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The Toyota Land Cruiser is an iconic SUV that’s been traversing rugged stretches around the globe for over seven decades. It’s also an incredibly reliable vehicle, with most models running strong for many miles and years. This reliability is evidenced by a recent study that shows that the Toyota Land Cruiser is the SUV that’s most likely to last for over 250,000 miles. Unfortunately, new models of the off-road luxury SUV are no longer sold in America, for it was killed in 2021. 

Toyota Land Cruiser is the SUV that’s most likely to last over 250,000 miles

Overhead view of black Toyota Land Cruiser, SUV most likely to last 250,000 miles, killed in America
Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota

In the automotive world, people often look to the latest car with the freshest design and newest technologies. That’s what draws the most attention. However, there’s something satisfying about owning an old vehicle that lasts a long time. It might be “long in the tooth,” but it’s dependability that you can trust, day after day. 

And for SUV longevity, the Toyota Land Cruiser is the best. It’s the SUV that’s most likely to last over 250,000 miles. This is based on the annual Longest-Lasting Cars study, which iSeeCars recently released. According to the study, the Land Cruiser has a 47.9% chance of reaching 250K miles, which is over four times the 11.8% average for all cars. The next longest-lasting SUV is the Toyota Sequoia — at 47.1%.

Here are the SUVs that are most likely to last over 250,000 miles:

  1. Toyota Land Cruiser: 47.9%
  2. Toyota Sequoia: 47.1%
  3. Honda Pilot: 42.7%
  4. Toyota 4Runner: 41.0%
  5. Acura MDX: 29.2%
  6. Honda Element: 27.8%
  7. Honda CR-V: 27.5%
  8. Chevrolet Avalanche: 26.7%
  9. Subaru Outback: 22.3%
  10. GMC Yukon XL: 21.3%

Toyota and Honda dominate this list of long-lasting SUVs. Along with the Land Cruiser and Sequoia, the 4Runner made this list. Also, Honda models include the Pilot, Element, and CR-V, as well as the MDX from the Acura luxury division. 

Toyota discontinued the Land Cruiser in the US

Rear view of black Toyota Land Cruiser, SUV most likely to last 250,000 miles, could return to America
Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota

For American fans of the Toyota Land Cruiser, its discontinuation in the United States was a sad end to a long and illustrious history. Owners loved the iconic luxury SUV for its reliability and longevity, as shown by it earning the top spot for SUVs most likely to last over 250,000 miles. 

The cult-like fan base can also be attributed to — as the name suggests — the ability to cruise over all types of terrain with the off-road capabilities. Additionally, some like the SUV for its military roots. 

Plus, as Toyota’s longest-running nameplate, the Land Cruiser has a rich heritage. Older models are a big item for collectors, with some sold for a considerable amount of money. 

However, during the past decade, the sales of the Land Cruiser were very low in the U.S. The low sales weren’t because of a lack of demand, though. There was limited availability of the luxury SUV in America — with sales spread out over many countries. Toyota didn’t build the Land Cruiser in America, so it was no longer financially feasible to import a small number of units to the U.S.

Due to this lack of economic viability, the Japanese automaker killed the Land Cruiser for the American market in 2021. Also, Toyota devoted more resources to the next-generation Sequoia and Lexus LX. 

Will the long-lasting Land Cruiser return to America?

Most people love a good comeback story — and as shown by the U.S. return of the Crown sedan in 2023, Toyota can reverse course on previous discontinuation decisions. This leaves one to wonder if the Land Cruiser could eventually come back to America. 

The demand is still there — particularly with the large fan base, rich heritage, reliability, and ability to last more than 250,000 miles. Also, while the Land Cruiser was killed in the U.S., it lives on internationally as the well-received next-generation J300 model.

Based on a recent MotorTrend interview with Toyota executive Jack Hollis, there’s a glimmer of hope. Hollis said, “Will we ever? I would say likely yes.” However, he didn’t give a clear timeframe — and stated that if the return of the Land Cruiser to America does happen, it will be “a ways off.” Nonetheless, this revelation is encouraging for fans of the longest-lasting SUV.

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