The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser is no longer (at least in the United States), but that doesn’t mean you can’t get one. There are plenty of 2021 Toyota Land Cruisers (and older) to be found, and with the scarcity of 2022 SUV models, you might be inclined to consider the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser. Yet there’s one very good reason that you might want to think twice about the Land Cruiser, and it has something to do with its emergency handling.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser has a poor emergency handling score

Consumer Reports doesn’t love the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser’s emergency handling. In fact, it gives it just a 2/5. To determine the Land Cruiser’s emergency handling, Consumer Reports considered a couple of factors, including its top avoidance maneuver speed and how well it did when it was at its limit. The Land Cruiser’s avoidance maneuver max speed was just 46 mph, hence the low score.

In addition, the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser received just a 3/5 for its routine handling. To find this score, Consumer Reports looks at “how agile the vehicle is on the road by the amount of body lean and steering response. Also includes turning circle, the bumper clearance needed to make a complete U-turn.”

Contributing to the 2021 Land Cruiser’s performance is its brake score, which is a 3/5. It takes the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 140 feet to stop from 60 mph on dry pavement, and 158 feet to stop from 60 mph on wet pavement.

On a positive note, the Land Cruiser is comfortable

While the Land Cruiser’s emergency handling may be lackluster, its comfort ratings sure aren’t. The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser has a 4/5 for its ride, noise, and driving position. It scores a 5/5 for front-seat comfort and a 4/5 for rear-seat comfort. Unfortunately, the third row doesn’t live up to the same standards as the front and second rows, scoring just a 1/5 for third-row comfort. If this is an SUV that you’ll be using at full capacity regularly, this might be a reason to reconsider.

In addition, access to each row could be better. Both the front access and rear access scores are a 3/5, while the third-row access is a 1/5. Yet the storage is excellent. The trunk and cargo area scores a 4/5, meaning you can haul a pretty good amount of stuff relatively easily. The interior fit and finish get a perfect 5/5.

Why was the Toyota Land Cruiser Discontinued?

Unfortunately, the Toyota Land Cruiser has been discontinued because of its lackluster sales. The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser was the last Land Cruiser that we’ll see in the United States. The Toyota Land Cruiser was sold for thirteen years, and although it needed some updating, Toyota chose instead to discontinue it.

That doesn’t mean you can’t sort of get a new Land Cruiser. The 2022 Lexus LX600 is available, and it’s a very similar but still more luxurious version of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Don’t let the Lexus name scare you. It only costs about $1,500 more than the Land Cruiser’s starting price. Of course, it’s possible to quickly and easily drive that price way up.

If you really love the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, you might want to consider the 2022 Lexus LX600 instead. While it doesn’t yet have any Consumer Reports ratings, its upscale interior is a definite bonus. Plus, hopefully Toyota learned from the Land Cruiser’s dismal handling, and fixed problems with the new LX 600.