There are a lot of speculations about the return of the iconic SUV to the US market. But, it doesn’t seem to be the case. Automotive magazines are thinking about the new vehicle, Lexus GX and a successor of the FJ Cruiser. But, that is not the Land Cruiser that debuted in 2022 and left the United States dealerships after a long time. The 2025 Land Cruiser is not coming back so soon and there are many reasons to be sure about this.
First, there are no clues or official statements about the comeback. Then, the company was clear that removing the next-gen SUV is part of the plan to make more room for Lexus LX. The premium SUV is doing well so far, so the competition within the company is not needed. The 2025 Land Cruiser is still one of the most popular luxury SUVs around the world. Now with the hybrid engine, the manufacturer fixed one of the rare downsides – gas mileage. You can’t expect miracles, but 19-20 mpg is way better than 15 miles per gallon an old V8 could do. European and Japanese models featured a smaller V6 engine with weak outputs compared to the 5.7-liter unit.
2025 Land Cruiser Specs
Under the hood of the 2025 Land Cruiser is now a twin-turbo V6 engine. It replaces a V8 with even higher outputs. The new system can do 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The iForce Max is even more powerful with 439 horsepower and 580 pound-feet. Plus, a smaller engine consumes less fuel. On the other hand, many drivers won’t like turbochargers and lags that usually come with such configurations. A 4.0-liter V6 mill is still available in some markets. A 10-speed automatic transmission replaced an old 8-pace case.
2025 Land Cruiser Mini
The iconic nameplate might actually be available in US dealerships. But, the 2025 Land Cruiser won’t be the vehicle everyone remembers. The model for the United States will be the Land Cruiser Mini, a compact version of the luxury SUV. Well, everything is lame about it – using a popular name to lure attention, defiling the beautiful muscular body, and the LC Mini will probably be available with some four-pot engine. That is everything the Land Cruiser is not.
Replacement
You can still buy the Lexus LX 600 – which is basically a rebadged 2025 Land Cruiser. Lexus is a premium branch of the Japanese automotive giant. For some while, both models were available in the US. Now, the focus is on the new SUV. We trust Toyota’s motives. Bosses wouldn’t make such a bold move without a deep investigation. Land Cruiser is popular, but not as much as some newer luxury SUVs. Plus, the competition in the family has pros and more cons in this case. The LX is packed with the same engine and the equipment list is pretty long. Frankly speaking, the exterior styling of Lexus SUVs is way more aggressive, especially larger vehicles. If the LX 600 is too big, wait for the all-new GX 550, which is coming out next year.