Two versions of the same beast
It wouldn’t be all that unfair to say that the Toyota Land Cruiser was part of a luxurious, off-roader movement years ago. It debuted in 1951 as a direct competitor to the Willys Jeep, which was taking the nation by storm. Not long afterwards, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Chevy, and Ford contributed their own iterations of a stylish and comfortable SUV that didn’t compromise the rigidity of a 4WD system. The Land Cruiser was a household name for decades until, pricewise, it became slightly out of reach for the average family. The moniker was axed for Americans in 2021, and boy, talk about an outrage.
Kristen Brown
Kristen Brown
The people were able to bully Toyota enough to bring it back in 2024, which they’ve openly admitted is a Prado in a Land Cruiser outfit (which we were all fine with). Unlike the 4Runner, which has half a million trim levels ranging from bare bones, heavy-duty off-roader, and borderline fancy, the Land Cruiser comes in just two: the 1958 base model, and the more luxurious Land Cruiser trim. Both are pricey, ranging from $57,200 to $72,065. So, if they’re both relatively expensive, which one should you buy? Here are my thoughts after driving both.
If you’re an off-roader, the more expensive model comes with more trail tech
This shouldn’t be all that shocking, but the more expensive Land Cruiser comes with a lot more off-road-specific technology. The suspension setup is the same between the two and both come with a center and rear locking differential as well as a crawl function and hill descent assist, but the Land Cruiser I reviewed also came with a quick disconnect option for the front sway bars, seven terrain modes to choose from, off-road cameras on the mirrors, grille, and tail gate, as well as a dedicated “off-road information” screen that relayed real time information like the engine coolant, oil, and transmission temperatures.
Kristen Brown
My favorite part of that system was the tire placement prediction that moved as you turned the wheel, so I could navigate over obstacles and know exactly where my tires would end up if I maintained the line. Speaking of tires, the top-shelf Land Cruiser comes with smaller wheels and bigger all-terrain tires, which are especially handy if you have to air down on tougher trails. The 1958 model can certainly handle it, and it feels a little more ready for it with the cloth interior over the leather, but the added features of the more expensive model are hard to beat, and I’m not too sure how easy it would be to add all those features aftermarket. So, if you’re a heavy-duty off-roader and plan to use it regularly, the more expensive trim is worth it.
Both have the same interior layout, but I preferred the cloth (let me explain)
Both the base model and upper trim have the same interior layout, but the more expensive version can have a sunroof (not even an option on the 1958 trim), a 12-speaker JBL sound system with a subwoofer, and a 360-degree camera (also not an option for the 1958 trim) to help with parking and off-roading. It also came with leather memory seats–either in black or a “java” brown. The 1958, in comparison, came with black cloth, and only black cloth. As the owner of two old off-roaders, I liked having the cloth seats. I drove it for three hours from Bend, Oregon, to Portland, and I felt like the cloth seats were more comfortable and fit the “old off-roader” aesthetic.
Kristen Brown
However, the leather would be much easier to clean as an off-roader, as leather doesn’t absorb decades’ worth of dust, dirt, smoke, or mud. Cloth is much harder to keep clean, especially with toddlers or dogs. However, I preferred the look and feel of the cloth, although that’s a very personal preference. If you like the look and feel of leather, you’ll love the upper Land Cruiser model. If you don’t care for leather, the 1958 seats are great. Plus, finding aftermarket leather seat covers isn’t hard.
Kristen Brown
Though there is something to be said about the larger screen. The 1958 model has an 8-inch infotainment screen, while the upper Land Cruiser trim comes with a 12.3-inch screen. For me, the 8-inch screen was more than enough for my wireless Android Auto with Spotify and Google Maps, but the off-road information and camera relay on the larger screen was really, really nice. Otherwise, the layout, design, and functionality are the same, as long as you’re not hankering for a center console cooler. If it’s important, the 1958 model doesn’t come with a wireless charger, while the higher trim does—but it does come with plenty of USB-C charging ports in both the front and rear.
