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Wow the pricing between the GX and the Land Cruiser is so crazy! I am sure the Land Cruiser brand will command a lot of loyalty but it's hard to objectively choose the Toyota over the Lexus at this point.
When you equip them as closely as possible, the GX/LC price gap widens. There is a lot of overlap though. I went for the LC, but it wasn't an easy call. It was less about cost for me than it was mileage and interior layout.
Yes, buy a base overTrail Lexus over the land cruiser mid trim with the premium package there exactly the same price actually the GX might be cheaper which makes no sense because the Lexus is supposed to be more money since you’re paying for the premium brand 🤣
@@crushbaseball4270 That GX doesn't have: real leather, memory seats, 3 zone hvac, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, wireless phone charger, cool box, HUD. All of which are standard on the Land Cruiser w/Premium Package. The GX also has worse approach and departure angles, which if you're looking at the OT, should be a consideration.
@@coryrood what is funny is I don’t care about half those features and because Toyota doesn’t let you order the vehicle you want you have to get lucky with what shows up to a dealership. Also, I don’t care for real leather. The memory seats would be nice but as long as I have power seats, that’s fine. The adjustable steering wheel I don’t need powered as long as it’s manual. It’s fine. I don’t care for the wireless phone charger. I hate the cool box because your center consul is now a refrigerator instead of using it to store normal things which I use it for. If Toyota just made the 1958, Land Cruiser with the ability to option it with a better interior instead of hard plastic basically everywhere and cloth seats replaced synthetic leather at least that would be what I would buy, Also, I like the OT GX actually comes with actual off-road tires from the factory unlike the LC. But I still prefer the look of the LC over the OT GX. That is just my opinion
@@crushbaseball4270 to each their own, but if we're going to compare them, it's fair to point out that the LC has more features per dollar spent than the GX.
Just bought this car the other day.. it’s amazing.. yeah it’s expensive but what isn’t nowadays? People forget the more technology you add to a vehicle the more the cost..
Theres the seen, and theres the unseen. The land cruiser is expensive, bc there are higher quality control measures in place that people dont see. They spray wax in side the framing, lap welds performed, japan assembly, etc. These extra qc controls will aid in vehicle longevity
You might be able to price out a LC and a GX online but here in Nor Cal you will find Toyota dealerships that mark up the LC but just as many that sell it at MSRP. They are still hard to find in the Land Cruiser Trim aka not the 1958 with the premium package that comes in at 70k. That said the GX550 has a 5k standard mark up and in a lot of cases it's 10k. So the GX550 Overtrail @ 69k is really going for closer to 80k. Less Lexus dealerships and less GX's on the market mean they can pull this off so on paper vs the real world are two different realities.
I just purchased the Land Cruiser 1958 and love it! It's hands-down the best value in the Land Cruiser/GX lineup. The fuel economy is fantastic; I'm getting 25 mpg on the highway and 23 combined, a huge improvement from my old vehicle's 14 mpg. Upgrading from a 2012 Tacoma, the 1958 Land Cruiser feels luxurious. Even the screen size, which I initially thought would be too small, is fine. I also prefer the cloth seats over the leather or pleather options. And the hard plastics with the Land Cruiser logo are great!
Great review! I love the fact that you had the negatives and aren’t afraid to do so… One of my other favorite guys will sometimes give it a “zonk” but he hardly ever goes negative and it gets frustrating……
How many miles were on this loaner? Our personal LC seemed to have some programming changes that happened after 1-2k miles that changed how the hybrid system was utilized and fuel mileage improved tremendously. Went from getting 19ish like you said, to now getting 24-25. Your comparison to the GX is missing some key pieces in the premium+ that the LC Premium gets.
IIRC this one was under 1k miles. I hope it improves as the miles accumulate, glad to hear that's the case with yours at least. What does the GX Premium+ not have that the LC Premium does? They seemed pretty similar to me.
@@MattMaranMotoring the GX doesn't include a HUD, 3 zone HVAC, digital rear view mirror, cool box, or real leather. the LC premium has all of those. You can option a GX will all of that(except the 3 zone HVAC), but then they aren't even close in price then.
I don't get why a 4 cylinder with a hybrid system returns 19,5 MPG in mostly highway as you said. I also hear the same from other reviewers, so it doesn't seem like a specific problem on one example, instead a reality of real life gas consumption. I own a 2025 GV80 6 cylinder bi-turbo which is heavier, more luxurious, powerful and with 3 rows of seats, and I average 22 MPGs on mixing driving, constantly doing better than the EPA ratings, so something is wrong with this power train tuning or function. I'm looking to the Land Cruiser as a second SUV in my household because is more capable off-road, but this MPG situation is making me think in the alternatives with 6 cylinders like the GX or the upcoming Armada Pro-X. Why to have the complication of a hybrid if you are not getting better efficiency?
@@elyj.8612 you gotta put it in ECO mode. I’m driving city like in a very hilly area and I avg 20.5 over 2,000 miles now. But most trips I’m taking now I’m getting 22-23avg. Hwy driving I can get to 25-26mpg avg if I don’t go over 60-65. My last 200 avg’d 13.8mpg.
