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Toyota fans will tell you (at length) why the Land Cruiser is a reliable SUV. Sure, it has a top-notch four-wheel drive system, all the creature comforts you could want, classic good looks and Toyota reliability. But, one thing that most Toyota fans won’t tell you is that an astonishing number of these SUVs is still on the road. These are the longest-lasting SUVs you could buy.

Is a Land Cruiser Bulletproof?

Front view of a 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser
2020 Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota

No, the Land Cruiser isn’t bulletproof. But a high-mileage Land Cruiser isn’t uncommon. More Toyota Land Cuisers go more than 200,000 miles than any other car, truck or SUV, according to iSeeCars. ISeeCars rated the vehicles with the highest percentage on the road that have more than 200,000 miles on the clock, and 18.2% of Toyota Land Cruisers have 200,000 miles or more on them. That’s stunning.

The No. 2 spot is also held by a Toyota. The Toyota Sequoia is, also, a very long-lasting SUV. Fully 14.2% of Toyota Sequoia’s remain on the road with more than 200,000 miles. The next on the list is the Chevrolet Suburban, but only 6.6% of those stay on the road. On average, 1.2% of all vehicles make it to the 200K mark.

Why was the Land Cruiser discontinued in the U.S?

Toyota discontinued the Land Cruiser after 2021 simply because of poor sales. The Land Cruiser was capable, yes, but it was also expensive. They had an MSRP in 2021 of about $86,000. That high price and the SUVs age, it was last all new 2008, though it had a couple of facelifts (and botox injections) in 2013 and 2016. That lead to Toyota only selling 3,700  in 2021, compared to almost 100,000 RAV4s.

Toyota did sneak a Land Cruiser into the U.S., however, it’s just badged as a Lexus. The 2022 LX 600 is the same Land Cruiser the rest of the world gets, but it gets leather, wood, and all the luxury trappings Lexus can install for nearly $100,000.

Which years of Land Cruiser are the most reliable?

Of course, Land Cruisers have a devoted, some would say fanatical, following that will do anything to keep these SUVs on the road at nearly any cost. The site doesn’t say which years, or which generations, of Toyota Land Cruiser are this reliable. But, J.D. Power rates the 2021 as having a “great” reliability score of 83.

Fans of the Land Cruiser will tell you the first versions, and the FJ40 in particular, are awesome. They are, if you don’t like air conditioning, power windows, and suspension that doesn’t damage your kidneys. Overall, most Land Cruisers are very reliable.  However, the 2016 seems to be more problematic with some transmission issues. The 1998-2007 versions with the air suspension also had issues with the components cracking.

As with many SUVs, the latest version is the most figured out and the most reliable. The versions from 2000 and on seem to have excellent reliability scores.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.