Fuel economy figures for the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser weren’t released at the SUV’s official reveal the other week. Toyota said official numbers would be coming at a later date, but it looks like we just caught a break.
Initially reported by TFL Truck, Toyota’s consumer website reveals a manufacturer-estimated figure of 27 mpg combined for the Land Cruiser. This efficiency comes courtesy of the hybrid powertrain consisting of a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor integrated with the eight-speed automatic transmission. Toyota claims a combined 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque from the system, which should be plenty for the now-smaller Land Cruiser.
Compared to the outgoing model with its 5.7-liter V8, the new Land Cruiser is practically a Prius. That old bruiser returned 14 mpg combined, so the new one is nearly double the efficiency of the old SUV. Toyota is also winning big when you compare it to the off-road-centric competition. The most fuel-efficient Bronco will return 20 mpg combined; the Wrangler with its four-cylinder turbo returns 22 mpg combined, and the Land Rover Defender 110 with its six-cylinder mild-hybrid option (surprisingly more efficient than the four-cylinder) is only rated at 20 mpg combined. Basically, the new Land Cruiser is set to be the most efficient, serious off-road SUV in its price range – of course, electric options like the Rivian R1S and the Hummer EV SUV exist for those who want to ditch gas altogether.
The only angle where Toyota loses out on efficiency is when you compare it to the plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe running on electric power. Its 22 miles of electric range is something the Land Cruiser can’t compete with, though we’ll note that the Wrangler 4xe is only rated for 20 mpg combined once its battery is depleted, so the Land Cruiser would theoretically be the more efficient vehicle on longer journeys.
Lastly, we’ll mention that this 27 mpg figure is a manufacturer estimate, so there’s a chance the final EPA figures could be slightly different. Those numbers will likely become available closer to the Land Cruiser’s on-sale date in spring 2024.
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