Toyota Land Cruiser // 15k mile review
OFF THE GRID // The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser in the classic heritage color, “trail dust” - riding on Yokohama Geolander tires.
In the automotive world, few nameplates occupy the rare air at the top. On the list of timeless and iconic vehicles that will be remembered forever, the Toyota Land Cruiser might as well be etched in stone with more than 10 million units sold. Holding the crown as Toyota’s longest running nameplate, the first time people heard the Land Cruiser name around the world was in 1951 - when Toyota drove their BJ concept to the sixth station upon Mount Fujii (~7,500ft). Roads were nonexistent and the early Land Cruiser was the first vehicle to reach that height. The PR stunt worked and the orders have never stopped.
When the new USA variant launched in 2024, it came with the rare nameplate price cut (starting at ~ $55k vs $90k previously). Unfortunately the media world made up their minds early and the “baby Land Cruiser” (J250 / Prado, as known in global markets) was born into an onslaught of criticism. A 4-cylinder... in a Land Cruiser? A hybrid powertrain after the Tundra struggles? Plenty of people said “no, thanks”. There’s just one problem - it looks so. damn. good.
I wondered - does it drive as good as it looks? To find out, I did what any rational person would do - I purchased a pair of them, both at full spec - 2025 model years. Since January when the first one arrived, I’ve put 15k miles on the two Japanese G-Wagons. What can I say? If what’s rolling off the line in Aichi Prefecture a few hundred miles outside Tokyo is wrong - I don’t want to be right.
I should admit from the start I was born into a Toyota family. My father, an aircraft mechanic for Delta Air Lines, was a real stickler for precision and longevity. His affinity for Toyota was something he wouldn’t waste any time bringing up if asked something remotely mechanical. I suppose after decades of repairing Boeing aircraft (and couldn’t they learn a thing or two from Toyota Motor Corporation…) you just want something that starts every time you turn the key. He kept them all for 10+ years and never had a single issue of maintenance across hundreds of thousands of miles - something I’ve been fortunate to enjoy with my own collection of Toyota’s over the years.
Before I was allowed the keys to my own first car truck - a 1995 Toyota T100 Extended Cab - he forced me to learn not only how to change and rotate the tires, but to replace all the brakes as well. I can remember laying in the driveway as a 16 year-old wondering if I was ever going to get the truck put back together to drive somewhere, anywhere.
There was nothing to look up on the internet in 2004 that was going to help me figure it out. Only an old-school father-to-son mechanical lesson would suffice. That little five speed truck taught me how to drive a stick and was the first of many cars I’ve owned that I never should have sold.
By 2011, I decided an upgrade was in order and purchased a new Tacoma 4d PreRunner. I didn’t need four-wheel drive! After all, my Dad loved to say “what’s the point of hauling around all that extra weight for something you’re never going to use?” It only took me a year to get it stuck so bad I needed a farm tractor to come the next day and find me off-road stuck down to the frame. That was the last 2WD vehicle I ever owned.
My first attempted purchase of a Land Cruiser was an old, tan FJ-40 series back in 2012. $17k seemed insane, but it was fully restored. These days, those can push six-figures on their own if they have had a nut and bolt restoration. When the new J250 series was announced, I knew I was in fast trouble.
Choose your fighter // From top left, my 1995 Toyota T100 5 speed, 2012 Tacoma PreRunner, 2019 Tundra TRD Pro and 2025 Land Cruiser.
What Toyota has created in the new Land Cruiser is everything you need and nothing you don’t. I’ve owned a plethora of off-road SUV’s in my life. From Range Rover HSV’s to Jeep Willy’s Edition Wrangler’s - I think I’ve seen it all. After spending time in the nicest Jeep Wrangler you’ve ever seen, five minutes in this Land Cruiser would have you believing the Jeep was a piece of trash better off left on the side of the road. My six-figure Range Rover had an affinity for opening the panoramic sunroof anytime the rain started. This happened so often, Land Rover eventually took it back as a lemon. Lesson learned.
The quality in this new Land Cruiser is pure Toyota - but for the LC250 it’s really pushing Lexus quality interior. There are endless good decisions that were made and a few quirks to work out based on my experiences to date. Let’s dive into the details.
A long list of high’s
Let’s start with the power-plant. The 4-cylinder hybrid iForce Max system in the LC250 is a very different beast than the other Toyota Hybrid’s I’ve driven. They have it tuned really well to the size and weight of the vehicle. Beyond a little noticeable transition when the car is first getting rolling at low speeds and transitioning from electric to gas + electric assisted - if you didn’t have gauges in the dash telling you what power source was being used you would never know.
At 15k miles on the odometer - my total MPG reading is 24.1. Say goodbye to the days of 12-15 MPG in your full size SUV. Before you accuse me of driving like a grandmother, I mostly drive in the “normal” mode - occasionally in “eco” if I’m in town traffic and it’s not scorching hot outside - and frequently in “sport” when getting on the interstate.