Highway driving is where a hybrid system does nothing for the fuel economy. Where it helps is start stop and accellerating. And there's the thing, that moving a certain weight and overcomming air and rolling resistance needs a certain amount of power as a minimum. That's why downsized engines in real life seldom used less fuel. The same power was needed to propell the car as with a bigger engine, and it was only in low power situations and ideling where they needed less fuel. A hybrid engine in theory needs less fuel in accelleration than the same car with the same engine without the hybrid system. I say in theory, because it depends on the gained weight through the battery: if the battery adds so much weight that all the electrical added power is eaten up by the more resistance due to the weight, the fuel consumption won't be better. When going constant speeds on the highway the electrical part of most hybrid systems will do nothing in goos scenarios or even cause additional fuel consumption to charge the batteries if they are empty and an according mode is selected. And when you lift of your foot from the throttle completely in any fuel injected car while in gear, your ice engine will inject 0 fuel, so you need as little fuel as the hybrid that turns off the engine when lifting off the throttle completely. No gain here with a hybrid. It's just in the accelleration where it helps as the ice engine then doesn't need to make all the power alone to propell the car forward in the same accelleration. (And a real hybrid can help on downhill parts as many manufacturer almost eliminated engine braking in their ice engines, a hybrid, or an EV for that matter, with recuperation often let's you choose the amount of "engine braking" you want. That's the most positive thing in driving hybrids or EV's for me personally.) -> If you drive a lot in city traffic so stop and go, a hybrid will use less fuel than a non hybrid of the same car and engine size. On long drives with no stop and go, an ice-only engine might even need less fuel: Because there's also the "how hard has the engine to work" factor: A bigger engine at low rpms in partial load can make the same amount of power than a smaller engine in higher rpms and in almost full throttle. The smaller engine then will use more fuel, as it not only has more fuel going through in the same time because of the rpms equalling out the bigger displacement easily, but then has to "waste fuel" for cooling the combustion champer as it would otherwise melt it's own pistons. (a factor with modern or even older high compression engines with forced induction and high boost) Good examples for that were the Mitsubishi Evo's and the Subaru WRX STI's. They needed as much and sometimes more fuel than the 6.2L V8 Mercedes put in their AMG cars for some time when going the same accellerations or speeds. But the EVOs had a 2L inine 4 and the Subaru had a 2L and later 2.5 L flat 4. Because they had to use a lot of fuel for that cooling. I hope that makes sense to you, english isn't my native language so i am not 100% sure that i explained it adequately. ->Here in europe, we get a 2.8L Diesel 4 cyl in the Landcruiser, that makes way more sense than the gasoline hybrid you get in the US i think.
I own one and another frustration is the small fuel tank limits the range to 300 mpg. Why they arbitrarily decided to make the tank smaller than the existing GX 550 is truly a head scratcher. 400 mile range is what they needed to shoot for as a minimum. 300 is just ridiculous. I also miss the clamshell tailgate and hatch in the rear. A Land Cruiser staple like the 4Runner rear window that rolls down. I hope they bring it back in a future refresh.
We've owned a LC with premium package for about a month now. The wife insisted on the next vehicle being a hybrid SUV (and she likes boxy SUVs) which is why we got one. Our fuel economy is the same as yours. It's been getting a lot of highway miles, but those are 75mph Texas highway miles so maybe that's why? Overall I really like driving it. The powertrain is smooth and very torquey. I actually prefer it to the V6 hybrid powertrain in the the Sequoia and Tundra. The ride and seats are comfortable, and the interior feels put together much better than the American-built Toyotas. I've been impressed by the JBL stereo, and the ball chiller seats are working normally for me. I do have some gripes though. Interior storage sucks, especially considered to my Ram 1500. It's crazy that there's no sunglass holder, and the sun visors are puny. Also the infotainment is annoying to navigate because there's no fixed menu bar to switch from Carplay to the Toyota interface. It looks like the Lexus has one, so hopefully they update that. A tune knob would've been nice too. The ADAS works great. The gauges have more customization than is probably needed. Hoping to try out the off-road features soon.
@@RamCruiserOverland I’ve had a great experience with everything you mentioned, including the JBL speakers. I don’t think the reviewer went in and adjusted the settings. Once done, they sound pretty damn good. As for the toggling between CarPlay and the Toyota system, hit the Toyota grey icon on the front screen of CarPlay. Brings you to the Toyota screen. I had to figure it out as well.
Love Toyota. Toyota of the past. What they did to customers during Covid and now with these prices? No thank you. Bronco all day over this. 😂😂😂😂 Also great review Matt. You tell it how it is. No fluff and covering up to help Toyota.
@@eddieg6436 Yeah dude I saw one of the road yesterday and it definitely DOES NOT look like a 75k vehicle..definitely closer to 50-55k range. Toyota is bugging...You're better off going for the new Traverse, Pilot, Telluride, X90/X70...
@@dcrijo None of those cars that you listed are really tough truck-frame rigs though. All of them are better road *cars*, but not better SUVs. The money went into the off-roading hardware.
I know it's like why when something else already exists that is close, but I like having variety and it's amazing to me that Toyota can pull this off. The LC looks awesome, so does the GX. IMO they're both awesome and I'm glad they both exist. Ditto for the type r and type s wrt honda.
I love the looks. The MPG is surprising at 19.5. Admittedly, Matt, you said the terrain is hilly in your area, so maybe that contributes to the lower MPG. By comparison, my Ram TRX, 8 cylinder supercharger, gets 15 MPG on the highway, 13 in the city. Obviously, two very different vehicles but by way of comparison, the MPG ratings are close enough to not buy a LC. Oh, the Harmon Kardon sound system in the Ram thumps, wonderful.
You guys are lucky in the US, this landcruiser here in the Netherlands starts at €180.000! It’s insane! The car actually costs 80.000 but after taxes it’s 180K! In Germany they cost around €125K
I remember watching this channel years ago always enjoyed it sorry to see what the UA-cam algorithm is doing to the channel views you should explore patrons option and Channel members
I just go off what the system says. It should be pretty accurate. I don't fill up these vehicles usually unless a burn through a whole tank of gas and need to keep driving it.
I have an LC250 and am averaging 17-18mpg…with a light foot. Fuel economy rating is definitely misleading/a mystery. Lots of owners also reporting mpg averages below 20mpg. But other than that I’m loving my 250.
You mentioned fuel economy but you were doing much highway driving. I think the hybrid works better as a city car, if you are doing lots of highway then the 6 would be better. Here in Australia we will be getting the 2.8 td and in our market I believe it would be the most popular.
