The success story of LandCruiser has seen its end on the US market. As Toyota mentioned for MotorTrend they will remain committed to the large SUV segment and will continue to explore future products that celebrate the Land Cruiser's rich off-road history. They encourage loyal enthusiasts and intrepid adventurers to stay tuned for future developments.
Is there a reason why Toyota is cutting the production plans for the 2022 Land Cruiser? And why specifically only in the US market? Is there another product coming our way? Let's find out.
Land Cruiser History
The Land Cruiser has been the longest production model for Toyota, dating back to the Korean War in 1950. The first generation Land Cruiser was built based on American Jeep motifs, but the Japanese wanted to bring something more to the table. The Land Cruiser was proven to be a tough car that could withstand off-roading and comfortably carry passengers, more reliable than a Land Rover and more capable than the Jeeps.
The Land Cruiser was also the first big SUV Toyota would export to the world. While successfully selling Corollas all around the globe they also packed a serious SUV for some serious buyers. The Land Cruiser shifted quickly to what would be the daily driven SUV most families would love, fitting more comfort options and less off-roader spirit to their production builds. The 200 generation Land Cruiser was introduced in 2008 and Toyota kept the same body style and chassis until 2021, with slight updates coming over the years. Much like the G-Wagon that Mercedes offers, the Land Cruiser holds a sentimental value to its buyers. This is where we get into why it was a mistake for Toyota to stop sales of Land Cruisers in the US in the first place.
Land Cruiser Loyal Buyers
The Land Cruiser is the go-to choice when it comes to buying a car that is not shiny, likes to get dirty, and lasts miles without having problems. It sits alongside top reliable cars not only because it has the Toyota badge but because of its simple engineering and high quality of parts.
Land Cruiser buyers are commonly sleepers, business owners, construction company CEOs that buy the Toyota badge for its simplicity, reliability, comfort and don't want to be seen in a flashy Range Rover. These buyers are a big win for the company, as they are not the average buyer, they bring value to the company and they define the true values of the Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser that was previously offered in the US came in only one option, fully loaded with a V8, costing $ 85,000, arranging sales to a very specific target group. In Europe however Toyota offers the Land Cruiser Prado, and the possibility of choosing the powertrain options, making it easier for buyers to afford the Land Cruiser. The single most important problem that Toyota will face by discontinuing the Land Cruiser and rebadging to Lexus is its loyal customers. These are the type of buyers that can afford an extra $5,000 for their next car, but they don't want a high-end brand, like Lexus.
The reason behind the decision of stopping sales of Land Cruisers in the US however did find another alternative. Toyota will offer the 2022 “Land Cruiser” as their Lexus LX.
Economical And Production Plan Decisions
Toyota has the best production supply chain among different industries. They refer to their supply chain and production process as Kaizen, which means continuous improvement. This is the secret formula Japanese have kept for so many years to produce good and reliable cars. The reason behind Toyota stopping their sales of the Land Cruiser has to do with competition.
The US market for large SUVs has tight competition. Each automaker is putting the most amount of features with the least amount of price, and the Land Cruiser does not sit along with those terms. The $85,000 gas hog features almost the same features as a KIA Tellidure or Ford Explorer. That made Toyota shift to the more luxury class, the Lexus, and while Lexus is a different company it is still owned by Toyota. It was foreseen too expensive to buy the Toyota Land Cruiser for $85,000. This is not the first time Toyota made such a decision. The Hilux is sold all over the world but not in the U.S, instead, Toyota makes the Tacoma, which has proven to be a great pickup for America. Toyota also takes new production builds very seriously, putting millions of dollars into research and defining the best of the best. Taking the last generation Supra as an example, Toyota decided to keep the focus on their millions of Corollas and Camrys and let BMW do the work for their new Supra. Definitely, the Land Cruiser needed a refresh, which we will get with the J300 series. The J300 series features all-LED headlights, a more aggressive and sharp front end, and refreshed interior design.
To bring more of the off-roading experience any Land Cruiser is known for, Lexus is planning on releasing an off-road-ready vehicle. The reinforced suspension and body-on-frame chassis will hold a Lexus body, making the car look as sharp as the current competition but also capable of extreme off-roading. Where it gets even more interesting is the fact that this off-roader will also come with a warranty from the factory. We will just have to wait until Lexus brings in this new SUV to experience the rawness of the Land Cruiser.