One of the differences between the new Toyota Land Cruiser and the new Lexus GX is that the former is only offered with two rows of seats. You won’t find third-row seats on the Land Cruiser’s list of equipment, yet it has everything needed for third-row passengers except for a place to sit.
The Car Mom spotted this quirk after peeking in the Land Cruiser’s trunk. Behind the second row, you’ll find storage compartments, cupholders, USB-C charging ports, climate control vents, and even grab handles. Not only could you theoretically add third-row seats, the folks riding in them could stay warm and hydrated, keep their phone charged, and hang on for dear life when you’re putting the SUV’s off-road chops to the test. That’s one hell of an upgrade compared to the side-facing jump seats offered in some older Land Cruisers. There’s no third-row option, though.
On the surface, it looks like Toyota wanted to cut costs. The new Land Cruiser and the new GX are very similar under the sheet metal, so it stands to reason that a trunk panel that fits one fits the other with relative ease. Why bother developing a new part? This same one-size-fits-all reasoning explains the blank buttons you find in several high-end cars; It’s cheaper than designing a new center console. The answer might not be that simple, however. The two-row GX gets third-row equipment as well, yet it’s built with trunk panels different from those of its three-row counterpart.
Check them out side-by-side below. Keep in mind that the three-row (shown on the left) has a higher trunk floor.
This could be a case of “more is more.” Sure, no one’s going to sit back there, unless you consider a cooler a seat, but when has anyone ever complained about having additional charging ports, cupholders, and storage compartments? There’s a good chance that these will all come in handy if you use the Land Cruiser the way Toyota intended, and the alternative is to fit a trunk panel that’s essentially a giant slab of plastic.
Another theory is that a three-row Land Cruiser is lurking on some product planner’s spreadsheet, though nothing suggests that’s the case. We’ll turn the mic over to you: Is this a cost-saving measure, a case of “more is more,” or a hint that a three-row Land Cruiser is on its way?
Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com