What’s your take on this review of the LC

[TheMightyGoose]

Toyota sold more 250s in the US in 2024 alone compared to all 200s sold in the US since its release. I guess worlds largest automaker understands the auto market better than average YouTuber.

Absolutely. The new LC has nearly the same amount of articulation as the 200, has more articulation than the current GX550, and gets better MPG than either of them. But these guys doing reviews don’t even get why those details are significant But people who actually will use them on trails do. Only a handful of people want a LC that’s a luxury car. And for those few, Toyota makes the Lexus LX. People don’t know what they don’t know

 

[SKLC]

I don’t get the influencer expectations for this vehicle. I think they mostly miss the overall purpose of the vehicle in the market and how it fits with the global platform line up. I bought because it was not the large, overly plush, Land Cruiser we had a few year back. I like that it’s a more practical (well appointed but not to bougie), still refined on the road for long trips, priced in my reach (compared to $100k), engine is more than capable with extra hybrid kicker, but yet a very capable off-roader. Some of them have a few valid points, but the quirks are like any vehicle…they all have something I find annoying or not up to my expectations! I could care less what they say for clicks…following a legend like the LC will not please all the critics. I’ll just keep enjoying the hell out of mine and let time tell if this meets the high standards of the long list of LC’s and Yota’s that came before.

 

[TheMightyGoose]

I don’t get the influencer expectations for this vehicle. I think they mostly miss the overall purpose of the vehicle in the market and how it fits with the global platform line up. I bought because it was not the large, overly plush, Land Cruiser we had a few year back. I like that it’s a more practical (well appointed but not to bougie), still refined on the road for long trips, priced in my reach (compared to $100k), engine is more than capable with extra hybrid kicker, but yet a very capable off-roader. Some of them have a few valid points, but and the quirks are like any vehicle…they all have something I find annoying or not up to my expectations! I could care less what they say for clicks…following a legend like the LC will not please all the critics. I’ll just keep enjoying the hell out of mine and let time tell if this meets the high standards of the long list of LC’s and Yota’s that came before.

Spot on. And most of them really have no idea just how capable they are. Not one of these guys have shown me something the 200 can do which the 250 can’t. Except maybe impress wanna-be wealthy people.

 

[Area 51]

The influencers get contracted to provide content that influences, one way or another. Like tilting an election vis social media.
maybe to degrade or bad mouth, maybe to say rah rah, soccermoms unite etc and so on.

 

[Glimmertwin]

As many soccermom features as the new LCs have, i am thrilled to have one showing up in about 2-3 weeks.
Still the non soccermom features out weight the ones that are clear to many of us. A way cool vehicle formany reasons and when it gets down to it, i just want that one.
The rest can choke on it.

What are “soccermom” features? I was a football mom and I’m wondering if I’d missed out on something. The only thing I needed as a football mom was four doors and room for equipment.

 

[Area 51]

What are “soccermom” features? I was a football mom and I’m wondering if I’d missed out on something. The only thing I needed as a football mom was four doors and room for equipment.

You may not qualify as a SM, hard to tell and no time to waste on Sunday.

 

[katekebo]