I have one almost exactly as you are driving. I hate with the passion of 1000 suns, the cool box. It takes up more room than it could ever be worth. I am looking for a way to get rid of it.
I have a Ford F150 Powerboost hybrid. Bigger and heavier vehicle than the LC. Still my average efficiency is 22mpg. And a lot more power… So what’s the point of the 2.4 turbo 4?
There's no justification for the Land Cruiser other than wanting a Land Cruiser.. Just like the Avalon, why buy that car when the ES350 offers so much more. I would always take a Lexus over a Toyota simply because when it comes to dealer service Lexus is superior.
People in places like Colorado, will buy this over a GX. There are tons more Toyota dealerships and this is a nice mix of capability vs comfort. The truly bad thing in this vehicle is leg room.
I think you nailed it. When the gx overtrail is the same price, and the mileage isn't better in the Land Cruiser (and likely the upcoming 4Runner), why wouldn't I go for the Lexus, and get more towing rating and factory all terrain tires and the better sway bar setup? I'm not a hardcore off roader either, but it's a no brainer from the spec sheet.
The base gx does not have a lot of the stuff the Land Cruiser has with premium package , you’d be surprised now the overtrail plus has most options but it doesn’t even have digital rear view mirror
My local dealer has a row of these in various colors. I went to check them out and had to wipe the dust off my hands.... not selling. Toyota has a severe image problem right now. I told the sales guy this things worth about 45k, he laughed and said he wouldn't pay that for it.
Interesting, I think I’ll wait another 6 months or so see if they get some certified pre owned with a few thousand miles, the dealers seem to negotiate and drop the price a lot more for those.
If you pay close attention to options, the price gap widens a lot more than Matt suggests here. The LC he is driving is more comparable to an overtrail plus GX. Also, there are some who prefer to not drive a luxury brand. I'm one of them.
Nice review. I have an LC LC with Premium. Paid 65… very fortunate. Very happy at that price. I like the GX, not necessarily better, but something not covered in this video is availability. At least by me you can’t get a GX. Long wait.
I would love to buy a GX 550 Overtrail but the nearest Lexus dealer is a solid 4.5 hours away not accounting for Denver area traffic. Meanwhile there is a Toyota dealer less than an hour away. Sadly that makes the Lexus “experience” far less appealing any time dealer service or warranty work needs to be performed.
Yes. This Land Cruiser is technically a Prado, sold everywhere else in the world as the Prado (light duty Land Cruiser). The true Land Cruisers are the heavy duty 70 series and the luxury wagon 300 series. We only get the LX600 (300 series) but thats it as far as that goes.
Love the vibe of this Land Cruiser. I was excited for it because I really wanted a Bronco but the constant recalls were just too much. However, the engine sounds crude and feels overstressed for a vehicle this size. For what this costs, I stepped up to a Rivian RS1 and got vastly better performance, off-road capability and luxury. This is cool, but it doesn't feel like a $70k-plus vehicle. The Lexus version of this is not attractive. I agree that if you are considering the LC, the base version is the one to get because the shortcomings and virtues are more appropriately paired with the lower price.
Nice review, but I think Toyota knows what they are doing, if you want an offroad version you’ll get the Land Cruiser or overtrail or plus, I would choose the Land Cruiser over the Lexus is the premium package on land Cruiser vs the overtrail, it has a lot more options like real leather, heads up display, memory seats( digital rear View mirror, wireless phone charger, cool box, power steering wheel, 2400 watt plug, the Lexus you do get bigger motor and more towing capacity but same 5 seater, you have to go to overtrail plus to get all those options plus more, but it’s in the 80’s, so prob at least 10k more, the Land Cruiser has the better articulation, which most people don’t care, don’t get me wrong I like the Lexus oovertrail plus but not for 10-12k more, just my opinion.
Well you are paying for an extra powertrain in the landcruiser basically. Lets see what a base GX hybrid will cost. It bet it will START at 70k and that premium plus becomes closer to 78-80k.
Can you please do a My Week with GM SuperCruise. Would really like to know how consistent and reliable SuperCruise is, beyond the 10-15 minute review videos.
I've covered SuperCruise a few times already from living with it in the CT6, Escalade, Escalade V and others. Every time I've used it it's been hands down the best driver assist system. Reliable and well done.
@@MattMaranMotoring SuperCruse on the Acadia and Traverse may not have been so well executed. Owners have complained of steering wheel shake during super-cruising.
The fuel efficiency is a major disappointment. The pricing and cargo penalty vs the GX just doesn’t make sense unless you’re getting hybrid fuel economy. Not to mention the Lexus vs Toyota dealership and service experience.
These prices are just wild. 72k, then add tax, title, tag, fees....Are they out of their mind? Really take a second and think about what you're getting for your dollar here. A body on frame SUV, with a Toyota badge, FOUR CYLINDER, that can go off road to an extent. That's it! 72k!! The brand has too many SUV's and they're trying to stagger it out but it's just not making any sense. This thing should be topping out in the 50s, not starting in the 50s. They need to restructure their lineup desperately.
Wow these cons are very sad indeed. A LC like this in the Netherlands will start at 175000 euros or about 185000 dollar. Roadtax for a year is 4000 euros. So over there you are so lucky driving these huge 4x4's in town. Nobody needs these trucks.
I prefer the square headlights myself. The round homage to OG incandescent lighting is cool and it looks good, but I definitely lean toward the all rectilinear front end.
Dont buy a new version of any car, observe first for reviews for 2 to 3 years.The new car is a bound to have problems, then the carmaker tweaks and fixes out the problems. You buy the 2nd improved version, less headaches.
I would never pay that much for an SUV. I don't care it is trendy or not. $70 for a Land Cruiser, HELL NO! Plus, it's a first-year model. The other thing, look how unreliable the new model Tacomas and Tundras turned out. NO WAY!
The Toyota looks great. The Lexus still has the horrible grill so from a styling point of view I would definitely choose the Toyota. In all other ways, I would prefer the Lexus.
Amazing vehicle, and expensive YES. But The Fords are in the general price range. Long term: it far outlive any ford and will provide a much higher resale value, reliability, and fit/finish.
Full disclosure, i work for a dealer group that includes very succesful lexus dealers, and this makes NO sense to me. We have had tons of people come in for the same reason people here and reviews say.. at this point might as well get the GX. Awesome vehicle but 70k is insane.
The land cruiser we deserved is the 300 series one not this rebadged GX550 that’s overpriced. 300 series would rival the Chevy suburban and the new armada. The one we got is a terrible idea.
@@TheNikidnfs There is currently $10k discount on RHO, with some dealers going as high as $15k. There is currently $3k to $5k dealer markup on the Land Cruiser.
@@brendanreary9142 I get what you're saying, maybe. Probably not in 2 to 3 years, but 5+. Still, the warranty will run out by then, and parts will still be available. So.
Hopefully inflation comes down soon so us average joes can actually afford a new vehicle again. I definitely prefer the look of this over the Lexus, but it doesn’t seem worth it.
Toyota has become ridiculous. I rather drive a Macan or a Range Rover for the panache. Considering, how expense these things are and the reliability issues Toyota is having, I might as well bite a different apple
If you want this quality otoduct you will have to pay the price, because what else do u get for this price? Anywhere in the world? But its not eithout fault, Toyota still install poor wuality sound systems if I hear correctly? But what an amazing new car, taking the market by storm in our country.
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Wow the pricing between the GX and the Land Cruiser is so crazy! I am sure the Land Cruiser brand will command a lot of loyalty but it's hard to objectively choose the Toyota over the Lexus at this point.
I’m pretty confused about what they’re doing as well, and I say that as a huge Land Cruiser fan.
When you equip them as closely as possible, the GX/LC price gap widens. There is a lot of overlap though. I went for the LC, but it wasn't an easy call. It was less about cost for me than it was mileage and interior layout.
Honestly, i don’t see this Land Cruiser lasting long. too much overlap between this, the 4Runner, and GX.
The interior of the LC premium is nicer than the Lexus. Don't know what happened at Lexus.
@@dmiller9786 what do you mean nicer. The LC premium has a higher quality interior?
Land Cruiser is just a cooler brand to me than a GX. GX is more for middle aged seeking luxury. Land Cruiser has that youthful vibe.
I could see these topping around 55-58K. 70 is a slap in the face. The fact the GX exists at the same price makes the slap even harder.
You haven't compared the vehicles
Yes, buy a base overTrail Lexus over the land cruiser mid trim with the premium package there exactly the same price actually the GX might be cheaper which makes no sense because the Lexus is supposed to be more money since you’re paying for the premium brand 🤣
@@crushbaseball4270 That GX doesn't have: real leather, memory seats, 3 zone hvac, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, wireless phone charger, cool box, HUD. All of which are standard on the Land Cruiser w/Premium Package. The GX also has worse approach and departure angles, which if you're looking at the OT, should be a consideration.
@@coryrood what is funny is I don’t care about half those features and because Toyota doesn’t let you order the vehicle you want you have to get lucky with what shows up to a dealership. Also, I don’t care for real leather. The memory seats would be nice but as long as I have power seats, that’s fine. The adjustable steering wheel I don’t need powered as long as it’s manual. It’s fine. I don’t care for the wireless phone charger. I hate the cool box because your center consul is now a refrigerator instead of using it to store normal things which I use it for. If Toyota just made the 1958, Land Cruiser with the ability to option it with a better interior instead of hard plastic basically everywhere and cloth seats replaced synthetic leather at least that would be what I would buy, Also, I like the OT GX actually comes with actual off-road tires from the factory unlike the LC. But I still prefer the look of the LC over the OT GX. That is just my opinion
@@crushbaseball4270 to each their own, but if we're going to compare them, it's fair to point out that the LC has more features per dollar spent than the GX.
I absolutely love the way this car looks, I really enjoy how detailed your reviews are and you mention the mpg's it gets
Thanks, I'm glad you like them!
Just bought this car the other day.. it’s amazing.. yeah it’s expensive but what isn’t nowadays? People forget the more technology you add to a vehicle the more the cost..
Theres the seen, and theres the unseen. The land cruiser is expensive, bc there are higher quality control measures in place that people dont see. They spray wax in side the framing, lap welds performed, japan assembly, etc. These extra qc controls will aid in vehicle longevity
You might be able to price out a LC and a GX online but here in Nor Cal you will find Toyota dealerships that mark up the LC but just as many that sell it at MSRP. They are still hard to find in the Land Cruiser Trim aka not the 1958 with the premium package that comes in at 70k. That said the GX550 has a 5k standard mark up and in a lot of cases it's 10k. So the GX550 Overtrail @ 69k is really going for closer to 80k. Less Lexus dealerships and less GX's on the market mean they can pull this off so on paper vs the real world are two different realities.
@@ZoSo666JP I have been seeing More GX 550’s on the road than the new LC 250 where I live in SC.
I just purchased the Land Cruiser 1958 and love it! It's hands-down the best value in the Land Cruiser/GX lineup. The fuel economy is fantastic; I'm getting 25 mpg on the highway and 23 combined, a huge improvement from my old vehicle's 14 mpg. Upgrading from a 2012 Tacoma, the 1958 Land Cruiser feels luxurious. Even the screen size, which I initially thought would be too small, is fine. I also prefer the cloth seats over the leather or pleather options. And the hard plastics with the Land Cruiser logo are great!
Thanks for sharing your ownership experience and I'm glad you're enjoying yours!
