I know where the new Land Cruiser fits in the Toyota Lineup.

Journalists have been perplexed over Toyota's newest lineup of trucks and SUVs. Toyota's newest TNGA-F platform hosts five trucks and SUVs, including the Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, and GX500. While most would tend to not complain about variety of choice, many are unsure of where these vehicles are supposed to stack against each other in terms of capabilities and target demographic.

Some distinctions make more sense than others: Do you want a midsize truck with a bed? Get a Tacoma. No bed? Get a 4Runner. Need more space? Repeat the previous calculus with the Tundra and Sequoia. If you have extra cash to spend and crave refinement, splurge for the Lexus GX500. Seems simple enough.

The Land Cruiser, however, does not fit well in this new paradigm. Slightly smaller than a 4Runner AND lacking a 3rd row (for now), you'd think the Land Cruiser might be priced slightly cheaper than the 4Runner. Yet, it's more expensive. The new 4Runner is expected to have a starting price of about $43,000. For the Land Cruiser, the starting price is $57,345. The 4Runner also seems to have better offroad chops than the Land Cruiser. What's going on?

The answer, my friends, is not to be found in the spec sheets or capabilities of these vehicles, but rather the styling. Take a moment and look at the new 4Runner:

Now, take a look at the new Land Cruiser (1958 Edition and otherwise):

Notice anything?

These vehicles, while similar in size and capabilities, have wildly different styling, and will attract different kinds of buyers. The styling of the 4Runner is aimed at younger, more testosterone-fueled consumers who drink black rifle coffee as part of their personality. It's positioned to compete directly with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, whose customers are some of the least toxic humans to roam this Earth. The Land Cruiser's styling is much more subdued and is aimed at a more mature buyer. This explains why the Land Cruiser is more expensive. Those who can afford a Land Cruiser will happily pay the extra money to not be in something as bro-man-macho as the 4Runner.

And thus, Toyota's newest truck lineup makes perfect sense. If you enjoy peacocking and showing off your newest sniper rifle with an infrared scope attached (or, jokes aside, want a low-speed off-roader), you'll love the 4Runner. If you want an affordable overlander SUV, you get the 1958 Edition Land Cruiser. If you have money, but want to hide it, you get a regular Land Cruiser. If you have money, and DON'T want to hide it, you get a Lexus GX500. Mystery solved.