One thing Toyota clearly solved was the familiar “Toyota hybrid sound”. My mom’s Rav4 hybrid in full-electric mode makes a sound akin to a small jet aircraft running while parked. The Land Cruiser appears nearly silent when rolling by under full electricity. The cabin is also just a delightful place to spend time - nearly every surface is soft touch leather. The seats are heated and cooled, along with a heated steering wheel. In an apparent revolt to automakers globally - there are tatical buttons on rocker switches across the center console for… well, everything. The ride quality is stellar - you simply float along whatever terrain you point at.
In the second row, full controls for HVAC along with 4 additional USB-C ports are on hand. The placement of the vents in the rear of the Land Cruiser is perfect - they are just above the grab handles near the top of the door where it meets the roof. That gets cold air blowing directly in your face from not far away. For my 7 month-old little boy, it’s a perfect angle to funnel cold air straight down to the carseat below. Noticiabably, in the Lexus G550 we had on order from Japan, the vents in the rear have been repositioned to a far worse location at the rear of the center console. Land Cruiser strikes again on what is essentially, the same vehicle.
The capacitive touch steering wheel is the best example of what I actually want in a self-driving vehicle that I’ve seen to date. I’ve ridden in fully loaded Cybertrucks, been chauffeured in Waymo’s and nearly driven into a ditch by confusing rental cars over the years with “lane keeping assist” features I didn’t know were on. The Land Cruiser can tell if you just have a finger on the steering wheel and will happily scan your face ensuring you're still paying attention while it drives you right down the road.
It was born to go anywhere you like - with the combination of center & rear lockers + a front disconnecting sway bar - this LC is in all-wheel-drive 24/7. Hit the button to lock only the center differential - you’re now rolling around with a 50/50 torque split to the front and back wheels with full freedom to make tight trail turns without the traditional 4WD binding. The long term plans for this overland built involve two mega routes: 1) A Tennessee to Deadhorse, Alaska out and back to see the Arctic Ocean / Arctic Circle, and 2) Shipping the LC from the Port of Miami into Cartagena, Columbia for an overland route across the PanAmerica Highway all the way down to Punta Arenas, Argentina. I would leave tomorrow if I could, alas - need to let my young family grow up more before I can travel through parts unknown. Alaska first, South America to follow.
A few quirks
Some odd wind noise coming off the passenger side mirror - only at highway speeds and not all the time. It appears to take the right combo of wind direction + driving at >70mph to hear the odd ripping sound coming from the passenger side of the car. Even a little radio background or music playing low will drown it out - just an odd miss from Toyota knowing they spent countless hours in a wind tunnel with this new J250.
The interior storage is indeed limited - as other’s have complained, aside from storing gear in the back there’s not a lot of interior space to set things on. Compared to my High Country Silverado (a literal living room on wheels), or even my Suburu WRX - which has a few good spots near the driver to store your key’s / wallet / AirPods / whatever else is in your pockets - the LC is sparse. Aside from a small 3x4” area to the left of the wireless phone charger or using the center console not as a cool box but as storage - that’s the beginning and end of your options. The contents of your jean pockets is going in the cupholders or passenger seat. Worth it considering how much they absolutely nailed the rest of the interior.
Wireless CarPlay is great - but the charging surface area leaves a lot to be desired. I’m not here complaining it’s not at an angle like in the new 4Runner, Tundra, or Tacoma - my issue is how particularly you have to place your phone to get it to take a wireless charge. If you’re bouncing down a country road, the micro movements of your phone laying flat on the charger is enough to move it a millimeter or three to the left or right and take you from charging to no power input. The design of the LC interior is best in class, just wish the surface area was larger so you could lay your phone down with 100% certainty it’s taking on power.
Towing capacity is limited to off-road trailers and lightweight payloads - It’s not that the LC can’t tow, official ratings are set at 6,000 lbs. I just drive a diesel truck that can haul 19.5k lbs so I don’t consider the LC, or any Toyota - a tow vehicle. The LC features a real-deal trailer brake controller, although I’m not sure you’re going to find a trailer with brakes light enough to be hauled by the LC in the first place. Yes, I have towed my 12 x 6 ft. Gatormade drop trailer with the LC and it performed just fine. It will be great to hook up my dog trailer, run farm chores with small brush and ATV hauler trailers and maybe one day bring a Turtleback Trailer along for a long overland route. Don’t get confused thinking this can haul an Airstream or boat - IT CAN NOT. If you decide to get within 1k lbs of the limit, I would suggest you spend a lot of time looking in the rear-view mirror, as it will show you the direction you’re about to be traveling in.
