Filed under: Car Buying, SUVs, Toyota
2008 Toyota Land Cruiser climbs 12.4% in price
click above image for high-res gallery of the 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser
The all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser unveiled yesterday will arrive next month in U.S. dealerships with an all-new price tag that's a hefty 12.4% more than the model it replaces. With a base price of $63,200, the '08 Land Cruiser will ring in $6,985 more than the 2007 model. As we guessed yesterday, the U.S.-spec Land Cruiser will be sold with the Tundra's 5.7L V8 producing 381 HP and 401 ft-lbs. of torque. Power will be divided by a six-speed automatic transmission and this decidedly full-size ute will be able to tow a max of 8,500 lbs., a full 2,000 more than last year's model. That's great, but is it worth an additional $7,000?
But wait, there's more. The '08 Cruiser also has a new suspension up front, a high-mount double-wishbone independent system with a trick Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System that can disengage the stabilizer bars for more articulation. Unfortunately, the rear is still a live-axle, and thus the third row doesn't fold flat, nor does it look very comfortable hovering mere inches off the floor. Both the second and third rows do swing out of the way to reveal a flat cargo floor, their presence even when folded up consumes a lot of useable space.
Toyota has released a full 75 high-res images of the 2008 Land Cruiser, which we've assembled for you in the gallery below. As the tipper pointed out to us, it's interesting that Lexus hasn't announced pricing for its version of this vehicle, the LX570, especially considering the sizable increase in the Toyota's price. How much higher will the Lexus version go?
Thanks for the tip, Woody!
[Source: Toyota]
Gallery: 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser
PRESS RELEASE:
Toyota Announces Pricing For All-New Land Cruiser
September 18, 2007 – Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) today for the all-new 2008 Land Cruiser full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV). Now in its seventh generation, the legendary Land Cruiser continues to carry its incomparable reputation for quality, durability and reliability.
The Land Cruiser, with its incredible reliability and capability, is the iconic vehicle that helped Toyota gain its first foothold in the world automobile market. Over the years, it has evolved from a basic four-wheel-drive utility vehicle into an upscale vehicle with the capability of the original Land Cruiser with the comfort and convenience that would rival any luxury sedan. The new Land Cruiser takes those values several steps further than ever before.
The Land Cruiser cements its reputation as the "King of Off-Road" with systems and features that also make it the "King of On-Road." An all-new 5.7-liter V8 engine and six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with a sequential shift mode delivers unparalleled power, efficiency and smoothness. The most powerful V8 in the Toyota model lineup delivers 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque and carries a ULEV-II emissions status. Maximum towing capacity is 8,500 pounds, an increase of 2,000 pounds over the previous model.
The Land Cruiser receives a new high-mount double-wishbone independent front suspension and four-link rear suspension with a solid live axle. The front suspension includes tubular gas-pressure shock absorbers, a hollow stabilizer bar, and coil springs. The purpose of this system is to achieve a high level of off-road driving performance and suspension control while maintaining a high level of on-road driving comfort.
Enhancing this advanced suspension system is a sophisticated Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) for an improved ride and off-road capability. A Toyota first, KDSS affectively varies the stiffness of the anti-sway bars to provide a unique mixture of optimal on-road roll stiffness and off-road suspension compliance.
Applying all of Land Cruiser's new technology to the driving surface are P285/60 R18 mud-and-snow steel-belted radial tires mounted on 18 x 8.0-inch aluminum alloy wheels with a high-gloss finish.
The Land Cruiser comes replete with a wide variety of systems designed to help maintain the safety and security of the vehicle's driver and passengers. Like all Toyota SUVS, the Land Cruiser comes standard with the STAR safety system featuring a four-wheel multi-terrain anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).
The new Land Cruiser features 10 airbags, the most airbags found in any Toyota vehicle. These include driver and front passenger dual-stage advanced airbags; driver and front passenger knee airbags; front- and second-row seat-mounted side airbags; and three-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags with a roll-sensing cutoff switch.
