Honest LC250 review that goes into more technical details & why Toyota missed the mark on LC250

[PDPete]

IMO due to this change by the American engineers this isn't even an actual Land Cruiser & more of a Prado or Prado LC. Meaning it is geared towards soccer mommies & soccer daddies & nothing else.

All global “Prados” are “Land Cruiser Prados”, that’s always been the designation for the lighter-duty LC line in markets where the more heavy duty wagon lineage is also sold.

And while yes, the LC 250 is a lighter-duty vehicle than the LC 300 (and is branded as the “Land Cruiser Prado” in some areas of the world), I don’t know that it’s fair to lump into the classification of “soccer mom” cars, as it’s still a very capable 4WD off-road vehicle in its own right. (And trust me, plenty of the 200 series sold in the US were being driven by wealthier soccer moms/dads as well).

IMO, it’s geared towards folks who want a mid-size BOF Toyota SUV with a more traditional, understated design than the current 4Runner…some of these folks will take these vehicles on numerous off-road adventures, others will commute to work and pick up their kids from soccer practice…but most want to be able to do a little bit of both

 

[LcAz]

How so? The Armada has 2" higher stock ground clearance (10.7") with air suspension standard. Its also has multi-mode full time 4WD, locking diffs, more room for gear, and a three row seating.... Maybe too bad its also priced about the same as a loaded LC250

Oh my. Just.... oh my. Anyone who has ever driven a Taho or Armada on real offroad trails knows how silly this comparison is. A full size rig will never compete with the midsize rig offroad. Weight is the bane of really crossfunctional offroad capabilites. That is why a totally crap quality wise product dominates the offroad market (Jeep). My three vehicles before the LC were F150 raptors, which are infinitely better than a taho or Armada offroad, and Raptors are no match for the well rounded offroadability of the LC. Wheelbase and weight are just killers. But then again offroading to you may be a dirt road in a state park???

 

[TakaraLC]

This

Oh my. Just.... oh my. Anyone who has ever driven a Taho or Armada on real offroad trails knows how silly this comparison is. A full size rig will never compete with the midsize rig offroad. Weight is the bane of really crossfunctional offroad capabilites. That is why a totally crap quality wise product dominates the offroad market (Jeep). My three vehicles before the LC were F150 raptors, which are infinitely better than a taho or Armada offroad, and Raptors are no match for the well rounded offroadability of the LC. Wheelbase and weight are just killers. But then again offroading to you may be a dirt road in a state park???

Offroad king Tahoe with impressive ground clearance for a minivan.

 

[n0m@d]

The stink has reached our neighbors: Interesting read from our brothers on the Toyota side

 

[teghogh]

Oh my. Just.... oh my. Anyone who has ever driven a Taho or Armada on real offroad trails knows how silly this comparison is. A full size rig will never compete with the midsize rig offroad. Weight is the bane of really crossfunctional offroad capabilites. That is why a totally crap quality wise product dominates the offroad market (Jeep). My three vehicles before the LC were F150 raptors, which are infinitely better than a taho or Armada offroad, and Raptors are no match for the well rounded offroadability of the LC. Wheelbase and weight are just killers. But then again offroading to you may be a dirt road in a state park???

Raptors are the same weight as lc250. I’ve had plenty of them but you’re correct in that they are just too big for any technical trails

 

[BlueCruiser]

They know those places exist, they just don’t care about the opinions of the minority of possible buyers. Vast majority of LCs are sold in urban areas.

They also know ourselves better than we do. At least in terms of what we say versus what we do

 

[Doggman1525]

 

[rysn]

Hmm so you are saying 200 series LC was also not a real LC since it practically has the same range as 250.

Negative ghost rider, different frames. The 200 was the last to be built on the jframe, this is built on the TNGA-F like their pick-ups & large SUVs, including the Prado. The Prado is geared towards intercity driving with shorter ranges & more luxuries. That is what makes the Prado a Prado.

With the 250 in The States, there is no option with stock A/Ts, no off-road package, it has a 16g tank, averages 16-17mpg, has a range less than 300mi. under normal driving conditions, & is built on the same frame as the Prado.

Sounds like a Prado, not a Land Cruiser.

I owned an fj100 and got well into 300+mi./tank as did my friend who owned the 200. He ended up doing a diesel swap, it turned out to be a sick rig, I think he sold it now though. I should give him a call...

My 2003 Xterra though, that did have the same range as the 250 Prado—I averaged around 250-260 miles with that based on my old logs.

 

[rysn]

All global “Prados” are “Land Cruiser Prados”, that’s always been the designation for the lighter-duty LC line in markets where the more heavy duty wagon lineage is also sold.

And while yes, the LC 250 is a lighter-duty vehicle than the LC 300 (and is branded as the “Land Cruiser Prado” in some areas of the world), I don’t know that it’s fair to lump into the classification of “soccer mom” cars, as it’s still a very capable 4WD off-road vehicle in its own right. (And trust me, plenty of the 200 series sold in the US were being driven by wealthier soccer moms/dads as well).

