[mohitchalla]

Background

Like many on this platform, the Land Cruiser has been a childhood automotive crush of mine. Ever since the 300 series Land Cruiser was announced, I have been wanting to drive it. After contacting numerous Toyota dealerships in and around Tokyo for several weeks, I was finally able to get hold of the car. Although I was interested in the GR Sport diesel variant, only the ZX petrol was available for a test drive. I booked a test drive and arrived at the dealership a little earlier than my scheduled appointment. And there she was, parked right by the entrance in all her beauty. After a short discussion and confirming that I have a driver’s license, the salesman led me to the vehicle and we went for a test drive.

The following is not a detailed review. There are several videos available on the internet for that. I am just briefly sharing my personal experience with the car.



Test drive

The cabin felt comfortable and luxurious, as it should for the price. The dashboard with its comprehensive layout, massive screen and lots of switches was overwhelming at first. It is hard to believe how much space there is between the driver and the front passenger. There is a lot of feel-good factor in the cabin both in terms of the layout as well as the feel of material.



After adjusting my seat position and the mirrors, I started the car and the twin-turbo, petrol V6 roared to life. It was barely audible inside the heavily insulated cabin. While the huge size of the vehicle and the commanding driving position were expected, I was pleasantly surprised with the turning radius and the light steering. The exit from the dealership required a u-turn in a tight space for the size of the car. I was able to drive it out without ever engaging the reverse gear. For those who are wondering, I did not engage the turn assist function, which would further reduce the turning radius. The electric-assist hydraulic steering is a breeze to use. The steering feels light but engaging.

Once I started driving on the street, I was able to truly appreciate how wide the car is. It barely leaves any space on Japan’s narrow lanes. The twin-turbo V6 always has plenty of power to offer. Just press the pedal and the car leaps ahead. The 10 speed automatic is extremely smooth and I never felt the shifts. The ride is extremely smooth on the well-paved streets of Tokyo. However, when entering and exiting a parking lot, there was a bouncy feel when the car moved from one surface to the other which was not expected. Although I believe that the 20” rims on the ZX were to be blamed. The 18” rims on the GR Sport are expected to provide a smoother experience.

The drive consisted of urban streets and some highways as well. I wanted to take it off-road but there really is nothing available in the greater Tokyo area. While it was a pleasant experience, I wish I could go for a longer test drive. The salesman has assured me that when the diesel GR Sport variant becomes available, he will schedule a longer test-drive for me, including some off-roading.

Booking experience

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, there is a 4 year waiting period. The approximate delivery is promised in March 2026. I don’t mind this as it will give me enough time to plan my finances and prepare the budget for the Land Cruiser.

Variant booked: GR Sport Diesel 5 Seater. I do not need a 3 row car.
Base price: JPY 8 Million.
Options added: Fridge in the center arm-rest, sun-roof, Toyota Connect 12.3” JBL infotainment system, floor mats.
Price with the options: JPY 9 Million (Insurance and other miscellaneous costs not included).

[padmrajravi]

Congrats on the booking. It is a dream car for many of us here. I got the shock of my life when I read the price. 9 Million yen converts into around 58 lakh in INR. Is that really the price of an LC300 in Japan?

[mohitchalla]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

9 Million yen converts into around 58 lakh in INR. Is that really the price of an LC300 in Japan?

Yes, the base price is even cheaper. It went up since I added a few options as mentioned.

[@og_adi]

Congratulations on booking the LC300. You might be the first BHPian to get this car, so it is pretty obvious an ownership review is a must (Looks like TBHP should wait for 4 years for that to happen, but I hope the car meets you sooner ). As BHPian @Padmrajravi mentioned, 58 lakhs for a Land Cruiser is incredible value proposition considering the fact that the Fortuner Legender 4×4 costs about 54 lakhs OTR in Bengaluru. Congrats once again on living the dream!

[bharanidharang]

Congratulations on booking the Land Cruiser 300. A dream for many of us. '4' year wait, holy cow !!! We are here complaining for 'just' 1 year waiting in India.

regards

[VOLANTE]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

I got the shock of my life when I read the price. 9 Million yen converts into around 58 lakh in INR. Is that really the price of an LC300 in Japan?

Similar specification LHD 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GX V6 variant which comes in gasoline is even more inexpensive in tax free heaven Arabian Gulf. Currently on sale as low as INR. 44 lakhs and that too on offer without even a day of waiting period !

[GTO]

Takes 9 months for a human being, the most majestic creation of God. Yet, an XUV700 can take 2 years and a Land Cruiser 4 years .

Great report man! For those who can wait, awesome. But once I decide on a car, I usually find it in the pre-owned market in <3 months. 4 years is not my cup of tea.

Here's what you can do though = get a pre-owned Landcruiser 200 series (or the iconic 80 series), while you wait for your 300 .

[One]

Originally Posted by GTO

..... usually find it in the pre-owned market in <3 months....