To this arsenal of impressive safety tools, the Land Cruiser adds other new standard safety features: CRAWL Control, a direct tire pressure monitor system (TPMS), and front active headrests.
The CRAWL Control system improves Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities and allows the driver to further concentrate on choosing a line without also having to manage momentum. With the transfer case shifted into low range, CRAWL controls engine speed and output, along with braking force, to propel the vehicle forward or in reverse at one of three low-speed settings.
The Land Cruiser also features many more thoughtful standard details. These include a JBL premium audio system with an in-dash six-CD/DVD changer and 14 speakers; Smart Key keyless entry; anti-theft security system; push-button start which allows the driver to unlock or start the vehicle by simply carrying the key fob on their person; engine immobilizer; cruise control; power moonroof; electrochomic rearview and side mirrors; HomeLink®; steering wheel-mounted audio, telephone, and voice recognition controls; heated, power front seats with driver's memory; and power tilt and telescopic steering column with memory.
With its vast array of additional standard equipment and numerous technological upgrades, the MSRP for the 2008 Land Cruiser is $63,200, an increase of $6,985, or 12.4 percent over the previous model.
The seventh-generation Land Cruiser will begin arriving at Toyota dealerships in mid-to-late October.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Mr. Negative 1:15PM (9/19/2007)
Wow, all that and 12 MPG too? The OPEC nations must be loving this one.
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testa di cazzo 1:17PM (9/19/2007)
$63K for a Toyota? you mean WITHOUT the "L" on the bumper? Man i wonder how many people will buy that. I remember when Toyotas were CHEAPER than Mercedes, BMW, and Audi... hahahahah
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Joe K. 1:34PM (9/19/2007)
Of course by the time the options of rear seat entertainment and adaptive suspension the outgoing model was clipping $66k, so the fact that the base is $63k isn't surprising... At least they gave it more power... I will say for build quality, ride and longevity, I find it nearly impossible to beat these vehicles, they really are amazing. I've seen customers with over 200k on them and done nothing apart from wear and tear parts for the whole time...
Icon149 2:02PM (9/19/2007)
Joe K... so what? My parents sold there 1990 chevy suburban (Wisconsin car, so it saw a lot of winters and road salt) with 210,000 miles, it was driven by two teenagers (myself being one of them) and never had any significant problems, oil changed every 3,000 sold it running after 13 years of trouble free service (bought a tahoe). any car can go over 200,000 if you change the fluids... and this truck was driven hard!
Joe K. 2:20PM (9/19/2007)
Maybe i should take that further, I would still be willing to pick up a first date in the cruiser at that point. I had an 89 sable last to 228k before i sold it. A 1994 Ford Aerostar with 218k on it is in the garage right now. I get mileage out of my cars, but I have never, ever, seen a vehicle that can take abuse and be as durable as the Toyota Land Cruiser. They really are an amazingly well-built vehicle...
ChrisJ 1:18PM (9/19/2007)
You could buy a NEW Lexus LS for 1500 UNDER wtf???
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Adan H. 1:22PM (9/19/2007)
I'm wondering why it's "unfortunate" that the new Land Cruiser has a solid rear axle. This is (in theory) a vehicle built to be able to travel properly in tough terrain situations. A fully independent suspension will be inadequate to maintain traction when things get rough.
Solid axles are helpful when needing to navigate rougher land. There's a reason that old Land Cruisers (as well as Jeep Wranglers) were equipped with solid axles front and back. While you sacrifice on-road ride quality you're making the vehicle infinitely more capable off-road by going solid axle.
The only reason I can see the rear suspension being to the vehicle's detriment is if you're expecting to see Toyota make a full equivalent of a Ford Expedition. Toyota didn't want to spend the R&D to invent an IRS solution for their truck-based vehicle.
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Mike 4:47PM (9/19/2007)
Not pointing fingers at you particularly but why is it that Toyota comes out with a 63k base priced vehicle with a solid rear axle and everyone tells of the number of reasons it's better that way?
