CARVERSAL

If you want to buy a rugged Toyota SUV that can conquer all the terrains you want with the TOP-G feel then you only have two options in India, either the Fortuner 4x4 Diesel Automatic priced around ₹ 50 Lakhs or the Land Cruiser LC300 for ₹ 2.5 crores (which does not make any sense). So there is no Toyota Off-roader on sale in India which comes at a price of around 1 Crore and has similar capabilities to the Land Rover Defender.

 

But wait no more as Toyota has launched their Land Cruiser LC250 in the international market, which falls between the Fortuner and The Land Cruiser LC300 and has all the capabilities to beat Defender 110 at its own game.

 

Segment

The Land Cruiser Prado series is the decedent of the Land Cruiser 70 series launched back in 1984 and still running strong on Australian roads, later on Toyota renamed it the Land Cruiser Prado to signify a lighter and smaller version of the Land Cruiser made for the masses

In 1996 the Prado went through a complete makeover making it more urban and city-oriented and finally, in 2009 Toyota launched the Land Cruiser LC150 which not only established the Prado name worldwide but also became a status symbol among Politicians and big Businessmen.

Now Toyota has launched their LC250 Land Cruiser Prado in the US Markets to cater to the gap between their LC300 and the Fortuner as many people neither want the big bulky size of the LC300 and neither the harsh ride of the Fortuner.

 

Looks

The New LC250 Land Cruiser is a class apart in terms of looks as no other modern SUV shares a similar look. Toyota is offering the LC250 in 3 Different Formats - 

 

-          Land Cruiser LC250 1958

-          Land Cruiser LC250 Launch Edition

-          Land Cruiser LC250

The LC250 1958 is a simpler cheaper and more economical version whereas the LC250 Launch is extremely off-road oriented with Off-road terrain tires and a big roof cage on offer, So the Land Cruiser Normal is the most appropriate for India as it offers a blend of both Luxury and Tech.

 

At the front, the LC250 offers a very iconic and old-school look like we used to get in 1960-70s Toyota SUVs where you get a straight grill with Toyotas lettering like they used to offer on the old Toyota SUVs.

The straight LED headlights are connected to the front grill surrounded by black housing. At the center of the bumper is a big black plastic part and small LED fog lamps and the lower parts contain more black cladding to give that rugged look.

 

On the side, the new Land Cruiser LC250 has a great combination of a modern look with an old-school design, where you get all straight body lines and window lines. Squared-of-side ORVMs like those found on the Land Rover Defender. The second-row doors have an uplift effect giving a more upright look across all trim variants Toyota offers 18-inch alloys with different styling.

 

At the back, the LC250 has debatable looks which some people like, and some hate, where you get an all-straight look with boxy taillights (like the ones you get in the van). At the center is a big housing for the number plate and all-black cladding rear bumpers (they look crap).

 

Interior

The Interior of the 2024 Prado has been kept modern yet it the most practical one in the segment. As it is very similar to the 2024 Lexus GX, the Chief Engineer at Lexus said “The interior of the GX has been given the ‘Tazuna cockpit’ concept”, which means that it should be designed in a way, that it would lean more towards practicality then a visual appeal. The same has been carried forward in the 2024 Prado as well. It can be figured out by looking at the number of buttons in the central console and the side of their placement which is near the driver.

The 2024 Prado compared to the older generation has gone leaps apart in terms of Technology. A 12.3-inch touchscreen display caters to the driver as an Infotainment system providing all the essential information regarding the SUV. It also gets a digital driver’s display.

 

The center console is a big cluster of buttons with a big gear lever for off-road setting modes, a wireless charging pad, and two cup holders.

 

Powertrain

The Land Cruiser LC250 is available with a 2.4l i-FORCE MAX petrol engine where a 2.4 l petrol engine is mated to a 48hp motor together churning out 326hp and a massive 627Nm of torque.

 

LC250 India Launch

 

The Land Cruiser LC250 is expected to make its debut in India in mid-2025 with expected price of ₹ 1.2 Crores Ex-showroom India.