The new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser J250 has arrived – and if you’re in the UK, this is your Land Cruiser. While much of the world gets the full-sized 300-series Big Daddy Land Cruiser, we get this slightly smaller, slightly leaner sibling, also known globally as the Land Cruiser Prado, or simply the Prado. But don’t dismiss it as the runner-up – because, frankly, by our standards, it really ain’t small, plus this might just be the best-looking Land Cruiser of the modern era.
In fact, it looks so good, you might wonder if its big brother shouldn’t be taking some fashion tips from it! This radically reimagined Prado channels vintage 80s charm with bold boxy lines, but pairs that with futuristic tech and premium polish. It’s like the Land Cruiser got a retro-futurist glow-up, and now it’s turning heads as well as lugging loads.
Two questions though: is it too posh to go mud-plugging now (like the Land Rover Defender has become) and secondly, is it really worth the eyebrow-raising £77,845 price tag? I took it off-road at the SMMT Test Day at Millbrook Proving Ground to find out.
Under the bonnet is a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, producing 202bhp and a hefty 500Nm of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed Direct Shift automatic gearbox, sending power through a full-time four-wheel-drive system. Okay, so it’s not built for straight-line thrills; it gets from 0-62mph in leisurely (by modern SUV standards) 10.9 seconds and tops out at 105mph. But then it’s making a different kind of point here: “you may be able to go fast, but I can go anywhere!”
Fuel economy is a modest 26.4mpg on the combined WLTP cycle, and CO₂ emissions sit at 280g/km. So, you’re not winning any eco-awards and might well provoke the ire of urban anti-SUV warriors. Anyway, if you’re thinking of one of these, you’re more interested in climbing over trees, not hugging them.
Whether the numbers add up for you, that’s for a calculator – and your accountant to decide – but now let’s turn to matters of the heart. I’ve always admired and respected the Prado (essentially the lineage from which our test car heralds) but I’ve never gone, “oh damn, that’s cool. I WANT one!”
That, however, is exactly how I feel about this Toyota. The last time I felt that was about a large Toyota, it was the funky FJ Cruiser. The J250 is easily the most handsome Land Cruiser we’ve ever seen since the classic FJ models. It is unapologetically square and retro in its design, evoking classic Land Cruisers of the past, but with just enough modernity to make it feel cutting-edge. The bold grille, squared-off wheel arches, upright tailgate and slim LED projector headlights give it that Tonka-toy-on-steroids vibe that just convinces you of its indestructibility yet wows you with its evocative style.
The “Sand” paint on my test car really complemented the aesthetic, giving it that rugged, Middle Eastern desert-raider vibe, which certainly appeals to someone who’s spent about half their career in the GCC. With 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, and black cladding all around, it manages to look premium and purposeful at the same time.
The Land Cruiser can’t just go anywhere, it can also be anything. You’d expect to find it on a humanitarian mission, a mountain pass, or the school run. Possibly all in the same week. This time Toyota is not limiting the UK to the second-best Land Cruiser. This one is more desirable for sure.
Climbing inside the J250 felt like coming home. I’ve spent countless hours behind the wheel of Land Cruisers and Prados over the years, especially in the Middle East, where they’re revered. I even ran a Prado as a long-termer years ago. That feeling of confidence, familiarity and bulletproof solidity? Still very much present.
But now it’s been thoroughly modernised. You’re greeted with a widescreen 12.3-inch infotainment display – crisp, intuitive and finally up to scratch with modern expectations. That’s paired with a rich-sounding 14-speaker JBL audio system and a slick head-up display.
The cabin materials have stepped up a notch, too. Leather seats with titanium-effect trim, a panoramic Skyview roof that floods the cabin with light, and an ergonomic dashboard with glove-friendly toggle switches all make it feel functional yet plush.
Rear passenger space is excellent, with climate control and multiple power ports, while the third-row seats (yes, it’s a seven-seater) are handy for kids or emergencies. The boot is cavernous, especially with the seats folded flat – and there’s even a little storage cubby underneath the boot floor.
You can’t call yourself a Land Cruiser if you can’t handle the rough stuff – and this thing eats tough terrain for breakfast. I took it onto Millbrook’s off-road testing route, and it just laughed at everything in its path. Loose gravel, deeply rutted tracks, steep inclines, axle-twisting dips, log bridges – none of it fazed the car one bit.
It comes armed with an arsenal of go-anywhere tech: an electronic locking rear differential, Crawl Control for downhill descents, Multi-Terrain Select for different surfaces, and a Stabiliser Disconnect Mechanism that boosts articulation when you need it. None of which I needed to bother deploying – apart from the hill-descent. Paired with that torquey diesel engine and high ground clearance, it’s unstoppable.
I could feel the reassuring thrum of the diesel through the seat, the light but responsive steering letting me guide it wherever I wanted to go – and wherever I pointed it, it went. Like it was born for it. Which it was.
Just ask my friend Syed Ghazanfar Agha, who’s been proving exactly that with his Hilux ‘Revo’ – built in Pakistan – which he drove all the way from Karachi to London in 2024, and then took on to Russia this year. His favourite saying? “Tota Tota hain!” which translates as “Toyota is Toyota”. And honestly, after a few minutes behind the wheel of this, you understand why that phrase resonates with people around the world. It’s not hype. It’s hard-earned trust.
The Toyota Land Cruiser J250 is, quite simply, a beast. It’s no longer the affordable, utilitarian workhorse it once was – but it’s evolved into something arguably even more desirable. It’s retro-cool, incredibly capable, practical for family life, and feels like a statement vehicle for people who want their off-roader to actually do off-roader things.
It’s undeniably expensive. But it’s also an investment in peace of mind, reliability, and go-anywhere freedom. And with its blend of nostalgic design and advanced tech, it’s no longer just a logical choice – it’s a desirable one too.
If you need one car to go anywhere in the world, the Land Cruiser is still that car.
Toyota is Toyota, after all.
Let me know what you think of the new J250 in the comments. Would you buy one – or is it just too posh and pricey now?
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Motoring