Dont forget that premium fuel is recommended. Not much savings at all from my 4runner. The numbers dont add up in drastic savings. 😂
GX Overtrail w/EKDSS out the door:taxes, tags, doc is $80k You can buy a base or mid trim LC 1958 or LC LC trim for $64K-70K
LC250 has rear ceiling mounted vents - way better for a vehicle of this size. That was a bad decision for the GX Overtrail.
I have been starting to see this around town where I live in Vermont, sharp looking vehicle for sure
Great review! I love the fact that you had the negatives and aren’t afraid to do so… One of my other favorite guys will sometimes give it a “zonk” but he hardly ever goes negative and it gets frustrating……
How many miles were on this loaner? Our personal LC seemed to have some programming changes that happened after 1-2k miles that changed how the hybrid system was utilized and fuel mileage improved tremendously. Went from getting 19ish like you said, to now getting 24-25. Your comparison to the GX is missing some key pieces in the premium+ that the LC Premium gets.
IIRC this one was under 1k miles. I hope it improves as the miles accumulate, glad to hear that's the case with yours at least. What does the GX Premium+ not have that the LC Premium does? They seemed pretty similar to me.
@@MattMaranMotoring the GX doesn't include a HUD, 3 zone HVAC, digital rear view mirror, cool box, or real leather. the LC premium has all of those. You can option a GX will all of that(except the 3 zone HVAC), but then they aren't even close in price then.
@@coryroodagreed, same GX features is $84k as a Premium LC at $71k. My LCP was $69k too so this one has other dealer options on it as well
I don't get why a 4 cylinder with a hybrid system returns 19,5 MPG in mostly highway as you said. I also hear the same from other reviewers, so it doesn't seem like a specific problem on one example, instead a reality of real life gas consumption. I own a 2025 GV80 6 cylinder bi-turbo which is heavier, more luxurious, powerful and with 3 rows of seats, and I average 22 MPGs on mixing driving, constantly doing better than the EPA ratings, so something is wrong with this power train tuning or function. I'm looking to the Land Cruiser as a second SUV in my household because is more capable off-road, but this MPG situation is making me think in the alternatives with 6 cylinders like the GX or the upcoming Armada Pro-X. Why to have the complication of a hybrid if you are not getting better efficiency?
@@elyj.8612 the hybrid is strictly for power like the tundra hybrid.
@@elyj.8612 you gotta put it in ECO mode. I’m driving city like in a very hilly area and I avg 20.5 over 2,000 miles now. But most trips I’m taking now I’m getting 22-23avg. Hwy driving I can get to 25-26mpg avg if I don’t go over 60-65. My last 200 avg’d 13.8mpg.
Highway driving is where a hybrid system does nothing for the fuel economy. Where it helps is start stop and accellerating.
And there's the thing, that moving a certain weight and overcomming air and rolling resistance needs a certain amount of power as a minimum.
That's why downsized engines in real life seldom used less fuel. The same power was needed to propell the car as with a bigger engine, and it was only in low power situations and ideling where they needed less fuel.
A hybrid engine in theory needs less fuel in accelleration than the same car with the same engine without the hybrid system.
I say in theory, because it depends on the gained weight through the battery: if the battery adds so much weight that all the electrical added power is eaten up by the more resistance due to the weight, the fuel consumption won't be better.
When going constant speeds on the highway the electrical part of most hybrid systems will do nothing in goos scenarios or even cause additional fuel consumption to charge the batteries if they are empty and an according mode is selected.
And when you lift of your foot from the throttle completely in any fuel injected car while in gear, your ice engine will inject 0 fuel, so you need as little fuel as the hybrid that turns off the engine when lifting off the throttle completely.
No gain here with a hybrid.
It's just in the accelleration where it helps as the ice engine then doesn't need to make all the power alone to propell the car forward in the same accelleration.
(And a real hybrid can help on downhill parts as many manufacturer almost eliminated engine braking in their ice engines, a hybrid, or an EV for that matter, with recuperation often let's you choose the amount of "engine braking" you want. That's the most positive thing in driving hybrids or EV's for me personally.)
-> If you drive a lot in city traffic so stop and go, a hybrid will use less fuel than a non hybrid of the same car and engine size.
On long drives with no stop and go, an ice-only engine might even need less fuel:
Because there's also the "how hard has the engine to work" factor: A bigger engine at low rpms in partial load can make the same amount of power than a smaller engine in higher rpms and in almost full throttle. The smaller engine then will use more fuel, as it not only has more fuel going through in the same time because of the rpms equalling out the bigger displacement easily, but then has to "waste fuel" for cooling the combustion champer as it would otherwise melt it's own pistons. (a factor with modern or even older high compression engines with forced induction and high boost)
Good examples for that were the Mitsubishi Evo's and the Subaru WRX STI's. They needed as much and sometimes more fuel than the 6.2L V8 Mercedes put in their AMG cars for some time when going the same accellerations or speeds. But the EVOs had a 2L inine 4 and the Subaru had a 2L and later 2.5 L flat 4. Because they had to use a lot of fuel for that cooling.
I hope that makes sense to you, english isn't my native language so i am not 100% sure that i explained it adequately.
->Here in europe, we get a 2.8L Diesel 4 cyl in the Landcruiser, that makes way more sense than the gasoline hybrid you get in the US i think.
I own one and another frustration is the small fuel tank limits the range to 300 mpg. Why they arbitrarily decided to make the tank smaller than the existing GX 550 is truly a head scratcher. 400 mile range is what they needed to shoot for as a minimum. 300 is just ridiculous. I also miss the clamshell tailgate and hatch in the rear. A Land Cruiser staple like the 4Runner rear window that rolls down. I hope they bring it back in a future refresh.
