SIBLING RIVALRY: 2024 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER VS. 2025 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

• 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

  Editor's Choice

  Engine2.4L Turbo Inline-4 Hybrid

  Horsepower326 hp

  Torque465 lb-ft

  Transmission8-Speed Automatic

  Drivetrain4WD

  Towing Capacity6,000 lbs
• 2025 Toyota 4Runner

  Engine2.4L Turbo Inline-4 Hybrid

  Horsepower278-326 hp

  Torque317-465 lb-ft

  Transmission8-Speed Automatic

  Drivetrain4WD

  Towing Capacity6,000 lbs

After a long 14-year wait, the all-new Toyota 4Runner finally debuted last week, followed by a specification announcement for the 2024 Land Cruiser this week. Toyota now has three new off-road biased SUVs based on the TNGA-F platform, and the oldest of the lot is the 2023 Sequoia. By putting platform sharing to good use, Toyota has an entirely new range of models that will undoubtedly take the fight to the competition and most likely win. But how do these models fit into Toyota's broader range, and is there space for three SUVs that seemingly do the same job?

The Sequoia's existence is easy enough to explain. It has a larger engine and more luxuries than the other two, and it effectively replaces the former big-body Land Cruiser. If you want a high-end Toyota off-roader, the Lexus LX600 is now your only option, though it struggles a bit in comparison with the new Infiniti QX80. The Land Cruiser and 4Runner are far more similar in several departments, as you shall soon see. That's why CarBuzz decided to compare them, not just to see if both deserve to exist but also to see where the average consumer should spend their money.

Design: No More Boring Toyotas

Akio Toyoda changed Toyota's future when he declared that it would no longer build boring cars. While we know styling is subjective, we have to include it here because it's one of the biggest differences between these two off-roaders. The new 4Runner has been blessed with Toyota's latest design DNA, but the designers still played it safe, not wanting to alienate the existing client pool. The basic design is the same across the entire range, with higher trims obviously adding nicer alloys and upmarket exterior inserts.

The Land Cruiser's design is more complex. It has a retro vibe to it, much like the FJ Cruiser. Customers get to choose between the Land Cruiser 1958 and the standard Land Cruiser. The 1958's front end has round headlights that are an obvious throwback to the OG Land Cruiser, and it's only available in three basic and rather dull colors. Still, being the most affordable model in the range, most people will see it as a blank canvas on which they can apply their own personality.

The Land Cruiser has rectangular headlights and is more elegant overall. Its available color palette is also surprisingly dull, but the available hues are tasteful. Basically, the Land Cruiser is more reliant on its design than the 4Runner. A funky exterior will be much higher on a customer's wish list if they are in the market for a Land Cruiser.

Size: Do You Need Seven Seats?

If you look at the size comparison above, it's easy to see why some people might be confused as to why Toyota built the 4Runner and the Land Cruiser. The size differences are negligible, and the two cars even ride on the exact same wheelbase. The answer to why both deserve to exist is the seating capacity. The Land Cruiser is only available as a five-seater in the US, while the 4Runner can be equipped with seven seats. Toyota chose to offer the LC in a five-seat configuration only to ensure there is no cannibalization.

Elsewhere in the world, it comes standard with seven seats, but in those countries, the 4Runner is not available. Instead, Toyota's customers have the option of buying a Fortuner, which is a sort of low-rent 4Runner built on a Hilux chassis. Over here, offering both with seven seats would have led to more people opting for the cheaper 4Runner, and Toyota can't have that. Being a five-seater with a large trunk also fits in better with the Land Cruiser's more high-end marketing strategy.

Engine: No Entry Level Engines For The Land Cruiser

Like the Toyota Tacoma, the 4Runner has dropped its famous and extremely reliable 4.0-liter naturally aspirated V6 in favor of a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that's slowly taking over Toyota's range. In the 4Runner, the base models are powered by the standard i-Force motor, while the high-end models are equipped with the i-Force Max, which is equipped with a gearbox-mounted electric motor and a 1.87 kWh battery pack. Both engines are a big leap forward over the V6, especially when it comes to torque. Both versions of the 2.4 start producing maximum torque at less than 2,000 rpm, which is a blessing in every single driving scenario these SUVs will be driven.

