We tested the new Toyota Land Cruiser against its legendary predecessor. It lives up to the hype, even without a third row.

When I picked Julie up on a Friday afternoon, this was her first impression: “It looks like a Range Rover,” she said. “It does feel tank-ish.”

I imagine this is music to Toyota’s ears.

The main difference: There’s no third row seating available in the new Land Cruiser.

This will be a significant loss for some customers and longtime Land Cruiser fans. More on this later, from Julie and myself.

The 2020 Land Cruiser had maximum towing capacity of 8,100 pounds. The new version has 6,000.

Julie pushed her front passenger seat all the way back. Then, I jumped in the back to check out the legroom.

It wasn’t uncomfortable, but there wasn’t a massive amount of extra room for my legs back there.

I didn’t mind this. It added to the overall retro, rugged vibe of the vehicle.

Julie also noted that her old Land Cruiser had fancy wood-style veneer that eventually “went bad.”

The new Land Cruiser has a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. That doesn’t sound like much for a big SUV. The previous Land Cruiser model had a 5.7 liter V8.

However, the 2024 version has a turbo and an electric power plant. So this turbo-hybrid mashup ends up with 326 horsepower and 465 foot-pounds of torque at a pretty low 1,700 RPM.

That compares to the 2020 Land Cruiser, which had 381 horsepower and 401 foot-pounds of torque at 3,600 RPM.

The result: Driving the 2024 Land Cruiser is an engaging combination of truck feel and modern smoothness.

At low speeds, the hybrid engine is quiet and calm. Press the accelerator down and you get truck-style grunt and a satisfying prod of low-end torque and speed.

The steering was light and accurate at low speed. Perfect for zipping around town and parking.

At higher speeds, the steering firmed up nicely and remained accurate and responsive.

The best part: The Land Cruiser rolls slightly and rumbles as you drive around. In a good way. It feels like you’re driving a sturdy, capable SUV, but it’s also really easy to maneuver. A real pleasure.

“It feels like a heavy well-made truck that doesn’t drive like a truck,” Julie said. Well put.

The midrange Land Cruiser, which starts at around $62,000, has square headlights.

The model I drove, the 1958, has round headlights. Both look really cool.

To open this window, you press a cool corner button. A nice design touch.

Adding this roof rack costs $1,440. My test car came with other extras, too, including skid plates, cargo and floor mats, and rock rails.

All together, these extras added about $3,600 to the base price of $55,950. And with delivery, handling, and processing fees, the grand total was $59,574.

The roof rack and rock rails looked cool, but you don’t need these really.

Julie wanted the mirrors to be a little wider. Instead, they are unusually tall.

There’s a larger touchscreen in the more expensive new Land Cruiser, which starts at about $62,000.

The 2020 Land Cruiser was 78 inches wide, while the new model is 77.9 inches in width.

I loved the Toyota Land Cruiser 1958.

After a few days with this vehicle, I smiled every time I got in it. When I had to give it back to Toyota, I was sad — as you can see in this photo.

Why did I love it so much?

It’s got the retro rugged vibe just right.

It’s sturdy enough for Land Cruiser fans, and its ride is a perfect combination of rumbling truck and smooth car.

I have driven the new Ford Bronco quite a bit, and it’s not as good. Sorry Ford.

My only real request: Add a third row option.

I’ll leave the final words to Julie, my neighbor and longtime Land Cruiser fan.

“Oh why didn’t I wait!?” she said while I drove her around in the Land Cruiser 1958.

She has a Toyota Highlander right now, and she’s regretting that purchase now.

“Ask them if they’ll trade mine in,” she said.