IMO, it’s geared towards folks who want a mid-size BOF Toyota SUV with a more traditional, understated design than the current 4Runner…some of these folks will take these vehicles on numerous off-road adventures, others will commute to work and pick up their kids from soccer practice…but most want to be able to do a little bit of both

Yepp you are totally correct, what you said is what a Prado is. Prado's do maintain the capabilities to an extent, range being a major sacrifice & limiting factor in its capabilities. haha agreed, I think the 200 was almost exclusively driven by that group.

It makes sense though, as much as I think it is idiotic, to them the 80L was not needed. Unfortunately, the version in The States is not spec'd to truly be taken off-road, it is built to be able to handle off-road conditions, I 100% agree with what your comments. And it does handle everything I throw at it like a champ.

Fuel capacity is an incredibly important aspect for off-roading, I think that goes without saying. MPG does not really exist off-raod so you need the capacity. I average ~11mpg often less than 10, that is not sustainable with a 16g tank.

This version is built on the same frame as the Prado, only has luxury packages, has a shortened range, & no off-road packages. The AU is labeled as a Land Cruiser Prado, as you mentioned, and The States version is an even lighter version of theirs—this sounds like a Prado.

It is fine to make that decision & reduce the fuel capacity, but do not advertise & sell this as if it were a Land Cruiser, it is not, it is first & foremost a Prado.

 

[AgRN16]

Negative ghost rider, different frames. The 200 was the last to be built on the jframe, this is built on the TNGA-F like their pick-ups & large SUVs, including the Prado. The Prado is geared towards intercity driving with shorter ranges & more luxuries. That is what makes the Prado a Prado.

With the 250 in The States, there is no option with stock A/Ts, no off-road package, it has a 16g tank, averages 16-17mpg, has a range less than 300mi. under normal driving conditions, & is built on the same frame as the Prado.

Sounds like a Prado, not a Land Cruiser.

I owned an fj100 and got well into 300+mi./tank as did my friend who owned the 200. He ended up doing a diesel swap, it turned out to be a sick rig, I think he sold it now though. I should give him a call...

My 2003 Xterra though, that did have the same range as the 250 Prado—I averaged around 250-260 miles with that based on my old logs.

Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE

The tank is 17.9 gallons, not 16. Most 250 owners, even with off road tires, are getting 19-20+ mpg in mixed driving. Do the math. Thats 340+ miles range on average. And WAY more fuel efficient than the J100 and J200 you keep worshiping at the alter.

The vehicle is a LAND CRUISER, as named by the people who would know. You know who they are right? TOYOTA!! The creators of every Land Cruiser, ever.

Of every Land Cruiser ever made, the 250 has the most articulation of all save the J200, which beats it by just a hair. And the 250 can EASILY take 34 inch tires from factory, no lift and no rub. Only minor trimming, and it will accommodate 35s!! The j200 requires MAJOR modifications to fit 34s. 35s? You better have big money to throw at it to make them fit. The J100? Basicly forget about anything larger than 33s.

Want good low end torque for all that offroading that Land Cruisers are supposed to be able to do? No land cruiser ever made has more than the current J250 that you are so quick to smear.

Time for you to check out a different forum, maybe the Nissan one? You clearly don't belong here.

 

[APIOQM]

How so? The current Armada is the world market Patrol that competes directly with LCs. It has 2" higher stock ground clearance (10.7") with air suspension standard. Its also has multi-mode full time 4WD, locking diffs, more room for gear, and a three row seating.... Maybe too bad its also priced about the same as a loaded LC250

All except the Sequoia lack a solid rear axle and will therefore have horrible articulation.

 

[rysn]

Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE

The tank is 17.9 gallons, not 16. Most 250 owners, even with off road tires, are getting 19-20+ mpg in mixed driving. Do the math. Thats 340+ miles range on average. And WAY more fuel efficient than the J100 and J200 you keep worshiping at the alter.

The vehicle is a LAND CRUISER, as named by the people who would know. You know who they are right? TOYOTA!! The creators of every Land Cruiser, ever.

Of every Land Cruiser ever made, the 250 has the most articulation of all save the J200, which beats it by just a hair. And the 250 can EASILY take 34 inch tires from factory, no lift and no rub. Only minor trimming, and it will accommodate 35s!! The j200 requires MAJOR modifications to fit 34s. 35s? You better have big money to throw at it to make them fit. The J100? Basicly forget about anything larger than 33s.

Want good low end torque for all that offroading that Land Cruisers are supposed to be able to do? No land cruiser ever made has more than the current J250 that you are so quick to smear.

Time for you to check out a different forum, maybe the Nissan one? You clearly don't belong here.

