Land Cruiser or Tundra

[Marinna]

I have order a LC and currently waiting for my car.

However, I am still thinking whether I should choose a more versatile LC or something that can carry more like Tundra.

Here is my planned use of the car:

• I am buying a car that can help me to do more overlanding trips for extended stay. That means I sometimes want to carry a lot of stuff to support a longer trip.
• I sometimes go to the middle of absolutely nowhere and all terrain including mountains, desert, washboard road, sandy and muddy road. So reliability and capability are high priorities. Afterall getting stranded in the Canadian Rockies in the winter or summer in Baja is not fun at all.
• I do a lot of car camping, either inside the car or RTT or separate tent. So I need to have a comfortable and flexible sleeping setup. I am only 5' 6" so relatively smaller build.
• I do my trip all season. That means I need to prepare all weather conditions including in the middle of a super hot and humid summer or blizzard in the mountain.
• I offroad, but I rarely do rock crawling or these crazy moab challenges. I don't really tow stuff much (or at all), but I have a relatively speaking higher payload on the car
• I don't buy/trade car often so I want something that can last for a very long time. I am willing to invest more in maintaining a trustworthy vehicle however.

This list is very versatile, and I understand no car is perfect for everything. I would like to get some suggestion since many people on this forum have similar usage and expectation like me. What is, realistically, a better choice for these purposes?

 

[ferrari1898]

I moved from a Honda Ridgeline (pickup) to the Toyota Land Cruiser. For a vehicle its size, the storage area is noticeably smaller. We use an RV and a couple times a year we have a big trip with family where we bring 2 large freezer chests, and all sorts of other gear. No issues in the Honda this year, but IF we had the Toyota, we would have had to be creative and offload some gear into the camper.

I do not claim to be an off road / overland expert, but I believe the shorter wheelbase is better when you are off the paved road for better angles and less chance of being pinned. In the Honda I could fit in in the garage, but if I had my bike rack there was no chance it would squeeze in. The Toyota fits without an issue and I can even clear the handlebars with the bike attached (though not by much).

 

[jnsplace]

I don't see a lot of commercials where the Tundra is off the road. I do see more where they are hauling and towing.
I'll use my example:
I was in line for a 25 4runner. With the delays of it, I need a car sooner than 6 - 9 months out. And so I test drove a 24 Taco, love the drive. That engine kicks, and is just a joy to feel. Then spent a lot of time thinking how I could use the bed, what I needed etc. (I have an Outback now). I was a bit concerned about the less passenger space (and lift) as I have two seniors that will be moving into my area very soon.
Ended up test driving a LC, and now I'm back here.

TLDR: Space, intent of use and drive are all important. If you feel the Tundra can be useful to your needs, go for it. Test drive the heck out of the trim level, look at the costs of cab/rails and what not. I do think the LC will be better in the back roads due to intent of design, and yes that wheel base. Plus I've seen some great videos of stock LCs taking on back trails (not rock crawling).

 

[Marinna]

I don't see a lot of commercials where the Tundra is off the road. I do see more where they are hauling and towing.
I'll use my example:
I was in line for a 25 4runner. With the delays of it, I need a car sooner than 6 - 9 months out. And so I test drove a 24 Taco, love the drive. That engine kicks, and is just a joy to feel. Then spent a lot of time thinking how I could use the bed, what I needed etc. (I have an Outback now). I was a bit concerned about the less passenger space (and lift) as I have two seniors that will be moving into my area very soon.
Ended up test driving a LC, and now I'm back here.

TLDR: Space, intent of use and drive are all important. If you feel the Tundra can be useful to your needs, go for it. Test drive the heck out of the trim level, look at the costs of cab/rails and what not. I do think the LC will be better in the back roads due to intent of design, and yes that wheel base. Plus I've seen some great videos of stock LCs taking on back trails (not rock crawling).

The way I see LC is that it is more versatile in a way that it delivers a balanced compromise in many aspect of my intended usages.

