Though Toyota has offered a Land Cruiser in some form or another since 1951, new models don’t come along very often, so it’s no wonder there was a buzz about the debut of the 300 model’s younger, smaller brother.
Called simply Land Cruiser in North America and Europe where it’s the only model to bear that name, and Land Cruiser 250 or Land Cruiser Prado in markets that also take the 300 to help distinguish it from that SUV, the new baby LC is a tough-looking off-roader that Toyota says recalls the tough, practical nature of older Land Cruisers.
And so it’s no coincidence that the styling displays strong echoes of previous versions of the SUV, or that Toyota wheeled out its back catalogue of Land Cruisers at the global launch to remind us both of the design similarities between the icons and the new model and also the sheer number of years of experience the brand has in this market.
Related: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Returns To America With Hybrid Power And Huge Price Cut
The 250 / Prado will be sold around the world, including the U.S. which hasn’t been able to buy a Land Cruiser of any kind since 2021. But like the name, the powertrain lineup changes according to where you live in the world. While North America and China get theirs with a 2.4-liter hybrid-assisted, four-cylinder gasoline motor making 326 hp (330 PS) and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm), Toyota customers in the Middle East and Eastern Europe take a non-hybrid version of the same engine rated at 277 hp (281 PS) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm).
And go-slow buyers in Eastern Europe and Japan can even spec one with a 2.7-liter non-turbo gasoline-four from America’s previous generation Tacoma pickup that generates a miserable 161 hp (163 PS) and just 181 lb-ft (246 Nm). The core powertrain for Western Europe and Australia meanwhile, is a 2.8-liter mild-hybrid diesel that makes a modest 201 hp (204 PS), but a more substantial 369 lb-ft (500 Nm), while some countries take the same unit minus the 48 volt booster.
The 250 wasn’t the only new Land Cruiser making its debut at yesterday’s event. Toyota also announced the first major facelift for the classic Land Cruiser 70 in over 15 years, and revealed that the boxy SUV would be returning to Japanese showrooms powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine.
