Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has unveiled the new Land Cruiser “250” Series to the world, with the launch planned for the first half of 2024 in Japan. Launched originally as the Toyota BJ on August 1, 1951, the Land Cruiser series is now 72 years old. Immediately after its launch, it became the first vehicle to climb to the sixth station of Mount Fuji. From that time, it has fulfilled its mission of delivering safety and security to all types of people in places that can only be reached in the Land Cruiser. Developed and refined based on the actual usage situations of global customers, it provides reliability, durability, and off-road performance that allows people to go anywhere and everywhere and return safely. This concept has been passed down and evolved. With cumulative sales of about 11.3 million units in approximately 170 countries and regions around the world, it has supported the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere. A vehicle that allows people to go anywhere and everywhere and return safely, developed and refined over more than 70 years based on the actual usage situations of global customers.
Until now, the Land Cruiser range has been divided into three different series-the Station Wagon that always showcases the latest technologies and has evolved into the flagship model (currently the 300 Series), the Heavy-Duty model with outstanding durability and off-road driving performance (the 70 Series), and the Light Duty model that provides ease of handling and comfort on an off-road base as a lifestyle and practical choice for customers (Prado). The Light Duty Series has tended to shift toward high-end and luxury models as the generations have evolved. In developing the 250 Series, then-President Akio Toyoda, who has the ultimate responsibility for product development, explained his basic approach as, “The Land Cruiser should be a car that supports people’s lives and local communities, so the Light Duty model must return to the true form that customers are looking for.”
In response, the development team defined the concept as returning to the origin of the Land Cruiser. With the spirit of rebuilding the model, they created a simple and sturdy vehicle that can be trusted by customers to fulfill their lifestyle choices and practical needs. Even after the 250 Series is released, the Land Cruiser will continue to evolve, while meeting a range of social needs, as a trustworthy, reliable, and practical choice for customers worldwide. The new 250 Series is a core Land Cruiser model with the same GA-F platform as the 300 Series to dramatically improve basic performance as an off-roader. It also comes with various powertrains to achieve even more powerful driving performance and environmental performance worthy of the Land Cruiser name. It was created in pursuit of unique Land Cruiser characteristics, incorporating interior and exterior styling that fuses traditional and modern in a functional package. The aim was to create a next-generation Land Cruiser with improved ease of handling and comfort for both on- and off-road driving, while also delivering class-leading advanced safety performance.
With the same GA-F platform as the 300 Series, the new 250 Series has dramatically improved off-road performance. As a reliable and practical choice for customers, it has improved ease of handling and comfort for on-road driving as well. Significantly increased rigidity50% increase in frame rigidity and 30% increase in overall rigidity. Improved on- and off-road driving performance through adoption of the following systems. Improved basic suspension performanceImproved wheel articulation, which is an indicator of off-road performance that describes the ability of a tire to stay on the ground. Electric power steering (EPS)Contributes to reduced loss of steering control when driving off-road, provides a crisper steering feel, improves maneuverability at low speeds, and enables Lane Tracing Assist. Improved off-road driving support through enhanced functionality of the Multi-Terrain Monitor and Multi-Terrain Select. Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM) First use in a Toyota vehicle. A switch-operated function that enables the front stabilizer state to be changed, delivering driving performance and ride comfort when off-road and handling stability when on-road.
The 250 Series inherits the Land Cruiser mission of supporting the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere, while pursuing the reliability, durability, and off-road performance that is the DNA of the Land Cruiser. In line with Toyota’s carbon neutrality initiatives that take a diverse multi-pathway approach, it also comes with various powertrains, including the first hybrid system for a Land Cruiser. These achieve powerful driving performance and environmental performance worthy of a Land Cruiser. With the durability of parts and easy repairs in the event of breakages, the design also takes customizability into account to allow users to enjoy their Land Cruiser in their own unique ways. The 250 Series achieves good forward visibility through a low-set cowl and instrument panel top surface, which contribute to safe on- and off-road driving. It also employs a low beltline to improve visibility of road surfaces even on rough roads. While dramatically improving off-road driving performance on the traditional Land Cruiser wheelbase, this series has a shorter mirror-to-mirror width to ensure good maneuverability.
In a fusion of traditional and modern, interior and exterior styling on the 250 Series focuses on three keywords: “reliable” (reliability to withstand harsh usage conditions), “timeless” (timeless simplicity to remain a favorite), and “professional” (refined functional beauty common to lean professional tools). Exterior styling employs horizontal lines to reproduce the unique Land Cruiser silhouette, while interior styling has shifted from a high-end, luxury ambiance to the feeling of true off-road functionality. Coupled with a sturdy and stable interior space, horizontal instrument panel, and switch shapes that are clear and easy to operate in a range of driving conditions, styling contributes to improved functionality even on rough roads. Toyota Safety Sense, the latest active safety package with advanced and improved functions, is standard on all new Land Cruiser grades. The range of detectable accidents has been expanded even further, enabling enjoyable driving with peace of mind.
