Looking for a Used Land Cruiser? Buy a Lexus LX Instead!
A used Lexus LX is the better Land Cruiser thanks to a combination of features, price, and pedigree.
When Toyota launched the FJ80 Land Cruiser, they went upscale. The days of the basic SUV with a Rubbermaid interior were gone. Popular with the country club set and suburban moms, SUVs evolved into luxury utility vehicles. And with their budding luxury brand taking off, Toyota also decided to dress up the Land Cruiser in Lexus duds.
Not much separates the first two generations of the Lexus LX from the Land Cruiser. Both are extremely rugged, capable vehicles. They will go anywhere and do just about anything. Abuse them for hundreds of thousands of miles and they will just keep going. But while the Land Cruiser and LX may be the same or similar, the LX is the better vehicle – here’s why.
First, the Lexus came with more standard equipment. The LX 450 cost about $7,000 more than the Land Cruiser and the only options were a CD changer, power moonroof, and locking differentials. Lexus also got new features and technology ahead of its Toyota sibling, either as options or standard equipment. This means that if you’re looking for a Land Cruiser with specific features, it might be easier to find what you want on the Lexus.
In addition to more standard equipment, the Lexus LX is more likely to remain stock today than the Land Cruiser. Looking at ads, most of the Lexus LX vehicles don’t have aftermarket modifications where the Land Cruisers do. It’s not uncommon to see Land Cruisers outfitted with lift kits, snorkels, brush guards, oversized wheels, and other modifications. The most common aftermarket swap on the Lexus is a stereo head unit. That’s not to say the modifications aren’t desirable. But if you’re building an overland rig, it’s better to start from stock.
The final advantage for the Lexus is price. You can usually buy a Lexus LX, with fewer miles, than a Land Cruiser for several thousand dollars less. The Lexus is usually in better condition as well. Where a lot of Land Cruisers see heavy off-road use, the only off-roading many LXs see is the parking lot at Whole Foods. However this is changing. More people are looking at the Lexus LX. It turns up regularly on Bring A Trailer. Both prices and sales are up, with clean 2nd generation examples fetching $25,000 and up.
The real appeal of the Lexus LX is its Land Cruiser origins. It wouldn’t develop the same cult following if it was a Lexus RX with third row seats. Likewise, while the Land Cruiser FJ80 was already a premium SUV, it lacked the pedigree of the Lexus name. That’s why when you combine them, you get the best of everything. Or as Lexus put it, the LX is “everything a Lexus is, and everything a Lexus isn’t”.
Photos: Lexus
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