really like the interior of the base model, surprisingly. Those seats take me back to the J80 and some of the other 90's Toyota BOF products.

That brown color is perfect and I wish they offered it in the GX. The seat design is actually the same I think. Lexus chose dreadful color blocking. Wonder how hard it would be to re-upholster?

 

[ssun30]

I also don't understand the idea behind to have two different headlight options. If you tell us that it's retro, you should stay with the circular headlight.

J62 J80 are also Land Cruisers you know.

 

[guy80]

I think these Land Cruisers are going to look really good with some basic mods. Throw on a aftermarket bumper on the front and some 33s or 35s with a mild lift, and it should look stellar.

I don’t know much about the T24 setup. Does the intercooler have its own dedicated cooling system and coolant pump? IIRC, the V35 is setup like this, but not sure about the T24. I think I’d prefer to have the intercooler system isolated from the engine cooling.

At the price range they should include factory options imo - front bumper looks out of place without tow points and a winch etc etc

 

[Motor]

 

[NomadDan]

At the price range they should include factory options imo - front bumper looks out of place without tow points and a winch etc etc

We’ll see some options, but I doubt Toyota will offer aftermarket front bumpers. Too much of a negative impact on front crash ratings. Rock sliders and roof racks, yes. Rear bumper and factory lift, maybe. I’m sure other companies are already working on front bumper designs. Personally, I’d love to see what CBI and ARB come up with.

 

[Levi]

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.

 

[Levi]

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.