While they’re general appeal and design is similar - the Land Cruiser is built to a higher standard. It is and always has been the no-compromise halo vehicle for Toyota. It is complete un-neutered engineering with one goal: durability and reliability. It’s not designed to compete with an Escalade or Expedition, it’s not designed to compete with a Range Rover. It is designed for a 25 year service life in the world’s harshest conditions (Africa, Middle East, Australia) etc.

A quick look underneath reveals why the 200 series Land Cruiser weights nearly 1500# more than a 4Runner while sharing nearly identical exterior dimensions. The frame is bigger, the suspensions components are bigger and beefier, and the drivetrain is significantly more heavy duty. Bottom line they’re both amazing platforms; however, the Land Cruiser is built to a higher standard.