5 Affordable Alternatives To The Toyota Land Cruiser

In 2024, Toyota completely redesigned one of its most venerable models, the Land Cruiser. The previous generation had grown large, heavy, and very expensive, with a base price north of $87,000. Moreover, its rugged, off-road roots had been nearly forgotten, as it grew into a luxo-barge more at home in suburban mall parking lots. The 2024 redesign fixed all that, transforming the Land Cruiser into a midsize model with serious off-road chops, complete with skidplates, a Multi-Terrain Select system, and aggressive off-road tires. Amazingly, the base price dropped, too.

For 2026, the Land Cruiser starts at $57,200 for the base 1958 model. This is a very well-equipped model that features rear and center locking differentials, 18-inch alloy wheels, and luxury features like a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. It includes full-time four-wheel drive and a hybrid drivetrain, with 326 horsepower and a healthy 465 lb-ft of torque. Yet as nicely-equipped as it is for the money, even the Land Cruiser 1958 model is substantially pricier than the average new car. The next trim level (called simply the Land Cruiser) is even more expensive, at $63,275. Our review of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser found it to be a worthy off-roader, but suggested that cheaper alternatives, such as the SUVs listed below, could offer more features for the money.

One of the Land Cruiser's most affordable competitors shares its showroom floor: the Toyota 4Runner. This truck-based SUV has long been known as a capable off-roader. We went over the 2025 Toyota 4Runner's trim levels and found them confusing. However, it doesn't really need much in the way of optional equipment beyond the base SR5 trim level to get you out on the trails, at a starting price of $41,270. If anything, you might want to consider adding a part-time four-wheel drive to the SR5 for an extra $2,000. The SR5 model comes with a 2.4-liter, 278-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 317 lb-ft of torque. This drivetrain is good for a 6,000-pound towing capacity, which matches the more powerful Land Cruiser's tow rating.

It also offers optional third-row seating, a feature that's unavailable on the Land Cruiser. At the SR5 trim level, it comes equipped with 17-inch wheels, a power rear window, multimedia features like an 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen, and Toyota Safety Sense, augmented by a blind spot monitoring system. Stepping up to the TRD Sport trim adds 20-inch alloy wheels and a sport-tuned suspension, while still undercutting the Land Cruiser 1958 by almost ten grand.

The Grand Cherokee's off-road bona fides are well-known, and the Laredo trim level in particular is strikingly close to the Land Cruiser base model, with 17-inch wheels and Jeep's Quadra-Trac Active 4x4 with available Selec-Terrain Traction Management. With this 4x4 system selected, its base price is only $39,035. It also offers a pair of advantages over the Land Cruiser: a tow rating of 6,200 pounds, beating the Land Cruiser's rating by 200 pounds, and third-row seating. Technically, the three-row Grand Cherokee is a separate model called the Grand Cherokee L, but any trim level except the Laredo A can be transformed into a Grand Cherokee L by selecting the third-row option.

We declared the 2021 Grand Cherokee L to be worth the wait when it debuted that year, joining an already crowded market of three-row SUVs. We found it to be a practical and comfortable three-row SUV whose rear-most seating was actually usable. For 2025, the Grand Cherokee is powered by a 3.6-liter, 293-horsepower V6 that makes a relatively modest 260 lb-ft of torque, the latter of which is noticeably below the Land Cruiser's beefy 465 lb-ft rating. Still, the Jeep doesn't suffer much from the deficit, as seen from the aforementioned 6,200-pound tow rating.

The base $44,750 Honda Passport RTL is no slouch on the trails, thanks to its i-VTM4 AWD system with Trail Torque Logic. That said, upgrading to the Trailsport trim makes this into a model that can go head-to-head with the Land Cruiser, thanks to the added skid plates, all-terrain tires, and an off-road tuned suspension. Yet, the Honda still undercuts the Land Cruiser's price, coming in at $48,450. Our first drive of the 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport declared it to be "a very compelling off-roader" while maintaining a highly civilized demeanor on pavement.

Price-wise, it competes more directly with the Toyota Forerunner, but its off-road chops could make it a very compelling and substantially cheaper alternative to the Land Cruiser. The redesigned 2026 model's General Grabber A/T sport tires, 8.3-inch ground clearance, skid plates, and greater approach angle all give the Passport Trailsport genuine go-anywhere potential. Its 285-horsepower engine with 262 lb-ft of torque trails the Land Cruiser's engine output, and this is reflected in the Passport's 5,000-pound tow rating. Nevertheless, it's a rugged, yet practical and refined SUV with the aura of Honda reliability.

The midsize Ford Bronco offers more built-in trail readiness than its smaller Bronco Sport sibling. The bigger Bronco models run from the very affordable $39,995 Base trim to the completely berserk, 418-horsepower Bronco Raptor at almost $80.000. We think the Outer Banks trim with the optional 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6 is the option that best compares with the Land Cruiser, both in price and performance. This package gets you 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, while still just barely breaking the 50 grand mark, at $51,770. The Outer Banks Edition also comes standard with 18-inch, high-gloss, black aluminum wheels, side steps, and a B&O sound system.

As an alternative to the Outer Banks trim, you could select the $41,840 Big Bend model and equip it with the $6,175 Sasquatch Package. This adds Advanced 4x4 with Automatic On-demand Engagement, higher suspension clearance, higher fender flares, Bilstein shocks, and a 4.7 final drive ratio with electronic-locking front and rear axles. Adding the Sasquatch Package also requires the Black Diamond Package for an additional price, bringing this bad-boy Bronco up to $52,510. Our first drive of the 2024 Ford Bronco with Sasquatch off-road specs found it to be a very capable off-roader, but at a fairly steep price. It still undercuts the Land Cruiser by about five grand, however.

The Pathfinder was once known as a serious off-road vehicle. Now it rides a car-based crossover-style platform and hasn't generally been regarded as a rugged trail-buster for some time. However, in 2024, Nissan introduced the Rock Creek model with 18-inch wheels, an off-road-tuned suspension, and an Intelligent Around-View Monitor with an off-road mode. It still wouldn't be the best choice for heading into the heart of the wilderness, but at a base price of $44,490, it may be ideal if your off-road needs aren't extreme.

Our review of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek model found that it excels as a family SUV but suffers as an off-road due to its lack of locking differentials and other serious trail-busting gear. However, our tester found that it excelled in snow. If your SUV needs tend more toward commuting in the Snow Belt rather than rock-crawling in the desert, this might be a fine alternative to the Land Cruiser for almost thirteen grand less. Plus, it offers an optional third row that's easily accessible through large rear door openings. To top it off, it matches the Land Cruiser's 6,000-pound tow rating.

To find alternatives similar to the Land Cruiser, we examined available midsize SUVs and chose models with decent-to-excellent off-road capabilities, since that's the Land Cruiser's biggest strength. We also sought models with similar equipment levels, such as 18-inch alloy wheels and luxurious creature comforts. If 4x4 was optional rather than standard, we selected it. Most of these 4x4s have locking differentials and other serious off-road features. Finally, to keep our choices affordable, they needed to significantly undercut the Land Cruiser 1958's $57,200 base price.