2025 Toyota Land Cruiser 1958 First Test: Cool—but You Really Gotta Want It
Just because something is charming doesn’t mean it’s not flawed.
You want the new Toyota Land Cruiser? Relatable. It’s among the coolest vehicles of 2025, built to be rugged, retro, and celebratory of the Land Cruiser nameplate’s rich heritage—heritage this latest 250 Series defends out on a trail.
Even in entry-level 1958 trim, the 2025 Land Cruiser charmed throughout our assessments. Vibes were high and our hearts were in it, but the mind did what it does and got to thinking. Contemplating the vehicle’s experience against its test results and price makes this one simultaneously worthy of adoration and avoidance. Sometimes, rationalization ruins everything.
Much to Like
If there’s any automotive enthusiasm in your soul, you get the appeal. Design has a lot to do with it; Toyota made the Land Cruiser look tough but friendly, like a rig you’d want on your side. Team Round Headlight and Team Rectangle Headlight can at least agree that the 250’s styling is worthy of the legendary Land Cruiser badge.
There’s honesty in how it drives, as well. Classic trucklike dynamics give the Land Cruiser determined imprecision, engaging its driver to command this gentle brute as it plods over terrain. Aside from the slightly stiff brake pedal, all the Land Cruiser’s controls have a relaxed feel that makes driving relaxing, too.
The ride quality is a high point. Shimmies inherent to body-on-frame vehicles are present, but plush comfort is the primary sensation as the structure absorbs impacts. Thick tires wrapped around 18-inch wheels provide initial cushioning before the soft suspension takes over.
Despite some bobbing body motions, the Land Cruiser feels substantial and settled. That’s nice when rolling steady on a highway and appreciable off-road as the suspension dissipates chop and readily articulates to keep things feeling stable.
Visiting familiar local trails was a must for our evaluations, and the Land Cruiser ate ’em up. On this dry, rocky terrain its full-time four-wheel drive compensated for the 1958 trim’s relatively lightly treaded tires. Locking center and rear differentials are there when needed, but the Land Cruiser never stumbled on these routes that have challenged other SUVs. The ’Yota only needed a little dirt to convince us there’s no need to be gentle with it, and soon we were hustling down switchbacks and up hills. Cruise land, it certainly does.
Might Not Be What You’re Looking For
In an era when fake-tough crossovers clog mall parking lots, the Land Cruiser’s purposeful engineering is refreshing. Yet if using it for that purpose isn’t why you want it, there are many reasons why you should instead consider a different car.
It’s crucial to consider the near-$60,000 starting price; our lightly optioned 1958 cost $61,640. This base model is similarly expensive to a variety of other specialty vehicles, those that provide true luxury, great efficiency, rowdy performance, and trail chops—your pick. Not to mention, it’s within a few grand of its corporate counterpart, the great Lexus GX.
That price chafes when you look and feel around the 1958’s interior, which has materials and trim akin to a low-end Corolla. Hard black plastic is everywhere—the door panels, dashboard, and center console are made almost entirely of the stuff. Then there’s the manually adjustable seats, upholstered in fabric that’s soft enough yet is of a weave slightly smoother than burlap. Thankfully, there’s leather on the steering wheel and shifter.
