Land Cruiser, Bronco and Wrangler Specs Compared: Which Off-Roader Is Best?

We compare the Bronco and Wrangler to their newest competitor: the Land Cruiser

written by Chase Bierenkoven^{Contributor
Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.}
3/4/2024
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The Toyota Land Cruiser to have is its middle trim, which starts at $63,345.
Both Ford and Jeep make similarly priced rivals in the form of the Bronco and the Wrangler.
A new Land Cruiser offers a more luxurious alternative to the two established off-roaders.

The new Toyota Land Cruiser is a lot of off-roader for under $70,000. But the problem for Toyota is that Ford and Jeep have similar offerings for the same amount of money. Both the Bronco and the Wrangler can be loaded up to compete with the Land Cruiser, and we compared the trio dollar-for-dollar to find out which one is the one to have. If you feel like following along, Toyota’s configurator for the Land Cruiser just went live, and you can build your own here.

It’s worth pointing out that the Land Cruiser’s midgrade (and aptly named) Land Cruiser trim, which starts at $63,345, served as our starting point for this exercise. For that money, the Land Cruiser comes equipped with standard locking center and rear differentials, full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case, and crawl control software. The trim also includes Toyota's Multi-Terrain Select system, an electronic sway bar disconnect for more wheel articulation, and an array of cameras showing the terrain ahead of and behind the car. There are also some luxuries like heated and cooled seats and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. All Land Cruisers are powered by Toyota’s i-Force Max hybrid 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing a combined 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Our build specifically has but one option: the $4,600 Premium package. It features an upgraded JBL audio system, power moonroof, cooled center console, wireless charging, digital rearview mirror, and other goodies like lane keeping assistance, a head-up display, and real leather seats (in Java brown). The total cost as-specced came to $68,295.

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Ford, as it turns out, offers a Bronco that is darn close. The Bronco Wildtrak ($61,920 MSRP) is powered by a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 making 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Bronco doesn’t use full-time 4WD, unlike the Land Cruiser, and also doesn’t feature a locking center diff. Instead, its electronic locking differentials are limited to the front and rear. Much like our Land Cruiser, the Bronco Wildtrak comes loaded, including the Sasquatch package. Again, much like the Land Cruiser, its only real option consisted of the High/Lux package for $2,930. It includes luxuries like a heated wheel, with B&O sound system, adaptive cruise control and more. While not as luxurious as the Toyota is, the Bronco helps make up for it with huge 35-inch tires, even more ground clearance, and a segmented hardtop for sunny days. Our total as specified came to $68,780, just a hair more expensive than the Land Cruiser.

That leaves the Wrangler Rubicon X ($63,190). This one also comes with just a few optional extras and is powered by the only stick shift powertrain of the bunch: a 3.6-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a true selectable 4WD system with front and rear locking differentials and a six-speed manual. Jeep wants a lot of money for cool paint colors, and we felt obliged to throw in the $895 Bikini Pearl Coat paint on top of the Rubcion X’s generous level of equipment. That long list of standard kit includes 35-inch beadlock-capable wheels, steel bumpers, heated and power-adjustable front seats and steering wheel, Alpine audio, real leather upholstery and more. When the dust settles, the Jeep is by far the most cost-effective off-roader, but it’s also the least luxurious, and our build came to $63,785 in total.

Edmunds says

We’d have to take the Land Cruiser and not just because it’s shiny new. For the money, the Land Cruiser does what it has always done: Offer luxury and off-road features that buyers crave while also managing to stay competitive with longtime rivals like the Bronco and Wrangler.

by Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.