Here's Why I Traded In My Toyota Land Cruiser J250 And Bought This Instead

The Toyota Land Cruiser was a bold move from the company and while it does offer a lot for the money, not everyone warmed up to the J250 Land Cruiser in the way Toyota had hoped. Even the fact that you can buy Toyota's body-on-frame SUV under MSRP does not change the fact that many owners are willing to trade in their Land Cruiser after only a year, for something else.

But why is that? I may have found the answer in a recent post in the Facebook group, “Landcruiser 250 Owners” where one member, Nain Avila Barboza, explains the rationale behind the decision to trade in his Toyota SUV for... another Toyota SUV. Here's what he says: 

“Really an upgrade!! 

Traded in my Land Cruiser FE for that beautiful gem.  

I really liked the LC, but the engine definitely doesn't make me want it more. Since I drove the new Tacoma TRD Pro I started to stop wanting my LC. Now I found this beauty and I'm happy again”. 

While he is not mentioning it in the post, the owner had upgraded to the larger Toyota Sequoia, which he claims is much better than the J250 Land Cruiser. If you are planning to use your SUV primarily on the road, it is not difficult to find an SUV that offers better value for money than the Toyota Land Cruiser, but it seems some J250 owners have one particular gripe with the SUV, and it's one that may settle the Lexus GX550 versus Toyota Land Cruiser debate. 

What makes some owners trade in their Land Cruisers without much hesitation?

For the first time in a long while, the Toyota Land Cruiser is not offered with a V-6 or a V-8. Instead, you are getting a 2.4-liter, turbocharged inline-four hybrid that puts out 326 horsepower and 464 pound-feet. Outside of North America, you can also get the J250 Land Cruiser with either a 2.7-liter, normally-aspirated gasoline engine or a 2.8-liter turbodiesel, which are also inline-four units. The normally-aspirated 2.7-liter mill is paired with a six-speed automatic, instead of the eight-speed auto on the other variants. 

What some owners find off-putting about the Land Cruiser J250's powertrain is that despite being a hybrid, it isn't that fuel-efficient. According to Fuel Economy Gov, the average fuel consumption, claimed by owners is 19.9 MPG, which is substantially less than the advertised 23 MPG figure. Interestingly enough, my colleague managed a similar MPG with the Toyota Sequoia, which is larger and isn't a hybrid. Then, there is the fact that no inline-four sounds particularly nice.  

Jason King says: “Yeah, I'm having a little remorse with the LC four-cylinder, paying more than my wife's GX550. The GX550 is a way better engine and transmission.” 

Many customers opt to spend more for a better engine and better interior 

The Lexus GX550 comes with the company's V35A twin-turbo V-6, which has a particularly nasty tendency to "eat itself". Despite that, many buyers go to the more expensive GX550 or other Toyota/ Lexus products like the Sequoia in this case, which feature the same engine. Toyota is replacing these engines free of charge, which is additional incentive for people to skip the hybrid Land Cruiser.  

Toyota may have accidentally put the J250 Land Cruiser in an unfavorable spot 

Toyota may have accidentally put the J250 Land Cruiser in an unfavorable spot. This can be expected from a brand that offers too many SUVs. With the upcoming Land Cruiser FJ, things aren't going to get easier for the Toyota J250. For less than $10,000 more, you are getting the Lexus GX550, which is the same SUV, but with a more luxurious interior and a more potent, V-6 engine. The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser starts at $57,900 while the 2025 Lexus GX550 starts at $65,285.  

Toyota Sequoia represents an even better value for money 

Toyota's largest SUV model is the quintessential, large, go-anywhere SUV. With a starting price of $64,120, the 2025 Toyota Sequoia makes even more sense than the smaller Lexus GX550.  

KB Ladhar: “It is basically a LX700h for $30k less”. 

That's not far from the truth. Upon checking the MSRP for both models, the 2025 Lexus LX, starts at $106,850, which is over $40,500 more expensive than the Toyota Sequoia, which shares the same platform. 

I think Toyota has too many SUVs in the $55,000-$65,000 range, which could hinder sales of some models in the long run. It seems, more than a few people are willing to trade some MPG for two more cylinders and a bit more luxury. 

In the post, Nain Avila Barboza shares that he lost $5,000 by trading in the Land Cruiser J250 for a Sequoia, which is an acceptable margin, given the dealerships have a tendency to always undercut the price, for profit's sake. 

Do you think Nail made a wise decision by trading in the J250 Land Cruiser for the larger Sequoia? Would have done the same? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

All images are sourced from the Facebook group, "Landcruiser J250 owners" and group member, Nain Avila Barboza.