We've owned a LC with premium package for about a month now. The wife insisted on the next vehicle being a hybrid SUV (and she likes boxy SUVs) which is why we got one. Our fuel economy is the same as yours. It's been getting a lot of highway miles, but those are 75mph Texas highway miles so maybe that's why? Overall I really like driving it. The powertrain is smooth and very torquey. I actually prefer it to the V6 hybrid powertrain in the the Sequoia and Tundra. The ride and seats are comfortable, and the interior feels put together much better than the American-built Toyotas. I've been impressed by the JBL stereo, and the ball chiller seats are working normally for me. I do have some gripes though. Interior storage sucks, especially considered to my Ram 1500. It's crazy that there's no sunglass holder, and the sun visors are puny. Also the infotainment is annoying to navigate because there's no fixed menu bar to switch from Carplay to the Toyota interface. It looks like the Lexus has one, so hopefully they update that. A tune knob would've been nice too. The ADAS works great. The gauges have more customization than is probably needed. Hoping to try out the off-road features soon.
Hybrid SUV is a contradiction in terms.
I've had my First Edition for a couple months now, and I'm currently getting about 19mpg with super-heavy E-Load tires.
Thanks for sharing your ownership experience so far!
@@RamCruiserOverland I’ve had a great experience with everything you mentioned, including the JBL speakers. I don’t think the reviewer went in and adjusted the settings. Once done, they sound pretty damn good.
As for the toggling between CarPlay and the Toyota system, hit the Toyota grey icon on the front screen of CarPlay. Brings you to the Toyota screen. I had to figure it out as well.
Your wife really shouldn't make car purchasing decisions.
Love Toyota. Toyota of the past. What they did to customers during Covid and now with these prices? No thank you. Bronco all day over this.
😂😂😂😂
Also great review Matt. You tell it how it is. No fluff and covering up to help Toyota.
The lower displacement engines are for lower EMISSIONS not for better milage to meet EPA standards
The best one to get is the entry level one at $58k. The next level up is $65k to $70k and top is $78K.
Its the new FJ Cruiser with 4 doors
Except the Fj Cruiser could be had with a manuell
@@user-qp4ox8le5o + 4.0L V6
@holdthebeans new FJ CRUISER is due for release in 2025 you may wish to wait to compare 😉 $ vs Usage of the LC250
Nice review. I like the looks of the LC over the GX.
WAY too expensive for what you get!!! $72K?!?……for THAT?!? (and I’m a Toyota fan). Vehicle should be $55K. 🤷🏼♂️
@@eddieg6436 Yeah dude I saw one of the road yesterday and it definitely DOES NOT look like a 75k vehicle..definitely closer to 50-55k range. Toyota is bugging...You're better off going for the new Traverse, Pilot, Telluride, X90/X70...
@@eddieg6436 it’s is 55k, starting price.
@Task-Failed-Sucessfully just stating facts and you fools shouldn’t be surprised by car prices these days.
Inflation is up 20% the last 4 years so you shouldn’t be surprised by the high price.
@@dcrijo None of those cars that you listed are really tough truck-frame rigs though. All of them are better road *cars*, but not better SUVs. The money went into the off-roading hardware.
I know it's like why when something else already exists that is close, but I like having variety and it's amazing to me that Toyota can pull this off. The LC looks awesome, so does the GX. IMO they're both awesome and I'm glad they both exist. Ditto for the type r and type s wrt honda.
I love the looks. The MPG is surprising at 19.5. Admittedly, Matt, you said the terrain is hilly in your area, so maybe that contributes to the lower MPG. By comparison, my Ram TRX, 8 cylinder supercharger, gets 15 MPG on the highway, 13 in the city. Obviously, two very different vehicles but by way of comparison, the MPG ratings are close enough to not buy a LC. Oh, the Harmon Kardon sound system in the Ram thumps, wonderful.
You guys are lucky in the US, this landcruiser here in the Netherlands starts at €180.000! It’s insane! The car actually costs 80.000 but after taxes it’s 180K!
In Germany they cost around €125K
Another great review! Is it possible to turn off the 'start/stop' if you find it annoying? Thanks for posting!
I don't think you can turn it off in this since it's a hybrid and that's all baked in in order for it to use the hybrid system.
I remember watching this channel years ago always enjoyed it sorry to see what the UA-cam algorithm is doing to the channel views you should explore patrons option and Channel members
I've had the channel memberships going for 2 years now, it has definitely helped since the views aren't great these days.
Are you stating your mpg based on what the vehicle info system says, or actually filling the tank and figuring your mileage manually?
@@jongeephotography I'm sure he's using the onboard trip computer.
I just go off what the system says. It should be pretty accurate. I don't fill up these vehicles usually unless a burn through a whole tank of gas and need to keep driving it.
I have an LC250 and am averaging 17-18mpg…with a light foot. Fuel economy rating is definitely misleading/a mystery. Lots of owners also reporting mpg averages below 20mpg. But other than that I’m loving my 250.
Also 19.5 mpg on premium gas is not good at all for a 4 cylinder turbo hybrid
You mentioned fuel economy but you were doing much highway driving. I think the hybrid works better as a city car, if you are doing lots of highway then the 6 would be better. Here in Australia we will be getting the 2.8 td and in our market I believe it would be the most popular.
The Cool Box was just called The Box before Matt Maran got in.
Hahaha
I have one almost exactly as you are driving. I hate with the passion of 1000 suns, the cool box. It takes up more room than it could ever be worth. I am looking for a way to get rid of it.
@@jasonp3253 what’s the cool box?
I have a Ford F150 Powerboost hybrid. Bigger and heavier vehicle than the LC. Still my average efficiency is 22mpg. And a lot more power… So what’s the point of the 2.4 turbo 4?
The LC is heavier than your F150
There's no justification for the Land Cruiser other than wanting a Land Cruiser.. Just like the Avalon, why buy that car when the ES350 offers so much more. I would always take a Lexus over a Toyota simply because when it comes to dealer service Lexus is superior.