Meanwhile, Ford releases a 16k base price pony car with a solid rear axle and everyone jumps on them for being low tech?
davet 4:46PM (9/19/2007)
Umm, the _old_ Land Cruiser was a real workhorse designed to be used off-road. It was small enough that it wouldn't be getting in its own way, with the diesel engine frugal enough that you wouldn't need to cart around a fuel station to the outback, inboard headlights, etc etc. The _new_ Land Cruiser got a huge overdose of fatass-itis. They share a name but that's it.
MKIV 6:57PM (9/19/2007)
Mike,
Two different vehicles designed for two different purposes regardless of how people are using them. Isn't the pony car supposed to be a performance vehicle of some sort? Live axels don't go around corners as well as independent.
British_Rover 7:30PM (9/19/2007)
You can design a fully independent suspension to do all the things a solid/beam axle do fairly easily. Land Rover has been doing it since 2002 with the Current MY Range Rover and the LR3/RRS use a similar, but slightly more advanced, version of that suspension.
The fact that Toyota didn't bother to design a full independent suspension for both the front and rear that could do well on road and off road is purely a matter of money.
It was cheaper to do it this way but not better.
The LR3 has 13 inches of rear wheel travel. How much does this supposed superior Land Cruiser have?
titan 12:46PM (9/26/2007)
Mike, the post said solid axles provide better *offroad* handling, at the expense of on road handling. Ford puts a solid axle in the rear of their *car* and people get upset. Toyota puts it in a vehicle they show climbing a hill and most people, with the notable exception of this blogger :/, praise them.
When you slowly crawl (most "true" 4wd vehicles have both 4high which is for normal highway use and 4low which uses gear reduction to significantly decrease your top speed and increase torque and driving control) over rocks the solid axle works wonders for maintaining traction, the compressed spring acts as a fulcrum so as one tire is pushed towards the vehicle the other tire is actually pushed back down towards the ground where the traction is!
Also you've got more dynamic clearance. As the tire moves up the ground clearance under the axle increases. With IFS/IRS you have static clearance where as the suspension compresses you actually have less clearance.
So solid axles are quite better for slow off highway use where you're worried about simply making it there and not getting stuck.
Robin 1:24PM (9/19/2007)
I don't see it as so unfortunate that the Land Cruiser has a solid rear axel. This is the off-road vehicle of choice for people around the world who live in areas where paved roads are just empty promises for the future. A solid axel, in theory, gives the car superior off-roading ability and is simpler to maintain. If some suburban soccer moms have to deal with the slight inconvenience of a third row that doesn't fold flat in a car that is far larger than they need in the first place, that's no problem to me. If anything is a pity, it's that the Land Cruiser has steadily become more complicated and expensive over the years. I always wonder if it is now out-of-reach for the large numbers of people who have come to rely on these Toyotas for decades.
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Will 1:26PM (9/19/2007)
"Unfortunately, the rear is still a live-axle"
agree with above, and add that it allows more towing.
It took the Expy a long time to get an IRS system that allowed for a fair bit of towing, it's a hard thing to design.
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Beat-it-nerd 1:28PM (9/19/2007)
You can keep it.
http://www.gmaccessoriesstore.com
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MoonRover 1:28PM (9/19/2007)
Pit-tee-full, just pit-tee-full, designed by dial soap.
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AnonyMust 1:49PM (9/19/2007)
Hyundai is bringing out a competitor above the Veracruz next year. It'll be priced in the high $30's. Who thinks Hyundai won't sell some of those?
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Tim 5:49PM (9/19/2007)
Umm isn't the Veracruz already on the road?
and yes its a nice vehicle, once they market it more it will take off....
Hank 1:51PM (9/19/2007)
$63,000?! And I thought the Lexus version was a waste. I understand the thing can take on the
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J. Crew 1:53PM (9/19/2007)
What is that flushing sound? Oh, that is Toyota's "green" image down the drain!
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