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2013 Toyota Land Cruiser Debut

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser Front Right View

2013 Toyota Land Cruiser Research Click to hide

By Joel Arellano | February 07, 2012

What's New

Toyota released details last month on the 2013 Land Cruiser SUV, one of automaker's oldest models both in the U.S. and abroad. There are few changes to the Land Cruiser's exterior -- with Toyota maintaining its "rugged" full-sized SUV appearance in the face of increasing crossover looks among the competition -- and the Land Cruiser continues to rely on its stalwart 5.7-liter V-8 both on and off-road. Toyota, though, offers bang-for-the-buck value by standardizing most of the Land Cruiser's features for the model year.

Who It's For

The 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser continues to be a true sports utility vehicle, capable of hauling up to eight passengers and their cargo off-road to traverse rocky mountain trails and forging through shallow streams and rivers as well as navigating the streets of suburbia. Competitors are few in far between in this increasingly shrinking field, with the Land Rover LR4 priced on the higher side of the Land Cruiser while the GMC Yukon and mechanical twin Cadillac Escalade barely keeping up in the rear.

Key Features

The 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser is a full-sized SUV equally at home on the freeway and streets as well as in off-road environments like canyon trails and the desert. To meet its diverse environment, the Toyota Land Cruiser comes equipped with:

Body-on-frame construction.
Specialized suspension system designed to maintain comfort both on and off-road.
More standard features including DVD system and Entune, Toyota's voice-controlled infotainment system.
A new "multi-terrain" select system that allows the driver to control any wheel slippage depending on the environment.

What We Think

The Toyota Land Cruiser recently celebrated its 60th anniversary since its initial launch in Japan, and it has been a staple in Toyota's lineup here in the U.S. for more than 50 years. The model continues to have a loyal following thanks to its luxurious appointments and on-and-off road capabilities. Despite few changes over the decade, we see the more standard features and the addition of Entune continuing to help the 2013 Land Cruiser keep its base audience, and maybe even win over a few converts.

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