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More often than not, when an automotive manufacturer sends out a vehicle to be reviewed, it’s in one of the higher trim levels and equipped with a lot of options. That gives the reviewer and their audience a better idea of everything that that vehicle has to offer. Plus, features such as massaging seats, an onboard fragrance system, and a $3,000 branded audio system upgrade don’t hurt a model’s chances of making a good first impression.

I certainly enjoy loaded press cars (like the $71,364 2024 Land Cruiser my colleague Luke and I tested on- and off-road a few months ago), but I’m always curious about the more modest trim levels in a vehicle’s lineup. After all, not every potential buyer who’s interested in a Corvette, for instance, can swing the price tag for the Z06 version. He or she may not even want its additional power and capabilities.

That’s why I was excited to learn I’d be spending 48 hours in a 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 1958. That’s the base trim for the reborn off-roader, but it may be the most important one. The last-generation Land Cruiser sold in the U.S., the 200 Series, was discontinued at the end of the 2021 model year, when the V8-powered, three-row rig had a base price of of $85,515. While other parts of the world received a new 300 Series Land Cruiser as its replacement, Land Cruiser fans in the United States had to wait for the J250 2024 Land Cruiser. It shares its predecessor’s name and off-road focus, but it’s different in a few major ways. The new Land Cruiser is a two-row SUV with a turbocharged 2.4-liter I4 hybrid engine, which is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. Those reductions contribute to a significantly lower $55,950 price of entry (excluding the $1,450 Delivery, Processing, and Handling fee), making the once-exclusive Land Cruiser (relatively) accessible to a wider range of buyers.

Of course, our Land Cruiser 1958 test vehicle had a few extras on it, which included a front skid plate, a skid plate to protect the transmission, rock rails, a roof rack, and more. Altogether, it had a total price of $60,790.