So much for that hybrid system. That fuel economy sucks.
Another problem for the Land Cruiser, in addition to the GX like you mentioned, will be the 2025 Armada (Patrol).
Another quality review from M^3 Keep up the good work
Thanks, will do!
People in places like Colorado, will buy this over a GX. There are tons more Toyota dealerships and this is a nice mix of capability vs comfort. The truly bad thing in this vehicle is leg room.
The Toyo LC should start out in the 47K range. For the current price nearing 60k, its overpriced!!
I think you nailed it. When the gx overtrail is the same price, and the mileage isn't better in the Land Cruiser (and likely the upcoming 4Runner), why wouldn't I go for the Lexus, and get more towing rating and factory all terrain tires and the better sway bar setup? I'm not a hardcore off roader either, but it's a no brainer from the spec sheet.
The base gx does not have a lot of the stuff the Land Cruiser has with premium package , you’d be surprised now the overtrail plus has most options but it doesn’t even have digital rear view mirror
The LC and GX are really different, both from their options or the materials used, hence why the price points are so close.
Great review. The reason is the Landcruiser nameplate is a prestigious nameplate with history. Much more than than the Lexus. Hence the premium price.
My local dealer has a row of these in various colors. I went to check them out and had to wipe the dust off my hands.... not selling. Toyota has a severe image problem right now. I told the sales guy this things worth about 45k, he laughed and said he wouldn't pay that for it.
Interesting, I think I’ll wait another 6 months or so see if they get some certified pre owned with a few thousand miles, the dealers seem to negotiate and drop the price a lot more for those.
theres never more than 2 of these on the lot here on the west coast
@@johnrose7212 That's because of two bedroom house starts at 1 million in crazyfornia people have lost their sense of reality there.
@@jeffp5418 maybe your area is not keeping up with the times, look the south or detroit
Normally, your Lexus is just a fancy Toyota and they charge you a lot more for it. But when it's the same price, shouldn't it be a no-brainer?
If you pay close attention to options, the price gap widens a lot more than Matt suggests here. The LC he is driving is more comparable to an overtrail plus GX. Also, there are some who prefer to not drive a luxury brand. I'm one of them.
I have the 550
For the few extra thousands go with 550
Nice review. I have an LC LC with Premium. Paid 65… very fortunate. Very happy at that price. I like the GX, not necessarily better, but something not covered in this video is availability. At least by me you can’t get a GX. Long wait.
@@brianw3417 What city did you get it for $65k? I see them here in Atlanta in the mid 70k range.
Nashville. My price was not standard, obviously. Got help from a friend.
The GX has the v6 turbo with no battery
All cars have batteries
@@19hundoc47 LOL!!
No way I'm paying 70k for 4 cylinder.
I would love to buy a GX 550 Overtrail but the nearest Lexus dealer is a solid 4.5 hours away not accounting for Denver area traffic. Meanwhile there is a Toyota dealer less than an hour away.
Sadly that makes the Lexus “experience” far less appealing any time dealer service or warranty work needs to be performed.
They’re tacking on $5k markups on these in my area. Better off getting a GX550 Overtrail for less money and more car.
So now the Land Cruiser is the size of a GX, so whats the size of a LX in a toyota?
Probably the Sequoia
It's the Landcruiser 300 that you guys don't get.
Yes. This Land Cruiser is technically a Prado, sold everywhere else in the world as the Prado (light duty Land Cruiser). The true Land Cruisers are the heavy duty 70 series and the luxury wagon 300 series. We only get the LX600 (300 series) but thats it as far as that goes.
Maybe the new Sequoia. I have seen a couple of them and they look sharp but they should have made the new LC that size
Love the vibe of this Land Cruiser. I was excited for it because I really wanted a Bronco but the constant recalls were just too much. However, the engine sounds crude and feels overstressed for a vehicle this size. For what this costs, I stepped up to a Rivian RS1 and got vastly better performance, off-road capability and luxury. This is cool, but it doesn't feel like a $70k-plus vehicle. The Lexus version of this is not attractive. I agree that if you are considering the LC, the base version is the one to get because the shortcomings and virtues are more appropriately paired with the lower price.
Car prices are absolutely ridiculous.
Nice review, but I think Toyota knows what they are doing, if you want an offroad version you’ll get the Land Cruiser or overtrail or plus, I would choose the Land Cruiser over the Lexus is the premium package on land
Cruiser vs the overtrail, it has a lot more options like real leather, heads up display, memory seats( digital rear
View mirror, wireless phone charger, cool box, power steering wheel, 2400 watt plug, the Lexus you do get bigger motor and more towing capacity but same 5 seater, you have to go to overtrail plus to get all those options plus more, but it’s in the 80’s, so prob at least 10k more, the Land Cruiser has the better articulation, which most people don’t care, don’t get me wrong I like the Lexus oovertrail plus but not for 10-12k more, just my opinion.
Everything on this looks great except for the grill and headlights. Kind of hard to argue against the GX at this point, though.
Also needs that dark green paint with the gold emblem package ala the 80-series.
Cool truck but that acceleration (engine noise) sounded horrible.
Well you are paying for an extra powertrain in the landcruiser basically. Lets see what a base GX hybrid will cost. It bet it will START at 70k and that premium plus becomes closer to 78-80k.
I get 22 mpg average.
23 if all highway
Can you please do a My Week with GM SuperCruise. Would really like to know how consistent and reliable SuperCruise is, beyond the 10-15 minute review videos.
I've covered SuperCruise a few times already from living with it in the CT6, Escalade, Escalade V and others. Every time I've used it it's been hands down the best driver assist system. Reliable and well done.
@@MattMaranMotoring SuperCruse on the Acadia and Traverse may not have been so well executed. Owners have complained of steering wheel shake during super-cruising.