Despite the price disparity, the ride quality is the same
Both the 2025 Land Cruiser 1958 and higher trims use an independent double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs and a solid rear axle with a multi-link coil setup, so it’s not the smoothest ride I’ve ever experienced, but it’s certainly not the worst. In fact, I found the 1958 to be much more comfortable on my long drive than the Mazda CX-5 I swapped it for on the drive home. It’s a tall SUV at 76 inches tall, so on tight turns at high speeds, there’s a noticeable amount of body roll, but at slower speeds, both are poised, solid, and surprisingly smooth over bumps.
Kristen Brown
Off-road, either trim level is calm and collected; on pavement, both are quite bumpy, but that’s to be expected with the suspension setup and relatively stiff, off-road-ready springs. If a smooth ride is what you’re looking for, neither trim will be your best bet. That’s when I’d recommend other 4WD SUVs, like the 4Runner. If you’re buying a Land Cruiser for the capabilities and not the curb appeal, then you won’t be surprised by the ride quality.
There are more color options for the upper trims, if that matters
The Land Cruiser 1958 model I drove had every available add-on and an MSRP of $59,979. In today’s market, that is the outer limits of what’s affordable for the average American. Even then, the 1958 only comes in three colors: Black, White (Ice Cap), and a sort of gunmetal gray (Meteor Shower). You can get the upper Land Cruiser trim in White, Wind Chill Pearl, Underground, Black, Trail Dust, Heritage Blue, or Meteor Shower. Plus, Trail Dust and Heritage Blue come with a cool two-tone option featuring a Grayscape roof. As I mentioned before, the 1958 only offers black cloth, but the upper trim can have either black or brown leather.
Kristen Brown
Kristen Brown
Also worth noting is the headlight shape. The 1958 model comes with the round headlights, which Toyota says is to pay homage to the original FJ25 (going as far as to call it a back-to-basics off-roader), while the higher trim level gets the more premium-looking rectangle headlights. I personally preferred the round headlights, but the rectangular LED lights grew on me over time.
Then, of course, there are the price differences
The base model 1958 starts at $57,200, which is an eyebrow raiser for me, as even when fully loaded, a lot is missing. The driver’s seat is manual, so no electronic adjustments whatsoever, there’s no power lift gate even as an option (but you can get a liftgate light for $175), and there’s no digital rearview mirror for that 6,000 lb towing rating. Aside from the adaptive cruise control and the wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Toyota took the “back-to-basics” language very, very literally. That’s fine, but not at that price. The loaner I reviewed was $59,070, and for something straight out of the early 2010s in terms of available technology, that felt unacceptable.
Kristen Brown
Kristen Brown
The upper Land Cruiser has a lot going for it in terms of technology and comfort features, but the starting price for that is $63,275. The model I drove was $72,065 (a few Gs short of the Lexus GX 550) since it came with the Premium Package (priced at $4,600 for a 360-camera, a premium sound system, and a few other safety features), and a few other add-ons. It was a very nice car to drive, and that i-FORCEMAX system raises a few longevity concerns with how roughly it can shift or engage/disengage sometimes, but I get the appeal of it. There’s not much that looks like a Land Cruiser, and in Heritage Blue? Chef’s kiss. In my opinion, though, it’s a tad too expensive for the average American buyer, especially if the buyer actively plans to take it off-road.
Final thoughts
I talk a lot of smack about the price, but I like the Land Cruiser as an off-roader, as a road tripper, and as a family car. I wish the more “affordable” model had more that came with the high price tag, but that’s just me. That means that the one that is superior truly comes down to what you need from it.
If you’re hooked on nostalgia and don’t need the fancy off-road features, the larger screen, better sound system, or leather interior, and want something that takes you back to the good ol’ days, the 1958 will hit that mark flawlessly. The higher-end Land Cruiser is perfect for those who want a luxury off-roader that can handle trails straight from the lot, and have a decent penny to put down for it. I don’t like that the nicer Land Cruiser is elbowing its way into luxury SUV territory in terms of price, but people are buying them, and in droves. So, it’s obvious that Toyota did something right.
About the author
Kristen Brown
Contributing Writer, Autoblog