Suzuki’s Updated Landy Is Still Toyota’s Minivan In Disguise

The Suzuki Landy has always been a bit of an oddball. Suzuki doesn’t really have its own minivan program, so the company basically borrows one from Toyota, changes a few details, and sends it back out into the world with different badges.

The latest Landy follows the same recipe, picking up the newest updates from the Toyota Noah and Voxy twins in Japan. This facelift leans into the sportier side of things.

Instead of using the softer-looking base Noah design, the Landy now gets the more aggressive front bumper and bodykit from the higher trims. The giant grille makes the front end look way more serious than you’d expect from something built mainly for school runs and family trips. Suzuki’s own contribution remains pretty subtle though, mostly limited to the badges and a small trim piece above the grille.

Inside, buyers can now choose between seven or eight seats, which is probably the most useful change here. The dashboard gets softer materials and a small screen upgrade for the driver display, but the Landy still skips some of the nicer tech found in the Toyota versions. Oddly enough, it doesn’t even come with a standard infotainment screen, so owners have to add one separately if they want navigation or touchscreen controls.

The old gasoline-only engine is gone, too. Every Landy now uses Toyota’s familiar 1.8-liter self-charging hybrid setup, available with either front-wheel drive or Suzuki’s E-Four all-wheel-drive system. AWD models also get a new Snow Extra mode for winter driving.

Prices start at ¥3,845,600 ($24,100), which is where things get a little strange. The Toyota Noah it’s based on actually costs less while offering more equipment. Mechanically, it’s a Noah, but the Suzuki badge gives it a slightly different identity.