The iconic SUV is still in the production, although we can’t find it in the US dealerships in past couple of seasons. The company made more room for the Lexus LX, as the new flagship model in the luxury sector. But, after a lot of pressure, the 2025 Land Cruiser is coming back. The all-new Series 300 model is now available and it was a sin to forbid US buyers from purchases. They’ve been waiting for too long, just to find out the carmaker made a bold move and cut the legendary SUV from the lineup.
Like the LX, the 2025 Land Cruiser is pretty new. The latest generation debuted last year and there won’t be changes. Previously, the company had models with slight differences in the USA, Japan and Europe. Now, there is only one Land Cruiser. Version for North America will get I Force system under the hood.
2025 Land Cruiser J300 Series
The next-gen of the SUV was expected a long time ago. The Land Cruiser was outdated for years. Plus, the COVID outburst slowed down the development of the vehicle. Finally, when the crisis was over, the company launched the all-new Series 300 model. Unfortunately, there was bad news as well. The LC was not there in the US lineup. It is the high-end Toyota SUV, while all others are under the Lexus brand. One of them is the LX 600, which was marked as the flagship vehicle and the Japanese manufacturer made more space in plants by removing the legendary SUV.
Anyhow, the J300 series brought all the changes we expected. A complete redesign made the Toyota Land Cruiser more attractive. Well, fans got used to its look and even got bored after so many years. The LC had the same design for more than a decade. While the exterior could still make a strong impression, the interior was out of date. Several revisits couldn’t help. A complete overhaul was the only way.
Also, everyone knew that V8 had no future. Powerful and reliable, but also thirsty. The vehicle needed a more efficient powerplant. That is a turbocharged V6, called I Force.
2025 Land Cruiser Specs
So, under the hood of the 2025 Land Cruiser is a more efficient V6 powertrain. A 3.4-liter turbo unit can produce 389 horsepower in the base configuration. That is at the same level with an old V8 (380 hp). The new I Force system can also provide 480 lb-ft of torque, which is significantly more than the 5.7-liter mill. The gas mileage is over 20 mpg, and the towing capacity is at a similar level with its predecessor – 8,000 pounds.
This time, the 2025 Land Cruiser will have an alternative – the I Force Max setup. The same petrol engine is getting a hybrid support to create 440 hp and 580 lb-ft of torque. The new transmission is sending power to both axles. This mighty hybrid system won’t increase the towing capacity.
Another V6 can be found under the hood of the new LC. A 4.0-liter displacement won’t be the powertrain for the US market. But in other countries, this one is a good alternative to the new I Force systems. It consumes less fuel than the discontinued V8, but also produces less power. Such a big vehicle under 300 hp stands no chance in the United States.
Competition
So, Toyota is coming out to the market with two full-size SUVs. The LX is going to be released under the Lexus badge, but it is still a rival. The 2025 Land Cruiser will face pretty much the same competition the SUV left before the short-time hiatus. Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator are still there, and the third US carmaker also debuted in the full-size luxury SUV market with the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. Like the Land Cruiser, the QX80 by Infiniti is expected for too long. German carmakers are synonyms for luxury. BMW will sell you X7, while Mercedes offers GLS on a unibody platform.
2025 Land Cruiser USA Release Date
If Toyota really decides to bring back the 2025 Land Cruiser to the US dealerships, it will happen late next year. There won’t be big changes on the luxury SUV, so fans don’t have to wait on updates. Also, we don’t expect the SUV to stay for good. The company will test the market. Old models of both Land Cruiser and Lexus LX were selling very slow. Toyota shook up the market with the next-gen model of LX, and the comeback of the LC is a big risk.
The price of the vehicle will go up. Now, you can’t buy a luxury full-size SUV under $90k. The 2025 Land Cruiser won’t be an exception.