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The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser is a decent luxury large SUV. It boasts a powerful V8 engine and composed handling on- and off-road. Its first- and second-row seats are comfy and spacious, and there are lots of standard convenience and safety features. The Land Cruiser also offers hefty towing ability and a sizable cargo area.
On the other hand, the Land Cruiser’s third row is cramped and suitable for kids only, its infotainment system is outdated, and its gas mileage is among the worst of any SUV on the market. These drawbacks may not be enough to spoil the Land Cruiser’s recipe, but they are worth noting.
Why You Can Trust Us: 62 Reviews Analyzed
We’ve analyzed 62 Toyota Land Cruiser reviews, as well as data points like performance specs and fuel economy estimates, to help you make the best car-buying decision possible. This 2021 Land Cruiser review incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation, which launched for 2008.
U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking and reviewing vehicles since 2007, and our staff has more than 75 years of combined experience in the auto industry. To ensure our objectivity, we never accept expensive gifts from carmakers, and an outside firm manages the ads on our site.
Should I Buy the Toyota Land Cruiser?
You should consider a few other SUVs first before deciding on the 2021 Land Cruiser. This Toyota hasn’t been redesigned in over a decade, and it struggles to compete against fresher-faced rivals like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, which offer better fuel economy, comfier third-row seats, and more-advanced tech features.
The Land Cruiser also struggles to find its niche in Toyota’s own SUV lineup. It’s outclassed by the Toyota 4Runner in terms of off-road ability, and it’s not as practical as the Toyota Sequoia for shuttling around passengers and cargo. Both are far less expensive as well.
2020 vs. 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser: What's the Difference?
There aren’t any major differences between the 2020 and 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser. In fact, Toyota has made almost no changes to the Land Cruiser since 2016.
Here are the key changes for the Toyota Land Cruiser over the last few years:
- 2016: refreshed exterior styling and updated infotainment system; eight-speed automatic transmission replaced six-speed; gained standard blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights
- 2017: no notable changes
- 2018: no notable changes
- 2019: no notable changes
- 2020: Heritage Edition debuted
- 2021: no notable change
Land Cruiser Cargo Space
The Land Cruiser has 16.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third-row seats, 41.4 cubic feet with these seats folded, and 82.8 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. That’s about average for a luxury large SUV. The cargo area isn’t very wide though, because the third-row seats flip up to the side instead of folding down. This can make it harder to transport bulkier items. Better cargo-haulers in this segment include the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade.
How Many People Does the Land Cruiser Seat?
Toyota offers the Land Cruiser in two configurations. The standard three-row model has eight seats, while the two-row Heritage Edition has five seats. Regardless of layout, the front seats are comfortable and spacious enough for taller occupants, and they provide a commanding view of the road ahead. Visibility to the sides and rear is just OK. The second row is similarly spacious, and it offers plenty of room for adults. The third row, however, is short on legroom, and its knees-up seating position is uncomfortable for longer outings. This back row is best reserved for occasional use or for kids.
Leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel are standard.
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