Yepp, ~67L tank equals ~17g good job! Did you subtract the 3g sump from that number? Did you know there is a 3g sump reserved for water & debris—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

Myself & plenty of others are not getting 20+ & yes, I understand how maths work, thanks. You are also correct, I will leave it Toyota to name this vehicle. Oh wait, Toyota does call this the Prado, everywhere else in the entire world—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

lol why are you throwing out tire sizes, we aren't talking about that we are talking about fuel capacity—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

 

[BlueCruiser]

Which one of these is not a real Land Cruiser?

The Prado line has been around for 40 years under the brand. Seems like the haters are fantasizing only about the station wagons. So who are the true soccer moms?

 

[shwazz714]

Yepp, ~67L tank equals ~17g good job! Did you subtract the 3g sump from that number? Did you know there is a 3g sump reserved for water & debris—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

Myself & plenty of others are not getting 20+ & yes, I understand how maths work, thanks. You are also correct, I will leave it Toyota to name this vehicle. Oh wait, Toyota does call this the Prado, everywhere else in the entire world—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

lol why are you throwing out tire sizes, we aren't talking about that we are talking about fuel capacity—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

I’m rather confused at what you are even arguing at this point.

Yes the j250 is a Land Cruiser Prado. Therefore it is a “Land Cruiser” albeit the prado varient.

Are you just upset that Toyota chose to Name it solely “Land Cruiser” in the us? If so kind of a silly thing to get so worked up over.

It’s pretty simple - you like the car or not. If not there’s many other cars for you to drive and I hope you enjoy them as much as folks on here enjoy the 250

 

[Mtn40]

I owned an fj100 and...

Since we're being pedantic and going on about what is and isn't a rEaL laND cRuisEr (what is this, 'mud?) and since you've said it twice now...
Unless you owned a non-us FZJ100, you didn't own a "fj100".

If you did own an FZJ100, that's awesome, tell us more about it.

 

[AgRN16]

Yepp, ~67L tank equals ~17g good job! Did you subtract the 3g sump from that number? Did you know there is a 3g sump reserved for water & debris—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

Myself & plenty of others are not getting 20+ & yes, I understand how maths work, thanks. You are also correct, I will leave it Toyota to name this vehicle. Oh wait, Toyota does call this the Prado, everywhere else in the entire world—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

lol why are you throwing out tire sizes, we aren't talking about that we are talking about fuel capacity—Tell me you have no clue, without telling me you have NO CLUE.

Toyota advertises a 17.9 gallon tank. Its 17.9 gallons. The "sump" is usable gas that the truck will easily run on.

No where else, in the world, accept the US and Canada, is the J250 sold with the 2.4L Turbo Hybrid Petrol engine. In terms of performance, the US J250 puts out SIGNIFICANTLY more HP and Torque than any of the other market "Prados." You didn't even stop to think about why Toyota doesn't call it a Prado here, did you?? Maybe because it is meant to be just what TOYOTA named it. Land Cruiser.

Tire sizes? You were the one trying to castigate the US J250 as less capable and less than Land Cruisers of old. Tire size has a SIGNIFICANT impact in what a vehicle is capable of doing off-pavement. Do you even off-road???

Again, get a clue.

 

[TakaraLC]

Negative ghost rider, different frames. The 200 was the last to be built on the jframe, this is built on the TNGA-F like their pick-ups & large SUVs, including the Prado. The Prado is geared towards intercity driving with shorter ranges & more luxuries. That is what makes the Prado a Prado.

With the 250 in The States, there is no option with stock A/Ts, no off-road package, it has a 16g tank, averages 16-17mpg, has a range less than 300mi. under normal driving conditions, & is built on the same frame as the Prado.

Sounds like a Prado, not a Land Cruiser.

I owned an fj100 and got well into 300+mi./tank as did my friend who owned the 200. He ended up doing a diesel swap, it turned out to be a sick rig, I think he sold it now though. I should give him a call...

My 2003 Xterra though, that did have the same range as the 250 Prado—I averaged around 250-260 miles with that based on my old logs.

in other words, “I will keep moving goal posts to fabricate a narrative”.

 

[EOD Guy]

Being sarcastic here .......but where is this 3 gal sump tank? Because they didn't put one on mine and the bottom of my fuel tank is relatively flat (I actually looked in it when I had it uninstalled) and I have on 2 occasions put in 16.5 to 17 gal (while I was wiping the sweat from my forehead). I may have gotten shortchanged on this deal.......

 

[TakaraLC]

Being sarcastic here .......but where is this 3 gal sump tank? Because they didn't put one on mine and the bottom of my fuel tank is relatively flat (I actually looked in it when I had it uninstalled) and I have on 2 occasions put in 16.5 to 17 gal (while I was wiping the sweat from my forehead). I may have gotten shortchanged on this deal.......

Obviously, it is the coolbox…

 

[Winchester44]

Which one of these is not a real Land Cruiser?

The Prado line has been around for 40 years under the brand. Seems like the haters are fantasizing only about the station wagons. So who are the true soccer moms?

View attachment 43284

I agree his claims are bizarre. I guess he thinks Station wagon is the only true Land Cruiser? The 70 series is not a true Land Cruiser either?