2020 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota mostly fulfills its reputation for building efficient and exceptionally reliable vehicles. Most of their models do well in our testing, thanks to their impressive fuel economy, comfortable rides, quiet cabins, and ease of getting in and out. All of this makes Toyotas among the best options for used vehicles. The brand was a hybrid pioneer, starting with the original Prius. Toyota has evolved and expanded that technology, and most vehicles in its lineup are available as a hybrid. Toyota also sells a number of plug-in hybrids, which were once called Prime but are now simply referred to as Plug-in. The company also knows how to add a dose of excitement into its lineup. The GR86, GR Corolla, and Supra are legit, fun-to-drive sports cars. However, some models we’ve tested have been disappointing. The company’s EV, the bZ4X SUV, is mediocre.

Rare and expensive, the Land Cruiser is Toyota's flagship SUV. A large, full-frame SUV, the Land Cruiser is favored more for its rugged off-road capability than as suburban family transport. The Land Cruiser's smooth 5.7-liter V8 provides muscular acceleration, but only returns 14 mpg overall. Handling is sound, but far from agile. It's clumsy, but secure at its handling limits, with the stability control working hard to keep it on course. The ride remains comfortable and composed, impressive for this off-road-ready SUV. Full-time 4WD and various electronic aids, including a mode that can automatically modulate the throttle to crawl uphill, help when playing in the dirt. The interior is roomy, quiet, and well finished. For such a large vehicle, interior space isn't packaged very efficiently. The third row is cramped, and its 50/50 split seats fold up against the sides of the cargo bay, rather than into the floor, consuming cargo space. Advanced safety gear expected for this price, like blind spot warning and forward collision warning, finally showed up for 2016 along with a new interior. The Lexus LX is essentially the same vehicle, but with an even plusher cabin; increased availability might make the Lexus the better deal on the used market. A limited-production Heritage Edition was new for 2020, with exclusive exterior and interior trim details, but does without the standard model’s running boards and third-row seat. 2021 was this big SUV's last year.