I’d definitely go for the GX it’s way to pricey to justify. Great review!
Thanks!
I think the Land Cruiser Land Cruiser trim without the Premium Package is a better value, at least at MSRP of low 60s.
“19.5 mpg” rookie numbers. Subaruwrxfan would have gotten it to single digits 😂😂😂
I miss Subaruwrxfan 😢
Lol
It sounds like a 4 cylinder when you rev it and not in a good way!
I’ll keep my 2022 4Runner limited.
The raised cargo floor due to the hybrid battery is what kills this for me. Very poorly designed.
Very cool truck
The fuel efficiency is a major disappointment. The pricing and cargo penalty vs the GX just doesn’t make sense unless you’re getting hybrid fuel economy. Not to mention the Lexus vs Toyota dealership and service experience.
These prices are just wild. 72k, then add tax, title, tag, fees....Are they out of their mind? Really take a second and think about what you're getting for your dollar here. A body on frame SUV, with a Toyota badge, FOUR CYLINDER, that can go off road to an extent. That's it! 72k!! The brand has too many SUV's and they're trying to stagger it out but it's just not making any sense. This thing should be topping out in the 50s, not starting in the 50s. They need to restructure their lineup desperately.
JBL audio in Toyotas should not cost extra with their below average performance.
They always suck. I have no idea why Toyota sticks with them.
Move over Range Rover. We have a new king of the Whole Foods parking lot.
How’s the noise inside the cabin on highway?
It's a little noisy but certainly better than a Bronco or Wrangler.
Looks more like a modern fj
Beautiful love the Huf x toyota
Wow these cons are very sad indeed. A LC like this in the Netherlands will start at 175000 euros or about 185000 dollar. Roadtax for a year is 4000 euros. So over there you are so lucky driving these huge 4x4's in town. Nobody needs these trucks.
Lexus fuel economy and Lexus service cost are just different. I am tired of paying 3x the cost for the same service so I can drive a premium brand.
You can get a restored classic one for a lot less money.
Am I crazy for thinking the round headlights on the 1958 edition look cooler? I’d much rather have that trim anyway..
I’m with you on that!
I prefer the square headlights myself. The round homage to OG incandescent lighting is cool and it looks good, but I definitely lean toward the all rectilinear front end.
Not bad of a price. You need to make more $$$
Dont buy a new version of any car, observe first for reviews for 2 to 3 years.The new car is a bound to have problems, then the carmaker tweaks and fixes out the problems. You buy the 2nd improved version, less headaches.
I would never pay that much for an SUV. I don't care it is trendy or not. $70 for a Land Cruiser, HELL NO! Plus, it's a first-year model. The other thing, look how unreliable the new model Tacomas and Tundras turned out. NO WAY!
I guess you don't want to be the coolest person in the Whole Foods parking lot.
Lexus experience for Toyota $? It’s a no brainer, you get the Lexus (and no battery trunk). The tires are definitely not adventure ready.
The Toyota looks great. The Lexus still has the horrible grill so from a styling point of view I would definitely choose the Toyota. In all other ways, I would prefer the Lexus.
Amazing vehicle, and expensive YES. But The Fords are in the general price range. Long term: it far outlive any ford and will provide a much higher resale value, reliability, and fit/finish.
I can't understand how an "off-road" vehicle requires as a must premium gas. Which wilderness are we supposed to explore, city suburbs?!
Wish they would come back with an FJ Cruiser.
Toyota tunes the engines in the land cruiser for power over fuel economy
100% GX Overtrail over this
That's a cool looking vehicle. Not sure about the price tho.
the seat color is just not accepted for me, id prefer a more lighter color, you dont want ur car to be dark looking internally...😅😅
The point is that lexus service, maintenance, and repairs are much higher than toyota.
Full disclosure, i work for a dealer group that includes very succesful lexus dealers, and this makes NO sense to me. We have had tons of people come in for the same reason people here and reviews say.. at this point might as well get the GX. Awesome vehicle but 70k is insane.
The land cruiser we deserved is the 300 series one not this rebadged GX550 that’s overpriced. 300 series would rival the Chevy suburban and the new armada. The one we got is a terrible idea.
Disappointing mileage? We can hear you punching it, dude. Probably can't help yourself :-).
A Land Cruiser with premium package is 68k…..
Toyota is out of their minds. 55 grand for a Tacoma off-road and 70k for this? You guys have completely lost your chit
Sept is the middle of summer? Quite the post production lag :)
Haha yeah I'm running a 2-3 month backlog currently.
$72k for a 4 banger hybrid Toyota!? For $71k get a RAM RHO!
@@theexterminator that’s a base RHO, there is a $10k tech package that most people would want.
@@TheNikidnfs There is currently $10k discount on RHO, with some dealers going as high as $15k. There is currently $3k to $5k dealer markup on the Land Cruiser.
LOL, Stelantis will be bankrupt in 2-3 years at this rate. Good luck with your Ram after that.
@@brendanreary9142 I get what you're saying, maybe. Probably not in 2 to 3 years, but 5+. Still, the warranty will run out by then, and parts will still be available. So.
Hopefully inflation comes down soon so us average joes can actually afford a new vehicle again. I definitely prefer the look of this over the Lexus, but it doesn’t seem worth it.
Toyota has become ridiculous. I rather drive a Macan or a Range Rover for the panache. Considering, how expense these things are and the reliability issues Toyota is having, I might as well bite a different apple
The best of both worlds is the CX-70, Less money and still a Toyota
Toyota please overpriced interior liked my dad's 1980 cressida
Its not a mild hybrid
If you want this quality otoduct you will have to pay the price, because what else do u get for this price? Anywhere in the world? But its not eithout fault, Toyota still install poor wuality sound systems if I hear correctly?
But what an amazing new car, taking the market by storm in our country.