With the sellers market around, can't find anything for past many months now. It is not that the car will need to be picked up at 10-15% premium, it is that car dealers are able to quickly get rid of their stock. Trying to even discuss sharing of car records etc. and in that time the car is gone. It is another matter that they are not interested in sharing that info these days because they don't need to.

Originally Posted by GTO

4 years is not my cup of tea.

With current dealers' behaviour, this is giving me masochistic pleasure , not letting dealers get my money while I wait for my honey.

[Black_Star]

Congrats on your booking, hope that the chip crisis gets resolved soon and you get your ride quicker

Originally Posted by GTO

Here's what you can do though = get a pre-owned Landcruiser 200 series (or the iconic 80 series), while you wait for your 300 .

Easier said than done in Japan due to their inspection law, cars older than 10 years have to be inspected every year as such maintaining an the old cars or used car can become a expensive business. Hence most of old cars in Japan even if they are perfectly fine are sold after 10 years.

As such finding and maintaining a Landcruiser 200, FJ, 40 and 80 series can be more of is more of an hassle unless you are a collector.

[DicKy]

Wow!!!

A bhpian buying an LC300 is one thing, but buying one in Japan is a whole different level.

Dream spec, I would order one in white. Congrats and I am optimistic on the waiting periods getting way shorter if the chip shortage thingy is solved. Even then, a minimum waiting of one and half years is a given.

Curious on diesels starting to be offered and getting traction in traditionally petrol markets like Japan and GCC nations, atleast on pickups and SUVs.

[supertinu]

Very important question. Do you have parking space in Tokyo for something this big ? . I visit Tokyo very often and would assume its lot easier to manage with a hatchback. How come decision to buy such a big car from a practicality standpoint?

Congrats on going ahead with the booking, I read some news around the 4year waiting period and thought it was a joke.

[Uthappa]

Amazing vehicle, but 4 years, really? If you want a great LC experience in the interim, check out a used LC, Japan has some amazing websites with prime LCs waiting for passionate owners such as yourself. A lot can happen in 4 years. Maximize your experiences now, IMHO.

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by mohitchalla

Booking experience

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, there is a 4 year waiting period. The approximate delivery is promised in March 2026. I don’t mind this as it will give me enough time to plan my finances and prepare the budget for the Land Cruiser.

Variant booked: GR Sport Diesel 5 Seater. I do not need a 3 row car.
Base price: JPY 8 Million.
Options added: Fridge in the center arm-rest, sun-roof, Toyota Connect 12.3” JBL infotainment system, floor mats.
Price with the options: JPY 9 Million (Insurance and other miscellaneous costs not included).

Congrats on booking the LC300, which we can only dream of in India, and even if it comes can't afford. My guess is the 4 year wait will come down in a years time from now.

Originally Posted by VOLANTE

Similar specification LHD 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GX V6 variant which comes in gasoline is even more inexpensive in tax free heaven Arabian Gulf. Currently on sale as low as INR. 44 lakhs and that too on offer without even a day of waiting period !

Actually there is a big reason for that no waiting period! The Arabian Gulf is not ready to part with the LC200 5.7L V8, heck the previous gen LC200 is more expensive than the newer LC300 with a V6 because the Arabian Gulf's dune bashing car is the de-facto LC200 with a V8, they can't fathom a V6 LC

[mohitchalla]

Originally Posted by GTO

get a pre-owned Landcruiser 200 series (or the iconic 80 series), while you wait for your 300

Thanks! At present I am member with a few car-sharing clubs which allow me to choose almost any car that I want. I am enjoying this experience for now. But I am toying with the idea of getting the 150 series Prado in the meantime.

Originally Posted by Black_Star

hope that the chip crisis gets resolved soon

in Japan due to their inspection law, cars older than 10 years have to be inspected every year as such maintaining an the old cars or used car can become a expensive business.

It is not just the chip crisis, here is a bigger supply chain bottle-neck.

Speaking of inspections, new cars can be driven for 3 years before being inspected. Then, it is every 2 years. There is no 10 year threshold. However, once you start living in Japan, you learn that everything is actually cheaper than what you have been reading/hearing.

Originally Posted by DicKy

Curious on diesels starting to be offered and getting traction in traditionally petrol markets like Japan

Japan is primarily a hybrid powertrain market. Diesels make a very small portion of the market but there is a fan following for it. Although Toyota never launched the diesel 200 series Land Cruiser in Japan.

Originally Posted by supertinu

very important question. Do you have parking space in Tokyo for something this big ?

Proof of parking is supposed to be submitted just before the purchase of the vehicle. I do not have a parking at present but I have the option to rent it in my building whenever I need it, which won't be cheap. And you're right, nothing about owning a Land Cruiser (or any car for that matter) is practical when you live in Tokyo. I for one am a big advocate of buying pre-owned cars over new cars. But this time I went with the heart and not the mind and bit the #YOLO bullet.

[mohitchalla]

Since a lot of people have shown interest in the pricing, I am attaching a couple of pictures from the brochure which show the grace wise pricing breakdown.

The base variant GX starts from JPY 5.1 million, which I believe is almost comparable with the Innova in India.