For example you can’t have space and maneuverability in the same time, LC is a balance between Jeep Wrangler and large pickup to me.

For camping situation (also thanks to my smaller build) LC just passed the minimal standard for a comfortable bedding situation sleeping in the car. Tundra with a nice hood and/or RTT would be a luxury in this case that I am debating whether it is necessary.

For reliability and capability I don’t really know about Tundra, LC had a long reputable history but this is a brand new Prado model so very largely unproven.

My second thought is that a well around, balanced for everything SUV could also be one that does nothing good. Which way I would feel I really don’t know at this point.

 

[Bobbyreds]

I will tell you my experience but choosing one truck over another ultimately comes down to how you feel about it.

Full disclosure, I was in a similar boat as you (LC vs Tundra) and ultimately decided for a LC and couldn’t be happier.

Financially it makes a lot more sense right now to get a Tundra. There are better deals out there and you can get a deep discount and good financial incentives such as 0% APR. The aftermarket for Tundras is collapsing, but that doesn’t seem to be your concern. Tundras have tons more space to just throw away things around the car, a huge center console and can sit the same amount of people and carry more storage than an LC. The handling for Tundra is crap (don’t try to do a U turn) but the acceleration is similar as the LC if you get the hybrid version of the Tundra.

You can put a lot more weight in the back of a Tundra (not only is it a Truck, but doesn’t have the battery weight limits that LC has) and Tundra has some cool gadgets such as large screen, panoramic rooftop, etc.

So logic would dictate that you get a Tundra.

However, there’s something magical about a car that has the history of the LC (even a 200) that can take you to places that not a lot of other cars have gone before. Some of that magic comes from our childhood or youth memories that we ourselves had with Land Cruisers where we know what they are capable of and how far it can go. When you get a Land Cruiser you are also getting the legend behind it and the respect that comes with going off-roading with the one and only.

So, I guess for some of us, buying a Land Cruiser is not a logical decision, but quite the opposite, one that defies logic much like the LC does sometimes on the road.

I had an Econ professor that said not all decisions can yield a positive NPV. This one certainly doesn’t for me, but is one I don’t regret one bit.

Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey and happy trails either way!

 

[jnsplace]

Well stated. And I agree, there's Tundra's on the lot where as finding a LC is a bit more challenging (currently).
My husband has a Tundra, I've driven it. It's not exactly nimble. BUT, it IS a full size truck, and has plenty of room. I will say, he has felt that my car does a better job on the snow roads than his truck, but hey it's an Outback. Kind of designed that way.

Good luck!

 

[Marinna]

Well stated. And I agree, there's Tundra's on the lot where as finding a LC is a bit more challenging (currently).
My husband has a Tundra, I've driven it. It's not exactly nimble. BUT, it IS a full size truck, and has plenty of room. I will say, he has felt that my car does a better job on the snow roads than his truck, but hey it's an Outback. Kind of designed that way.

Good luck!

I love the whole analogy. It's like we feel that is the man we need, but this is the man that we can't resist ourselves falling for. Never thought picking up cars can get this emotional.

For the least I'll tell my LC, when I finally get it, that you are worth the wait.

 

[Marinna]

I started to see at the dealer that Tundra is getting a discount under MSRP for about $9000~$11000 right now, and on the top of that Toyota also offer 1.99% interests rate, that means even a top of the line Tundra at $80000 we can get it at about $65000. Even the Care Care Nut guy bought a 1794 trim. It is very enticing although I heard from people that Tundra can't really be used for everyday vehicle while LC is far more versatile and efficient.

 

[Area 51]

Marinna after your first trip did you make the right decision?
My guess,,, definite yes.

 

[jefkat2]

Traded my 2024 Tundra 1794 in on my 2025 LC. Tundra has a big issue with the engines on the 2022-2023 and the same issues are showing up on the 2024-2025 models. Got rid of mine quick.