Toyota royally screwed up the privacy defaults on cameras and driving data - It’s not that you can’t turn it off, you can. It’s that Toyota has it all turned on by default. I’m talking about a camera behind the steering wheel pointed at your face that can be will be handed over to law enforcement on first request if you don’t turn it off and you find yourself in an accident. This is wholly wrong and violates basic human rights to privacy. Toyota is smart about getting you to click through all the terms & conditions signing you up for something you don’t realize. If you want to turn this off, dig into the research and find the tutorial to find the right balance of not allowing Toyota to record you at all times, but also allow it to monitor you during cruise control without sending that data off to some server where it waits to be used against you one day. Tragically, still a lot to learn for TMC on customer privacy concerns and how creepy passive recordings are to the average human being - partircurally when they send you an email letting you know you’re such a good driver (we looked at all your data) - and based on how gentle you brake and your affinity for driving only 2 MPH over the speed limit we can save you money on car insurance! Great if you opted-in, horrifically creepy if you find out by surprise.
Throughout the rest of the interior, there are three big features that stand out to me as critical for overland use cases:
1) The Rear 240 Power Plug - The hybrid system delivers, even when not on the road. Although I’ve yet to put this through extensive off-road testing, this is like having a goal zero built into the rear of your vehicle. You can hit the ACC switch to the left of the steering wheel and use the vehicle’s power bank to run appliances and charge batteries when the car is off. In a future state with a Colorado 4x4 RTT - parking at the right iOverlander coordinates on the way to Alaska just got upgraded. One push of that button and you’re powering all your gear from the onboard hybrid power bank. Internet means FaceTime with family, Sunday Night Football and most importantly, safety in the form of weather forecasts, news, etc.
2) The 12V / Cigarette outlet for running a sunroof-mounted Starlink Mini - built into the rear of the center console. It’s incredible this was included as so much overland gear can operate on a 12V power source. This allows you to keep the rear wall plug free to power your mobile refrigerator or anything else you have in mind. I spend up to 3 hours a day in my LC commuting from my house out to my farm. The cell phone service along the entire route is nonexistent. Starlink mini running at all times thanks to SatGear and their fantastic mini kit complete with 12V adapter.
3) The cool-box in the center console for getting beverages cold - all the reviews I’ve read seem to hate this feature. It’s not a refrigerator, so to speak - but it uses the space in the center console to blow cold air from the AC system around your drinks and works strikingly well. I’ve found it seems to work best with aluminum cans, where it can go from room temp / outdoor straight off the shelf to deeply cold in 20 minutes. Road trips are filled with gas stations, where you’re endlessly stocking up on more drinks. If you demand the interior storage, just leave the switch off and use it as normal - always there if you need it.
Everything Else
This new Land Cruiser is likely the nicest Toyota you can buy in the USA. Made in Japan. What else could you ask for? Well, remember I told you many are unhinged angry about there being a J250 at all? For those, Toyota Motor Corporation used the Lexus brand to give us the LX700 Overtrail. Triple locked if you have $119k to spare and want to drop another $40-50k into the rig making it the true pinnacle Toyota has built to date. The main issue, aside from the price - is it looks like shit. I’m just not their target consumer and would rather have each color of my fully loaded Land Cruisers. I imagine I’ll have a far easier time living with my decision to ship this LC250 across the ocean and down to South America in the not too distant future than I would the Lexus. Never mind the idea of driving around a series of non first-world countries in anything that looks too exotic or expensive - at least the LC250 is sold in identical body style there.
This new J250 manages a hybrid powertrain without being annoying and just has a way of always doing what you wish it would. Everything is right where it should be and the interior is a God mode of Japanese industrial, classic Toyota design. It’s magical in a way the photographs just can’t do justice. The pack of 360 cameras is good for more than just overlanding. Some of the Chick-fil-A drive through lanes these days are wild to navigate - a task I’m certain many a LC250 will be performing. For an SUV that’s epic at pulling double duty - I’m really only interested in it taking me to faraway lands.
If this Land Cruiser is anything like its ancestors of the past, passing 1m miles will be just another digit on the odometer. As I track towards 50k/100k/250k I’ll continue to update this review. On a more exciting note, it doesn’t matter if you’re in a Land Cruiser or a Geo Metro - just pick some dates and go. The airport is not anyone’s favorite place these days and if you’re living in the USA or can travel here, the opportunity to navigate the whole of the North American continent awaits. Just go!
NOTE // As with all things on this website, I’m not sponsored and have ZERO affiliate deals with these companies. I’m telling you about these products from an editorial standpoint because I spent my own time and money to see for myself. That’s a far cry from most travel content where your eyeballs have already been bought and paid for. I maintain an always growing database of editorial and inspirational travel locations within the United States, including 50+ campgrounds and boondocking locations to visit - you can find The Travel Library linked here. Now go travel!