Why Does This Keep Happening?

It’s an unfortunate drawback of having a flat, upright windshield. There’s a reason most vehicles have curved, laidback windshields, and it’s not just aerodynamics. Curves and reclined mountings allow rocks to deflect off the glass more easily. Flat, upright windshields take a more direct impact.

It’s not just a Land Cruiser thing, either. Jeep Wranglers, Ford Broncos, and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens are just as susceptible (though our long-term Wrangler notably survived its year with us on its original windshield). As a Benz insider told us once, “If you knew what we spend on [replacing] G-Wagen windshields, you’d question our business practices.” Flat, upright windshields look cool and old-school, but there are reasons why automakers stopped using them.

Even still, our Land Cruiser seems particularly vulnerable. The top Google result for “Land Cruiser 250 windshield” is a Reddit thread asking how many rock chips everyone has. Other off-road-focused long-termers we’ve had in the past—including SUVs like Land Rover Defender, and trucks like the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, didn’t collect as many chips and cracks. If you’re in the market for one, we’d strongly suggest investing in a protective clear film for the windshield and making a windshield replacement budget, just in case.

More on Our Long-Term 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser:

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Specifications
BASE PRICE	$62,920
PRICE AS TESTED	$71,604
OPTIONS	Premium package, $4,600; Prinsu roof rack, $1,045; rock rails, $990; skidplates, $805; two-tone roof, $350; connected services 3-year trial, $325; rear bumper guard, $230; carpet floormats, $199; liftgate light, $195; carpet cargo mat, $130
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, front-motor, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door hybrid SUV
POWERTRAIN	2.4L turbo port- and direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 278 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 317 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm; Permanent-magnet motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft
TOTAL POWER	326 hp
TOTAL TORQUE	465 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic
BATTERY	1.9-kWh nickel-metal hydride
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	5,557 lb (50/50%)
WHEELBASE	112.2 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	193.8 x 77.9 x 76.1 in
TIRES	Michelin LTX Trail 265/70R18 116S M+S
EPA FUEL ECONOMY, CITY/HWY/COMBINED	22/25/23 mpg
EPA RANGE	412 mi
MotorTrend Test Results
0-60 MPH	8.3 sec
QUARTER MILE	16.4 sec @ 84.4 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	132 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.67 g
FIGURE-EIGHT LAP	29.2 sec @ 0.56 g (avg)
Ownership Experience
SERVICE LIFE	10 mo/25,290 mi
REAL-WORLD FUEL ECONOMY	18.5 mpg
ENERGY COST PER MILE	$0.28
DAYS OUT OF SERVICE	0
MAINTENANCE AND WEAR	Service 1, $186; service 2, $158; service 3, $171; rock chip fill, $88, replace hood trim, $22.61
DAMAGE	Cracked windshield, $1,691; cracked windshield (again), $2,361
RECALLS	Rearview camera freezing, brake squealing in reverse