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Have you ever driven a vehicle that you thought was so good you’ll probably never want a different car again? If you have, it might have been the Toyota Land Cruiser.
If you haven’t had that feeling, you probably haven’t adventured out in a Land Cruiser yet.
The Toyota Landcruiser is a reliable SUV and has scored above average on consumer reports for its reliability rating. Toyota is a trustworthy vehicle manufacturer and provides efficient and dependable engines in the Land Cruiser for longevity, and on and off-road use which allows it to last many years.
If you check out carbuzz.com, you’ll see they’ve rated the Toyota Land Cruisers as one of the best SUVs ever to enter the American vehicle market and the average complaint is much less than other SUVs still on the market today.
Read on below to find out everything you need to know about how the Toyota Land Cruiser is so reliable, why it’s so reliable, and why if it’s so reliable is it being discontinued after 2021?
Is The Toyota Land Cruiser Reliable?
Toyota is one of the oldest car manufacturers still in business today and they are still going strong. They only produce reliable engines and vehicles fit for the 21st century. Toyota works hard to meet today’s demand for cars that look good, are fuel-efficient, and can last for decades.
The Toyota Land Cruiser has been a strong and durable vehicle since its release in 1957 and we’ve never seen a disappointing Land Cruiser on the market to date.
Aside from reliability, the Land Cruiser is one of the top-rated vehicles for staying on the road and being kept by owners the longest, as well as holding its resale value fairly well thanks to an impressive and long-lasting Toyota engine.
The older Land Cruisers might not boast elaborate and fancy technology features suited to the 21st century but it certainly makes up for it in strength, longevity, reliability, and its ability to travel on basically any terrain.
How Long Will A Toyota Land Cruiser Last?
Toyota is well-known for its technology, safety, and engineering innovation. Toyota engines are award-winning engines thanks to their durability, resilience, and ability to go the extra miles that other manufacturers haven’t quite solved yet.
A Toyota Land Cruiser will last, on average, approximately 250,000 miles and in some cases, with good maintenance and care, land Cruisers have been proven to last for 300,000 miles and more.
According to the average yearly miles that American’s drive, which is approximately 13,500, this means your Toyota should last between 18 and 23 years.
Compared with some other manufacturers, like Ford, Toyota engines continue to outdo their competitors in longevity and resilience to wear and tear and damage when maintained adequately.
To recap, here are the average miles and years a Land Cruiser will last:
- The average lifespan of a Land Cruiser is 250,000 miles
- Land Cruisers can last 300,000 miles or more (with proper maintenance)
- Land Cruisers use an average of 6.7 gallons per 100 miles
- 15 MPG 13/18 combined city/highway average
- 369 miles is the average journey distance in a Land Cruiser before needing to refuel
- Land Cruisers can last up to 23 years, possibly longer (with proper maintenance)
Why The Land Cruiser Is Rated So Highly
Being one of Toyota’s oldest vehicles on the market, since 1957, the Land Cruiser has been popular for both families, and outdoor off-road enthusiasts alike.
Aside from the simple yet effective design of the Land Cruiser that hasn’t changed since 2008, here are just a few reasons why people have loved Land Cruisers and continue to love them today:
- Designed for off-road and luxury family use
- Handles all terrains with ease
- Strong, sturdy, and reliable vehicle
- Shock, suspension, and safety in steering control are superior features
- Superior 4WD wheel travel and traction for off-road driving
- Combines fun off-road powers with interior comfort and luxury
- Smooth acceleration and braking
- Its longevity
- The Land Cruiser has an approximate towing capacity of 8100lbs (3674kgs)
Here’s a fun fact you might not know about Land Cruisers;
Land Cruisers are used by military and UN personnel in harsh conditions because of the terrains they can easily handle. There aren’t many cars as durable and robust as a Land Cruiser that would be able to handle some of the radical conditions that these vehicles are driven through.
Land Cruisers are often converted into improvised military vehicles armed with heavy machinery and weaponry that are used to withstand some of the toughest driving conditions around.
Here are just some of the awards Toyota has gained over the years that relate directly to the Land Cruiser:
- 2014 Intellichoice award for Highest Retained Value
- 2014 Intellichoice award for Excellent Value
- HIS Automotive Award for 80% of Toyota’s sold in the last 20 years are still on the road today
- 2013 cars.com Award for Toyota having the most vehicles in the American-Made Index Top 10
Judging by these awards, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a reliable vehicle that people are going to miss when it comes off the market. Read more about that below in the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser.
2021 Toyota Land Cruiser
The 2021 Land Cruiser has been rated highly for its on and off-road handling, comfortable and spacious cabin, intelligent safety features, and boasts a powerful V8 engine.
On cars.usnews.com the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser is rated number 9 in Large Luxury SUVs and at number 20 in Large Luxury SUVs with three rows. Consumer reports give the 2021 Toyota Landcruiser a 4 out of 5 rating for reliability.
Although the Land Cruiser hasn’t been re-designed in ten years, it’s been such a reliable, practical, and favorable vehicle it’s easy to see that it doesn’t really need to be re-designed in many ways.
If it works it works, why change something that’s already working so well? Because the modern-day consumer demands it, that’s why.
Hence why the 2021 Land Cruiser model will be the last Land Cruiser in the US for, hopefully, just a little while.
Unfortunately, due to a drop in sales, 2021 marks the last year of the much-loved Land Cruiser Toyota range in the US market, after almost 60 years. There is a rumor going around that this will not be the end of the beloved Land Cruiser as it is going through some major improvements and renovations behind the scenes and might come back bigger, fancier, and better than ever.
We can only hope.
One good sign that has come from Toyota announcing its plans to discontinue the Land Cruiser range in the US in December 2020, is that sales have soared and in January 2021 Toyota sold more Land Cruisers than it has in just over a decade. It was a mammoth 221% increase in sales compared with the previous sales in January 2020.
I guess it’s true what they say, “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a car that can provide you and the family with comfort while being able to go on off-road adventures and road trips, look no further than the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Featuring basic amenities for a practical and sensible vehicle, the Land Cruiser is a vehicle you can depend on for both its durability and interior luxury.
Land Cruisers have been reliable vehicles since their first production in the late 1950s and they have remained reliable vehicles throughout their time. Although they are being discontinued in the US market, we have high hopes that an ever-better version (if that’s possible) will be back on the market in the future.