Is the Land Cruiser the same as the Land Cruiser Prado?
4 Answers
The Land Cruiser is indeed the same as the Land Cruiser Prado. The Land Cruiser is a mid-to-large SUV under FAW Toyota. Taking the 2016 Land Cruiser Automatic VX as an example, its body dimensions are: length 5170mm, width 1975mm, height 1930mm, with a wheelbase of 2850mm. The 2016 Land Cruiser Automatic VX is equipped with a 4.0L naturally aspirated engine, paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Its suspension system features a double-wishbone independent front suspension with coil springs and a four-link non-independent rear suspension, with a front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout.
Back in the 90s, we off-road enthusiasts used to call it the Land Cruiser – the name just sounded powerful. Then around 2007, Toyota standardized the naming, and the Land Cruiser was officially renamed 'Lande Kuiruze.' It's essentially the same vehicle with an official name change; the chassis, engine, and iconic KDSS suspension system remained unchanged. The latest model, with chassis code LC300, now features a 3.5T twin-turbo engine, but its off-road capabilities are still as solid as ever—handling shell craters and scaling rocky mountains with ease. Older generation owners still prefer calling it the Land Cruiser, while the younger crowd goes with Lande Kuiruze. Last time I chatted with a post-00s car enthusiast about this vehicle, we almost didn’t realize we were talking about the same car.
I've been repairing cars for over 20 years and have worked on at least a hundred Land Cruisers. Customers often ask me why some vehicles have 'Land Cruiser' written on the rear while others say 'Lande Kuiruze'. Don't overthink it—they're all Land Cruisers. In the early days when they were imported via Tianjin Port, people colloquially called them 'Land Cruisers'. It wasn't until 2007 that Toyota China officially registered the 'Lande Kuiruze' trademark. The core features remain unchanged, such as the full-time four-wheel drive with Torsen differential lock and the rugged ladder frame chassis built for heavy loads. However, prices have risen significantly after model updates, making used LC100 older models more cost-effective. If you're buying a parallel import version, check whether it has Crawl Control—Middle Eastern versions often lack this feature.
Last week I researched this while helping my cousin choose a car. The Land Cruiser is called 'Land Cruiser' in North America, 'Land Cruiser' in the Middle East, and 'Land Cruiser' in China. Officially, these three names refer to the same vehicle. There's a classic saying in the off-road community: those who buy a Prado are players, while those who buy a Land Cruiser are connoisseurs. Its 4.0L V6 engine is particularly durable, capable of running in desert heat without overheating. The newer turbocharged version has reduced fuel consumption to around 13L/100km, but purists still prefer the linear acceleration of the naturally aspirated engine. Be mindful of fuel quality; using 92-octane by mistake can easily trigger the engine warning light.
