I think a lot of folk will choose between the Land Cruiser 250 and the Grenadier using their heart, and not their head, and there is nothing wrong with that. Life is short – buy the vehicle you want!
But if one were to ignore the heart (how the vehicle looks to you, how it makes you feel), and focus on the head (the practical use of the vehicle), then how one decides between them should probably be based on (1) how one intends to use the vehicle, and (2) how one values reliability.
While there are obvious similarities between the two vehicles (both are four-door wagons with good 4-wheel drive systems), there are some significant differences that impact the driver-experience:
LC 250: independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, electronic actuator for locking center diff and low range.
Grenadier: solid front axle, recirculating ball steering, kingpin knuckles, manual shifter for locking center diff and low range.
The case for the LC 250: If you drive primarily on-road, and you want 4-wheel drive to get through bad weather, and your off-roading is not super-frequent, or is mostly on forest service roads or the like, the LC might make more sense. Based on the vehicle specs (curb weight, engine output), the LC is likely a quicker vehicle. With independent front suspension, and rack-and-pinion steering, it will track well on the highway and corner more like a car than a truck; it will also have a much smaller turning radius than the Grenadier. If you buy a LC you have access to an enormous network of Toyota dealers for service, and you have Toyota reliability. Even though the LC 250 is a new vehicle, I would wager that it will be more reliable than the Grenadier. Anecdotal evidence is not the same as big data, but what the hell... We currently own three Toyota 4x4s, all purchased new: (1) a 2019 4-Runner, that has never needed service of any kind (other than regular maintenance), (2) a 2017 Tacoma, which has also never needed service of any kind (other than regular maintenance), and (3) a 1997 Tacoma, that has needed shockingly little service; in addition to basic wear items, I have replaced the alternator twice, and the steering rack twice. The 2019 and 2017 have never failed to start, have never experienced any form of limp mode, have never thrown a code, have never experienced a screen-failure, have never leaked water into the cabin, have no leaks from the drive train, have never had a door handle stick, have never failed to shift into 4-high or 4-low, and the rear lockers engage and disengage without drama.
The case for the Grenadier: If you drive off-road a lot, if the trails you drive demand wheel articulation or are otherwise pretty rough, if you regularly carry heavy payload or tow, if you want to tow an off-road trailer, the Grenadier might make more sense. Ineos made some important decisions to prioritize durability over on-road performance; these include the choice to go with a solid front axle, recirculating ball steering, and kingpin knuckles. These components will hold up to hard off-road use, and are more comfortable for the driver when off-road, but result in slower steering on-road, and a wider turning radius.
Maybe the crux of the comparison is the important distinction between durability and reliability. Durability refers to strength and longevity of components; reliability refers to whether or not the vehicle’s components actually function every day as intended. The Grenadier is built to be more durable than the LC 250, but we do not yet know if the Grenadier will be reliable.
For example, we tore a CV boot in the 2019 4-Runner while driving off-road on a moderate rocky trail; that would not have happened in the Grenadier because the Grenadier has a much more durable front-end design. On the other hand, all our Toyotas have been incredibly reliable.
