Over the past decade or so, Toyota has built up an SUV empire, ranging from the RAV4 to the Sequoia and the FJ Cruiser to the Lexus RX450h, with everything in between. But its flagship sport-ute has been on the market – all but completely untouched – for nine years now. And even for trucks that's a long life-cycle. While the Land Cruiser (and its luxury sister the Lexus LX) still won't be getting the top-to-bottom overhaul it so richly deserves, it is getting what will probably amount to a stop-gap update in 2008.
The biggest change is tipped to come under the hood. In foreign markets the Japanese-produced Land Cruiser is offered with a wide range of engines, but in the United States there's only one powerplant offered in both the Toyota and Lexus versions. That 4.7-liter V8 is expected to be ditched for the new 5.7-liter VVT-I V8 from the new Toyota Tundra pick-up truck, complete with Toyota's new six-speed automatic.
Following random shots here and there, more mules were spotted while testing in southern Europe. It'd be fairly safe to say that the styling won't be a radical departure by any stretch of the imagination, just an update on the theme people have come to recognize as the Land Cruiser. That shouldn't stop Toyota from significantly upgrading the interior, though.
With so many SUVs on offer, we can't imagine Toyota sells that many Land Cruisers worldwide, certainly not in the American market. But like other rugged, iconic SUVs (the Mercedes G-Wagon and Land Rover Defender come to mind), they continue to produce it for those who demand nothing less – and nothing more.
[Source: Truck Trend via eGM CarTech]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
aaron @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:53PM
lol another green machine...
Should come it at just under 1 millyon dollars with the 5.7..
they cut a mid sized coupe (the ugly solara that they messed up on designing) but jump into an arguably more dubious market.
Axle @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:59PM
RX450h? You mean RX400h..
Chris @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:02PM
Broken ball (barrs?) joints are standard equipment on this Japanese junker.
che culattone @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:06PM
i'd like to point the title of this article out to any of the domestic-bashing hypocrites who try to claim that lexus is not just a rebadged toyota...
Gale @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:17PM
The "kings of quality" should just gio ahead and recall them now and get it over with.
cmutt @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:33PM
Nine years? Where are the critics who bashed GM on how long they let their Cavalier languish?
This SUV was uncompetitive with others in it's class and Toyota let it sit and fill a market space - just like GM did with their Cavalier.
It's interesting to note that in the time it takes Toyota to get their new Corolla on the road that GM will have debuted AND restyled their Cobalt. It's almost like GM's is trying to win/earn your business and Toyota is sitting on their reputation.
Aki @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:33PM
This is news dating back from September.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/rsslink.cfm/article/6060926.001/toyota/spy-photos-new-toyota-landcruiser-lexus-lx-470
More pics there, too. Dunno why it looks so different from that LC in Oman.
DarkKnight67 @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:55PM
Wow! If the design of this is as good as the Tundra, they have nothing to worry about ... HAHAHAHAHAHA! This thing looks like a rehash of the same design with a new engine ... that should really be even more thirsty, or just as bad, than the previous 12/16 version in the Land Cruiser/470.
jt @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:21PM
Just plain Crap like the old model it replaces.
roadside observer @ Jan 23rd 2007 2:47PM
The greenie-weenies will continue to sing Toyota's praises for the Prius, despite the fact that the company will not sell enough Priuses to make up for the gasoline swilled by this overweight beast ... ah, well, what else can we expect?
Matt @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:12PM
re: " i'd like to point the title of this article out to any of the domestic-bashing hypocrites who try to claim that lexus is not just a rebadged toyota..."
Lexus overall, as a brand, is not a rebadged Toyota anymore. It was a good start, and this vehicle is a remnant from that legacy.
notMichaelKaresh.com @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:15PM
I should have my evaluation of both of these vehicles done at everyonewantstoknowwhatithink.com just as soon as I run a couple of errands for the wife.
Aki @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:18PM
"Nine years? Where are the critics who bashed GM on how long they let their Cavalier languish?"
Contrary to the absurd Soccer-mom Utility Vehicle that SUVs are stateside, in the Mid-east they are the truck of choice out on backroads--you know, where SUVs were meant to be.
It doesn't get refreshed much because by nature it's a far more utilitarian vehicle than some swanky Audi Q7.
logiste @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:29PM
listen idiots...refer back to this post below to remember who the undisputed leaders in RECALLS are...let me remind you:
#1 CHRYSLER
#2 GM
#3 FORD
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/surprise-recalls-fall-in-2006/
truthinadvertising @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:51PM
From NBC, idiot
Records compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show Toyota with 2.2 million vehicles recalled through Nov. 17, compared with 1.1 million in 2004. Toyota said its records show 2.4 million vehicles recalled this year.
The recalls are the most for Toyota in the U.S. in a single year. The Japanese automaker recalled about 210,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2003.
GM and Chryler recalls declined during the same period.
logiste @ Jan 23rd 2007 4:32PM
truthinadvertising:
we are now in the year 2007. you're citing facts from the years 2004-2005. i'm citing data from the years 2005-2006, in which toyota and gm recalls went down while Chrysler recalls went up, A LOT.
IDIOT.
http://www.asq.org/qualitynews/qnt/execute/displaySetup?newsID=953
Edsel @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:34PM
In 17 years I have purchased two new Land Cruisers, they are both used daily and I would not trust my life in any other 4x4. The LX470 are for loafer wearing posers.
tbyron @ Jan 23rd 2007 5:55PM
Didn't Toyota already announce that Lexus was not going to get the next gen of the Land Cruiser? Not that it is a great move but, I thought I recall someone saying that they would move over to the Sequoia platform.
ez2beme00 @ Jan 23rd 2007 6:14PM
Why change what may maybe the best real off-road SUV ever made? Recalls have nothing to do with long term reliability and resale value,..........which are the reason people buy Toyotas.
And that is not going to change anytime soon.
chuck @ Jan 24th 2007 1:24AM
Anyone know if Lexus is planning on putting it's flagship hybrid powerplant in the new LX? (The same one going in the LS600)