My $0.02 ...
I own a 2024 LC 1958. In my opinion, 1958 and LC "Land Crusier" are the sensible options and represent a reasonable value-for-money. Yes, they are expensive but you get a lot of good engineering and high quality under the cabin. Anybody who wants a LC based on what's inside the cabin or the "looks" is looking for a wrong car. Get a Hyundai Santa Fe instead and save you some money. The real value of the LC is in the stuff you can only see when crawling under the car.
On the other hand, the First Edition was a gimmick to take money from those who have more money than common sense. First Edition absolutely doesn't make sense considering that you can get a Lexus GX for the same amount of money. Toyota knows that and that's why they discontinued this trim for 2025. It was a smart way for Toyota to milk money from those who have too much money and desperately wanted to show off.
I owned a 2008 FJ Cruiser. When the FJ Cruiser came out there were dozens of negative reviews about how bad the interior was, how badly it drove, how crude and underpowered was the 230hp engine, etc. But the FJ stood the test of time perfectly and proved the critics wrong. It still has the highest resale value and the best reliability record among all comparable vehicles. It was designed and built to deliver the best balance between capability, reliability and value-for-money - neither a flashy toy like Land Rover, nor unreliable like Chrysler's Jeep.
The LC will be exactly like that. It's not perfect, but it's the best engineering balance between what you can do for amount of money it costs. Off course Toyota could made it cheaper by cutting cost in the mechanics, but than it would be just another Wrangler or Bronco - fun but not very reliable or durable. Or they could invest the money saved on mechanics into a nicer interior with more "technology" and give us a Hyundai Santa Fe. Just don't expect the drivetrain to last over 100k miles.
The LC and the GX are a perfect pair. If you want the high quality mechanics and don't care about luxury or race car acceleration, get the 1958 like I did. If you want high quality mechanics, performance and a nice interior, get the GX. The new 4Runner will nicely complement the lineup by offering a lower cost option with some shortcuts like no Torsen central differential.
20 years from now, there will be plenty of 2024 Land Cruisers around, still running strong and worth a lot of money, while the critics will be spending money on their third Wrangler or Bronco.

 

[flynncruiser]

Bought the LC over the GX because I actually like the instant torque, better mpg, smoother ride (going to go King), I like the looks of the front better and physical buttons.

 

[katekebo]

Here is a spreadsheet that explains why I chose the LC over other options

 

[MJE]

Here is a spreadsheet that explains why I chose the LC over other options

View attachment 22875

Makes sense, good analysis & summary. The 25 4R should correct your ‘No’ boxes, but even still I think FT 4WD is only offered in the Limited/Platinum, so might not be the trims you’re looking for.

 

[katekebo]

Makes sense, good analysis & summary. The 25 4R should correct your ‘No’ boxes, but even still I think FT 4WD is only offered in the Limited/Platinum, so might not be the trims you’re looking for.

Yes, the gas powered 2025 4Runner Limited will have full-time 4WD but not a 2-speed transfer case. Only the iForce MAX 4Runner Limited will come with the same arrangement as the LC (full-time 4WD with 2-speed transfer case), but it will cost more than the LC 1958.

 

[APIOQM]

Yes, the gas powered 2025 4Runner Limited will have full-time 4WD but not a 2-speed transfer case. Only the iForce MAX 4Runner Limited will come with the same arrangement as the LC (full-time 4WD with 2-speed transfer case), but it will cost more than the LC 1958.

And will not have a locking rear diff.

 

[PACruiser]

Does the 4R Platinum have a disconnecting sway bar?

 

[APIOQM]

Does the 4R Platinum have a disconnecting sway bar?

No. Only the TRD Off-Road if optioned, and the TRD Pro/Trailhunter.

 

[TheMightyGoose]

Bought the LC over the GX because I actually like the instant torque, better mpg, smoother ride (going to go King), I like the looks of the front better and physical buttons.

It flexes better than the GX if you opt for the disconnecting sway bar

 

[bgeorger]

My $0.02 ...
I own a 2024 LC 1958. In my opinion, 1958 and LC "Land Crusier" are the sensible options and represent a reasonable value-for-money. Yes, they are expensive but you get a lot of good engineering and high quality under the cabin. Anybody who wants a LC based on what's inside the cabin or the "looks" is looking for a wrong car. Get a Hyundai Santa Fe instead and save you some money. The real value of the LC is in the stuff you can only see when crawling under the car.
On the other hand, the First Edition was a gimmick to take money from those who have more money than common sense. First Edition absolutely doesn't make sense considering that you can get a Lexus GX for the same amount of money. Toyota knows that and that's why they discontinued this trim for 2025. It was a smart way for Toyota to milk money from those who have too much money and desperately wanted to show off.
I owned a 2008 FJ Cruiser. When the FJ Cruiser came out there were dozens of negative reviews about how bad the interior was, how badly it drove, how crude and underpowered was the 230hp engine, etc. But the FJ stood the test of time perfectly and proved the critics wrong. It still has the highest resale value and the best reliability record among all comparable vehicles. It was designed and built to deliver the best balance between capability, reliability and value-for-money - neither a flashy toy like Land Rover, nor unreliable like Chrysler's Jeep.
The LC will be exactly like that. It's not perfect, but it's the best engineering balance between what you can do for amount of money it costs. Off course Toyota could made it cheaper by cutting cost in the mechanics, but than it would be just another Wrangler or Bronco - fun but not very reliable or durable. Or they could invest the money saved on mechanics into a nicer interior with more "technology" and give us a Hyundai Santa Fe. Just don't expect the drivetrain to last over 100k miles.
The LC and the GX are a perfect pair. If you want the high quality mechanics and don't care about luxury or race car acceleration, get the 1958 like I did. If you want high quality mechanics, performance and a nice interior, get the GX. The new 4Runner will nicely complement the lineup by offering a lower cost option with some shortcuts like no Torsen central differential.
20 years from now, there will be plenty of 2024 Land Cruisers around, still running strong and worth a lot of money, while the critics will be spending money on their third Wrangler or Bronco.

I bought the FE because I preferred the round headlights and all the options that came with it over the 1958. Also, the limited production run means that it has a better chance to limit depreciation. I wouldn't say that it is a gimmick.

 

[Area 51]

Here is a spreadsheet that explains why I chose the LC over other options

View attachment 22875

There are other major considerations as well.
What a person wants.
Body style.
Legacy, desires.
Name brand recognition.
Despising certain other brands for various reasons. Jeep being a foreign owned company for some time and a train wreck changed allot of us Jeepers thinking.
Wanting to try something different, but not too different. The Hybrid fills that slot nicely.
Not trying to over analyze and getting what you want cuz you wannu.
I am sure there are more,,,,,,,

 

[b407driver]

Let's be honest here, these YouTools are preparing the formulaic messaging cycle for the incoming 6th Gen 4Runner, so they can gush on it for 6 months, then rinse and repeat.

"LC250 is just what the U.S. market has been wanting, retro style with some off-road pluck!"

"Now that we've spent a week in it, the LC250 design was compromised on so many levels, what was Toyota thinking?"

"Wait, we were wrong!"

Most of it is just very, very weak stream.

 

[flynncruiser]

Let's be honest here, these YouTools are preparing the formulaic messaging cycle for the incoming 6th Gen 4Runner, so they can gush on it for 6 months, then rinse and repeat.

"LC250 is just what the U.S. market has been wanting, retro style with some off-road pluck!"

"Now that we've spent a week in it, the LC250 design was compromised on so many levels, what was Toyota thinking?"

"Wait, we were wrong!"

Most of it is just very, very weak stream.

1000000% I was considering the Grenadier as well but the steering feel is absolutely bonkers for a 85k vehicle.

Chose the LC Premium over the 4Runner because I like the windows visibility of the LC, the interior of the 4Runner was very G-Shocky and just don’t like how the 6th gen looks.

 

[b407driver]

1000000% I was considering the Grenadier as well but the steering feel is absolutely bonkers for a 85k vehicle.

Chose the LC Premium over the 4Runner because I like the windows visibility of the LC, the interior of the 4Runner was very G-Shocky and just don’t like how the 6th gen looks.

I waited years to update my 5th Gen, but once I saw it, I just couldn't, it's like they let someone's pre-pubescent nephew give them advice on how it should look. Inside and out. That increasingly-sloped windshield going to drive people batty, the 5th Gen was hard enough to see out of; it now looks like a chop-top. That front-end, too! That one blank panel full of paint (similar to where the LC's fog light is mounted) just looks bare, like some design element was supposed to go there, but then they abandoned the idea.

The one thing I'm really curious to see is how much articulation the TRD Pro/Trailhunter 4Runner has compared to a 'vanilla' TRD OffRoad with disconnecting swaybar (I hope Dan Edmunds over at Car & Driver measures both in short order). Can't wait to see if the 'upgraded' suspension/lift limits droop, or if it was truly designed to lift it without limiting flex. I have to say I can't believe how much better the LC250 is off-road compared to the the 5th Gen 4Runner, I did not at all expect that. Truly impressive for such a relatively 'upscale' off-road vehicle. I do not in any way miss my 5th Gen.