Toyota’s New Land Cruiser: A $70,000 Letdown?

Toyota built its name on reliable, well-priced vehicles that owners could trust for years. But the latest Land Cruiser, which starts around $58,000 and can top $70,000 with options, is raising eyebrows for all the wrong reasons. After a short hiatus. Toyota brought back the iconic nameplate in 2024 with a lighter, cheaper design meant to win over American buyers.

Sales exploded to 45,000 in 2025, yet many of those new owners are finding the experience far from premium.

Complaints are piling up. The interior, once a highlight of the Land Cruiser, now features hard plastics and questionable fit and finish. One Kelley Blue Book owner reported a hood that rattles at highway speeds, while others mention excessive wind noise and rough transmission shifts.

5 and 20 mpg. That’s a significant gap for a vehicle marketed as more efficient than the old V8.

Beyond annoyances, reliability is becoming a real concern. The 2025 model has faced recalls related to display panels, and owners have logged glitchy camera systems and screen flickering. Only 63% of those who reviewed the Land Cruiser on KBB would recommend it, a startlingly low number for a Toyota.

And it’s not just one model: the company’s overall dependability ranking dropped from 2nd in 2024 to 8th in 2026, with problem rates rising sharply. If Toyota doesn’t reverse these trends, its reputation as the go-to brand for durable, value-minded cars could slip away.