The Land Cruiser is only available with the i-Force Max Hybrid powertrain. Once again, this is in keeping with the LC's status as the more upmarket of the two. We would have liked to see a Land Cruiser with more black body cladding, a set of steelies, and the standard 2.4-liter turbocharged four-pot sans hybrid assistance, but we doubt that's going to happen. The all-new 4Runner's pricing is not available yet, but the chance of an overlap between high-end 4Runners and a base-spec Land Cruiser is likely high. There's already an overlap between the Land Cruiser ($61,950) and the entry-level Sequoia SR5, which retails for $61,275. Even though the money goes to the same place, Toyota wants to create a gap between its SUVs.

Drivetrain & Off-Roading: A 4WD System For Every Occasion

The 4Runner range includes models with part-time and full-time 4WD systems. Oddly, the model equipped with full-time 4WD as standard is the all-new Platinum, which is new to the range. It's the top-spec luxury model with all the goodies that makes suburban commuting more pleasant. It's also an optional extra for the Limited specification, which is also a luxury trim with fewer niceties. The serious off-roaders like the TRD Pro and Trailhunter are equipped with a part-time 4WD system.

Both systems have their advantages, but they're used in the two models for different reasons. The off-road biased 4Runners use a part-time system because there's less wear and tear on the front axle if you replace the standard tires with grabbier all-terrain rubber. In daily use, you can put it in RWD and save some gas money. Also, there's a large audience of off-roaders out there who prefer a less complex system that gives them more control over a car.

The luxurious 4Runner models are equipped with full-time 4WD because there's no waiting for the system to engage. Power is always sent to all four wheels via an open center differential, providing the most traction possible. A part-time system can't be used in 4WD on wet tarmac or even a hard gravel road because there's no center differential, meaning the front and rear tires are forced to rotate at the same speed, putting stress on the drivetrain components. Since the Platinum model will spend most of its time in the 'burbs, it makes sense to give it full-time 4WD. That doesn't mean that it can't off-road, however.

All Land Cruisers come standard with full-time 4WD. A locking center differential and rear differential are standard, which means there's not much that will stand in its way. Most comfort-biased land cruisers have always used this system because it is extremely useful in adverse conditions. We'll use examples from our many trips to Namibia as an example. Roughly 70% of Namibia's roads are gravel, and you are allowed to drive up to 75 mph on them. With a full-time system, any loss in traction is sorted before you have a problem. Modern 4x4s are all equipped with traction and stability control that will intervene, but we much prefer an active solution to a passive one. You haven't known fear until a Hilux with a rooftop tent steps out of line at 75 mph.

A full-time 4WD system is also more expensive than a part-time system, so it makes sense to only include it on top-spec 4Runners and all Land Cruisers. While the 4Runner has always demanded respect off-road, it's clear the Land Cruiser was designed from the start to be a rock crawler.

Conclusion: Much The Same, But Still Very Different

Looking at everything we've seen so far, it's clear that there are many differences between the two cars. Each will find its own audience, even if it boils down to something as simple as a design preference or needing seven seats instead of just five.

There are also clear signs that Toyota wants to keep its customers in the family. It's the ultimate goal of any automaker to keep its customers loyal and coming back for more. To prove the point, let's take a look at Toyota's entire range. Fresh out of college, you want a cheap car that's safe and economical, so you get a Corolla Cross. A promotion comes a few years later, so you upgrade to GR Corolla. This is about the same time you're getting married, which is fine because the 'Rolla has enough space for two.

After two or three happy years in the GR, your tiny family starts to grow, so you buy a RAV4. A few years after that, the family grows even more, and you arrive at a turning point in your life. You can either get a Toyota Sienna and tell the world that you have no purpose other than breeding, or you do what most people do and buy a 4Runner. It has enough space for two kids and all their junk, and when they're a bit bigger, they can each bring a friend along. Thank you, seven seats. Or if you have a bit more money, you get a Land Cruiser.

Coincidentally, the kids go off to college just as your midlife crisis arrives, so you get a GR Supra with a manual gearbox because you're hardcore, but after a week, you wish you had opted for the automatic instead.

Obviously, this car-buying route doesn't apply to everyone, but there must be some Toyota owners out there wondering what car they should get with a third child on the way. The 4Runner will do the job admirably. Similarly, there might be someone who has driven a Sienna for the last decade who now wants a handsome, luxurious off-roader, in which case the Land Cruiser is just the thing. The point we're trying to make is that Toyota has all its bases covered, and thanks to its reputation for reliability, its customers will keep coming back to buy a car that suits their needs.

But we're not going to cop out of a verdict. If you can only afford a 4Runner, you'll be very happy with it. But we're big fans of the new Land Cruiser and its cool looks and powerful hybrid engine, so that's where we'd spend our money.

2024-04-16T23:21:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd