Toyota Land Cruiser

A nearly six-figure price tag from a mainstream automaker would be shocking to most, but disciples of the Church of Land Cruiser know that the burly SUV earns its prodigious price tag. The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser employs an old-school body-on-frame construction and a trick suspension setup to deliver exceptional off-road performance. Since so many of its competitors are comfortable, luxury-focused crossovers, the Land Cruiser's rock-crawling abilities are virtually unmatched in its class.

As you might have surmised, the Land Cruiser will not appeal to every shopper in this exclusive market. It exhibits unrefined on-road manners, with heavy steering, touchy brakes and ponderous handling. Its technology interface also feels behind the times — Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available — and its sole engine choice is thirsty. But those who embrace off-roading as a way of life probably won't consider any substitutes.

Which Land Cruiser does MatoCar recommend?

The Land Cruiser's two trims are so closely priced, and the Heritage Edition only really differs in its appearance, that the choice comes down to personal taste. From a practical standpoint, the base Land Cruiser is a better value since it costs less and comes with three rows standard. (You'll have to pay a little extra to get the third row in the Heritage Edition.)

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser is a large three-row luxury SUV sold in two trims: a well-equipped base model and the Heritage Edition, which essentially amounts to an appearance package. All Land Cruisers are powered by a 5.7-liter V8 with 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. Four-wheel drive is standard, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission. An eight-seat configuration is standard for the base model and optional for the Heritage Edition, which otherwise comes with a two-row, five-seat layout.

Base The base Land Cruiser is stocked with goodies. Exterior features include:

18-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (a decoupling stabilizer bar)
Front and rear tow hooks
Protective skid plates
Trailer hitch with four- and seven-pin connectors
Heated and auto-dimming mirrors
Sunroof

Inside, the Land Cruiser offers:

Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Four-zone automatic climate control
Heated steering wheel
Heated and ventilated front seats
Heated second-row seats
9-inch touchscreen
14-speaker JBL audio system
Satellite radio
Wireless charging pad

The Land Cruiser also comes equipped with a host of advanced driving aids, including:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Land Cruiser and the car in front)
360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Land Cruiser and its surroundings for tight parking situations.

A dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system is optional for the base Land Cruiser only.

Heritage Edition The Heritage Edition is an appearance trim that adds: