Toyota has confirmed that 2021 will be the last model year in the U.S. for the Land Cruiser. Although the full-size SUV is popular elsewhere in the world, low sales mean that the Japanese automotive giant felt it was no longer viable in the U.S.
At first sight, this could seem like an opportunity for General Motors to fill the gap. The GM lineup is not short of large SUVs – including the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, the GMC Yukon and the Cadillac Escalade could all be considered as rivals to the Land Cruiser in one way or another. The Tahoe and Yukon are probably the closest, particularly in the range-topping High Country and Denali trim levels respectively, though it’s worth noting that several versions of the 2021 Escalade are more affordable than the cheapest Land Cruiser.
However, it’s unlikely that Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC dealers are preparing to be inundated in the coming months by potential Land Cruiser buyers or current owners seeking a replacement vehicle. To begin with, they already have one: the Toyota Sequoia, which outsells the Land Cruiser considerably in the U.S., isn’t going anywhere.
Sales Numbers - Mainstream Full-Size SUVs - Q3 2020 - United States
| MODEL | Q3 20 / Q3 19 | Q3 20 | Q3 19 | Q3 20 SHARE | Q3 19 SHARE | YTD 20 / YTD 19 | YTD 20 | YTD 19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEVROLET TAHOE | -12.11% | 23,121 | 26,308 | 33% | 31% | -25.67% | 59,540 | 80,103 |
| CHEVROLET SUBURBAN | -39.08% | 7,548 | 12,391 | 11% | 15% | -42.29% | 24,059 | 41,686 |
| FORD EXPEDITION | +4.39% | 19,402 | 18,586 | 27% | 22% | -16.75% | 51,747 | 62,155 |
| GMC YUKON | -46.62% | 10,002 | 18,737 | 14% | 22% | -53.65% | 24,891 | 53,707 |
| GMC YUKON XL | * | 4,071 | * | 6% | 0% | * | 13,790 | 0 |
| NISSAN ARMADA | -25.95% | 4,366 | 5,896 | 6% | 7% | -28.81% | 17,520 | 24,609 |
| TOYOTA SEQUOIA | -29.25% | 2,136 | 3,019 | 3% | 4% | -37.58% | 4,733 | 7,583 |
| TOTAL | -16.83% | 70,646 | 84,937 | -27.26% | 196,280 | 269,843 |
But despite being the more popular of the Toyotas in the full-size SUV segment, the Sequoia isn’t a big seller in the U.S. either. In Q3 of 2020, it accounted for just three percent of mainstream full-size SUV sales. By comparison, 64 percent of customers in the segment bought the Tahoe, the Yukon or the Suburban.
In this sales environment, the Sequoia is a very minor player. Even if it suddenly found three times as many buyers as it did in Q3, GM would hardly notice.
It’s also worth noting that in the table above, sales of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon are substantially depressed as a result of the generational change-over from the outgoing 2020 models to the all-new 2021 models. Once supply and availability normalize, GM’s full-size offers are likely to widen the sales gap even further on their rivals.
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Comments
The Sequoia is a minivan compared to the Land Cruiser. The LC is a beast and a ZR2/ZRX Tahoe would be needed to fill the void.
Price was the issue 200 series, a cruiser will last 25 yrs or more go 300k miles they need a more basic utility wagon / fj40 not a luxury car say in the $55-$65k range … other parts of the world the 70 Series come in a wagon , trooper or troopy , single cab pickup, Diesel s , in the us we do get the land cruiser Prado or Lexus GX460 ugly , bring back the fj cruiser but make it lot easier to see out the side , back
It’s good to see Toyota doing poorly in the SUV realm. Overrated products.
The general hasn’t made a vehicle that could compare with a landcrusier in a long time. As far as reliability and off road capability…GM doesn’t even offer a low range transfer case on the suburban anymore. Shame people are more interested in “infotainment” screens an back up cameras than they are in likely the best built vehicle available
That’s wrong. The Suburban has a 2-speed transfer case available for all trims and standard at the Z71 and above.
Interesting
I’ve been advocating an Escalade “Z71” for an off-road variant, why let Range Rover have all the fun?.
Lol range rover isn’t a sheet and definitely is not an offroader. Don’t get duped by rover name. Those things are trueborn posers and get stuck in two inches mud or snow.
Tough to sell 2010 technology and economy asking 2020 dollars. Toyota simply din’t want to spend the bucks to produce an updated rig with the same reliability at the same price. Instead we get a Lexus eyesore with silly body cladding and overhangs posing as a luxury off road vehicle. While US companies have surrendered the economy sedan market to others, this is a segment that has been won by US companies.
The land cruiser was definitely a legend. Definitely could’ve been redesigned at least 5 years ago but still a great off-roader and legend
That overpriced Lexus doesn’t even have a touchscreen! It can’t even go off roading! I guarantee that even the Lincoln Navigator standard (the base model that’s more optimized for all terrain) could do a lot better than it in both off roading and the luxury features department as a base model.
Your kidding
Go look on Lexus’s website. They have a screen but it’s that dumb thing that is controlled by a mouse and only a mouse and I don’t even know if they have adaptive cruise control and as a bonus the have the LX for over 90k. In other words Toyota and Lexus should really bring down their prices if they’re going to leave ancient products with no modern technology in their lineup. Still, if a Lincoln could do better for less and it’s a base model and it’s main intention isn’t even off-roading, that’s pretty bad. Also Happy New Year!!! 🥳🎉
Couldn’t be more wrong John. Do some research before you trash a 4×4 legend. Seriously read up on it!!
I was talking about the Lexus LX. They some how managed to ruin the land cruisers off-road ability and added a little bit more leather, a refrigerator, and a Lexus badge. My cousin had one and he said that it was a complete waste of money and barely worked in snow. After that he bought the Lincoln Navigator standard because Cadillac doesn’t have a designated off-road model of the Escalade. Otherwise he said he would’ve bought a Cadillac however he said when he had a GX it was a great off-roader. The Land Cruiser I would buy in a heartbeat but not the LX.
This Toyota is pure 4×4 amazement.
right. whenever i watch a nature documentary and they are out in the african bush, they are usually driving a toyota.
Just wish GM had made the Tahoe 2 inches longer, that would erase a decision whether I get another Suburban or go with a Tahoe.
The Land Cruiser rolls on the same overhyped rep as an old Mercedes, just because some 240D in Azerbaijan went 500,000 doesn’t mean every MB will, same for the Land Cruiser…….
Don’t get all your automotive info from Top Gear and You Tube…..
Land cruiser is a 2 row.
The thing is, the whole Toyota and Lexus truck lineup are super old. Yeah it’s for reliability and all. Land Cruiser is the same money as the LX. What’s the point of buying the Land Cruiser when you can buy the more tarded up cousin for about the same amount? Sequoia and Tundra are also old as heck. Also 4Runner is old. The only one that’s not old in their lineup is Tacoma. But even the Tacoma is showing it’s age. Same with Lexus. LX is as dinosaur as Land Cruiser. Same with GX.
The only thing thats keeping Toyota’s large suvs and trucks alive is their legendary reliability and off road capability. Otherwise there’s noting good about them. Old tech, HORRIBLE gas mileage, but still, I would kill for any American vehicle to have that kind of reliability that those V8s have.