Doug Rips Us Again

[D-Train]

I caught wind of another narrative and it goes something like this....that the original LC was a basic utilitarian vehicle that is nothing like the 200 and 300 luxury and size. If anything the LC 1958 is more in line with the original trucks in the sense that it is more "basic". i..e. cloth seats and bare of accessories. So following this thinking everyone that is seemingly disappointed that the LC 250 does not follow the construction of the 200/300 is on a different trajectory when it comes to expectations of what an LC should be.

I owned an FJ60 for many years... and it was 'spartan' even by the standards of the day. The 300 series now is miles apart from the original LC's.

Hell.. the 1958 trim LC is like the Starship Enterprise compared to my FJ60.

 

[FirstLC]

Doug's argument would make sense if Toyota called this platform the Prado in their domestic market. They don't. They call it the Land Cruiser 250 in Japan.

 

[SKLC]

The LC250 is a great vehicle—comfortable, capable, and intentionally a more utilitarian, light-duty Land Cruiser. That’s exactly what I wanted. It’s not a “second-rate” LC; it’s simply another branch of the Land Cruiser family tree.

Most of the criticism is just internet noise chasing clicks. Appreciate it for what it is—and for the price point it occupies. Toyota clearly positioned it for a specific buyer, and honestly, I can’t think of a better alternative in the market.

Toyota said it best in the 2024 press release:

“Land Cruiser stays true to its heritage, returning as a high-quality off-roader at a more accessible price point…”

That’s exactly what they delivered, wasn’t a secret. This guy is way off base and the review totally lacks credibility.

If you want something closer to the old, luxury LC, the Lexus LX 700h Overtrail is about $117k—and there’s no line out the door for those. It’s not a practical comparison.

If the LC250 (Prado, “fake” Land Cruiser, or whatever label people want to use) isn’t your thing, that’s fine. Buy something else. Different vehicles for different buyers.

 

[ET2041]

First time watching this clown. What a tool.

 

[JustinHEMI]

First time watching this clown. What a tool.

He's such a tool he thinks he's the king of car YouTubers. I saw him on another channel giving an interview and he started critiquing what other YouTubers did and how they manage their finances and his "concerns" about them.

I don't begrudge someone finding their niche and crushing it, but when I saw that, I couldn't come to any other conclusion than "tool."

 

[justaprado]

also not clicking the bait.

 

[JFinCA]

I think that those people that are quick to point out that the "LC 250 is a Prado" with negative messaging/context do so to minimize and to invalidate the LC 250. What is the motivation for the negative messaging here in the USA, because this is not the tone from markets abroad.

Example, having watched some videos from some Australian influencers, it came to me that because the Prado is ubiquitous over there, along side the 76, they just accept the LC 250 as "a matter of fact" - no big deal, no down beating, no one is expressing overt disappointment and no statements to the effect that "it isnt a real Land Cruiser".

I have to conclude that these US influencers (and posters) are arrogant and presume to have vastly superior experience over USA buyers of LC 250s.

Now that we have had time to see the 4R and the GX550 alongside of the LC 250, it is much clearer to see what qualities each has. My read of these vehicles is not about a vertical range in status (lower to higher cost), but a horizontal (left to right) choice in the spectrum of attributes that they possess. Not one vehicle is superior and should be chosen based on the intended use.