What is the towing capacity of the Toyota LandCruiser 300?

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300 is the go-to large SUV for many buyers looking for a comfortable, go-anywhere on-road and off-road wagon.

But just how much can the Cruiser tow and is it actually any good at it?

JUMP AHEAD

• What you need to know about the Toyota LandCruiser 300
• How much can the Toyota LandCruiser 300 tow?
• How does this match up with competitors?

Everything you need to know about the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300

The LandCruiser 300 is a large family off-road SUV that is often chosen by those wanting a versatile family wagon with up to seven seats that is capable of exploring city canyons and the Outback with equal ease.

The big Toyota in its successive iterations has also developed a loyal following among those who want to tow a caravan for the big lap or get a large trailerboat to and from the water.

The Toyota LandCruiser arrived in 2021 as the long-awaited successor to the LandCruiser 200 Series, and has not changed substantially since.

Prices were up significantly from the 200 Series, and with further prices increases since, in 2024 the LandCruiser 300 is very much priced as a luxury proposition. You will have no change from $100,000 on the road – once you have got to the top of the waiting list that still exists for this model.

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Prices for the six-tier model range starts at $98,076 for the GX, and tops out at $145,876 for the GR Sport (prices are plus on-road costs).

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300 range opens with the five-seater GX (you need to chose GXL, VX or Sahara for three-rows of seven seats). All LandCruiser 300 from GX up have a strong safety features list.

All LandCruiser 300s are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, which includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) which includes car-to-car, vulnerable road user and junction assist LandCruiser 300 also has lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW) and emergency lane keeping (ELK), and an advanced speed assistance system (SAS) across the range, as well as a rear-view camera with guidelines (including tow hitch centre line) and dusk-sensing LED headlights.

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All models have 10 airbags, and all variants except the (unrated) GR Sport have a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

All models also share a 227kW/700Nm twin-turbo V6 engine, 10-speed auto, full-time 4WD mechanicals and 3500kg towing capacity.

The entry GX is very basic for standard features in a vehicle that is priced into six figures on the road. While it has two-zone climate control, keyless start, remote central locking, power-adjustable/power folding side mirrors and a colour 9-inch touchscreen, it has only manual driver’s seat height adjustment, vinyl floor covering and steel wheels. The GX is the only model, however, to come with a standard snorkel.

At the top end, the GR Sport is the trick sporty off-road premium Land Cruiser, with features such as Adaptive Variable Suspension, Electronic-Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, Front and rear differential locks and Adaptive High Beam System.

As for features relating specifically to towing, we’ll get to those below.

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Get up to speed on the LandCruiser 300

The stories below will give you a guide on everything to do with the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300. All fresh stories will be found on our Toyota LandCruiser page.

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How much can the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser tow?

The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, like the 200 Series before it, can tow a maximum of 3500kg (braked), with up to 10 per cent (350kg) of that maximum on the towball.

The Toyota LandCruiser has been the tow vehicle of choice for caravanners for years, with highways awash with successive generations of them tugging a trailer along. Although the 300 Series now has plenty of towing competition that arguably offer better value and more towing features, there’s no doubt Toyota engineered this SUV with heavy tow hauling in mind.

The LandCruiser 300 offers one of the most stable, comfortable-riding towing platforms in the business in all grades, with the ability to tenaciously hang onto the road with all but the most unbalanced of trailers behind it. The powertrain is seemingly unaffected with even close to 3500kg sitting behind, shrugging off steep highway hillclimbs as if they were not there.

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While more efficient than its predecessor when driving unladen, like the 200 Series V8 turbo-diesel before it, the V6 twin turbo-diesel 300 Series gets thirsty when towing a heavy trailer.

Although the 300 Series would appear to be slightly more efficient (19L/100km versus 20L/100km when towing close to 3500kg) the 300 Series has lost 35 litres of fuel capacity, with 110 litres on board.The 300 Series LandCruiser’s payload fluctuates between 650kg (VX/Sahara/GR Sport) to 785kg (GX).

While it has a a towbar as standard, the tow wiring harness is an optional extra. A rear camera with guidelines and trailer sway control are the only other towing-specific features.

The LandCruiser 300 doesn’t have towing assist features such as trailer blind spot monitoring or trailer light check, features now offered with some competitors.

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How does this match up with competitors?

As it now has many cheaper and seemingly just as well-equipped tow vehicles to compete with, the LandCruiser 300 needs more than ever needs to shore up its reputation as the King of towing haulers.

The LandCruiser 300 belongs to the upper large SUV segment that primarily consists of luxury models, many of which will never see a dirt road, or tow anything. It isn’t like other segments, such as dual-cab utes, where there are many similar products.

Some will argue the exception here is the also 3500kg-capable Nissan Patrol, a long time rival to LandCruiser, For anything else of a similar ilk (3500kg off-road capable 4WD with up to seven seats) you have to start looking at the likes of cheaper vehicles in the medium segment, such as the Ford Everest.

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The Nissan Patrol was a very sensible alternative to LandCruiser, and still is if you can accept that it is outdated – it first arrived 12 years ago.

Its petrol V8 might be thirsty and need to be revved a lot in hilly terrain when towing something heavy, but it is at least $10K cheaper than a LandCruiser. That buys you a lot of extra fuel, but the truth is there is not a big difference between the pair when towing heavy trailers, at least.

The LandCruiser’s immense torque and superb towing stability and towing ride are what set it apart, but it is hard to see the value in this vehicle when for $20K less than the cheapest LandCruiser GX – that does not even have carpeted floors, or trailer plug wiring –you can buy the Ford Everest Platinum V6 that is very close in towing ability, and has a bunch of towing equipment as assist features as standard.

The price you pay with Everest, however, is less payload capacity than LandCruiser 300 or Patrol when towing at full towing capacity.

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