Fatal Flaw Nobody Tells You – new 4Runner, Land Cruiser and GX 550!

I’ve been a die-hard automotive enthusiast since I was five years old. For as long as I can remember, Toyota and Lexus SUVs have been part of my life — so much so that since 2001, I’ve always had at least one sitting in the driveway. They’ve earned my loyalty with their reliability, ruggedness, and attention to detail. So trust me when I say: it genuinely pains me to write this article.

This past weekend, I was at the North Carolina Auto Show, eager to check out all the latest models. Toyota and Lexus brought their A-game, with a full lineup of their new SUVs proudly displayed.

Naturally, I made a beeline for the Toyota booth to show my buddy the Sequoia I recently bought — the 2023 model. (Side note: even with its flaws, which I’ve documented in my recent YouTube series, it might just be the best one yet.)

While showing him around, we decided to jump into the new 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and later the Lexus GX 550. But this time, something different happened. Instead of hopping into the driver’s seat — like I usually do when reviewing a car — I slid into the passenger side. That’s when it hit me.

The moment I closed the front passenger door, I immediately noticed something was off. Something that made me uncomfortable. Actually, really uncomfortable. And the more I thought about it, the more it drove me crazy.

The center console and the transmission hump jut too far into the passenger footwell. I’m 6’1″, and sitting there, I couldn’t find a comfortable way to position my legs. No matter how much I shifted, adjusted, or stretched, there was just no room to get comfortable. My left knee kept bumping into the console, and my feet felt boxed in. It didn’t feel like a full-size SUV should — it felt cramped.

At first, I thought maybe it was just the 4Runner. I ran between the Land Cruiser and GX 550 to check, hoping it was just a one-off issue. Nope. It was the same (or worse) in the Land Cruiser and GX 550. The only small exception? The 4Runner TRD Pro on display had hand grips mounted at the top of the console. That extra inch or so of clearance helped a little, but it wasn’t enough to fix the root problem.

My buddy, who’s 6’0″ noticed it too without me even pointing it out. And honestly, if we are both noticing it after a two-minute sit, imagine how much worse it would be on a five or six-hour road trip — the kind of trips I take regularly with my family.

My wife, who’s 5’8″, probably wouldn’t notice it as much as I do being taller. But for the people in my life who regularly ride shotgun — and for myself when I’m not the one behind the wheel — I just can’t see buying a vehicle that feels this uncomfortable for passengers.

The styling of these new SUVs is absolutely fantastic. Toyota and Lexus nailed the look. They hit all the right emotional notes. But this one fatal flaw, this one detail that might seem tiny to some, could become a dealbreaker for me. It kills me to admit it, but unless they fix the passenger footwell space, I might have to look elsewhere when the time comes for my next SUV. (Fortunately, the bigger Sequoia has plenty of room.)

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m being too sensitive about it. But I can’t help how it made me feel — and I know myself well enough to know it would drive me nuts every single time I sat in the passenger seat.

If you’ve sat in one of these new models — or better yet, if you own one — have you noticed the same issue? Am I crazy, or is this a real problem? Drop a comment below and let’s talk about it. I’m really curious if anyone else feels the same way.