Road tested by Hugh Maguire.
The Toyota Land Cruiser name needs no introduction. It’s famous the world over for its legendary ruggedness and reliability. Many will remember when Top Gear tried to destroy one and despite trying all sorts of methods of destruction it still started every time. While I have no intention of putting this test car through such extremes I will be using it to tow a horse box with horse on board, and traverse some off road terrain to see if it lives up to the legend. I will of course also spend plenty of time on road where this model in Ireland at least will do most of its KM.
Would you believe the Land Cruiser name has been around for over 65 years now so that in itself is a burden for engineers when designing a new model. How to keep the loyal followers of the brand happy while updating and modernising a product whose formula actually works?
The Toyota Land Cruiser is available as a commercial two seat vehicle or as a passenger five seater. The focus of this review is the commercial.
First Impressions.
Its big, imposing and more boxy in shape than the previous model. In my opinion the previous model was more aesthetically appealing. This new version does have a really rugged and purposeful style which I guess suits what it is designed to do. It sits on dark grey 18 inch alloy wheels and my test car came equipped with the optional tow bar, roof rails and a deflector on the leading edge of the bonnet to protect it from stone chips.
Behind The Wheel.
It is all very black in here, the dash, seats and roof lining are all black which while suiting the utilitarian nature of the commercial does make it all feel a bit dark.
The interior boasts a new set up of a digital drivers display and an integrated central touchscreen which is a perfect size unlike the monstrously huge screens being fitted to so many new cars these days. Apple car play and Android Auto is standard but surprisingly there is no wireless charging.
I found the seating to be very comfortable they are finished in a letter look material and are heated and ventilated as standard. Thats a nice touch! The driving position is perfect offering a commanding view of the road ahead and the big side mirrors offer great rear views even when your central mirror is of no use while towing a horse box. The rear view camera offers good clarity and again is a great aid when hooking up something to the tow bar.
With climate control, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors the Land Cruiser is well kitted out for the work it is expected to do.
There are a host of selectable drive modes, all via knobs and switches rather than through the touchscreen which is a welcome relief. With differential locking, a four wheel drive high or low mode, and modes for crawl control and downhill assist there is the feeling that this new Land Cruiser could go anywhere and it can!
Additionally there is a host of welcome but unobtrusive safety kit. The list is about twenty plus items long but I was impressed to see “Trailer Sway Control” as part of those features. The load area is huge at 2,129 litres and is nicely square shaped for ease of loading too. The tailgate is electric. Payload is rated at 745kg.
What is under the bonnet?
This latest model is powered by a 2.8 litre diesel producing some 205 bhp. Its a mighty strong power plant with 500NM of torque. This power unit is mated to a new 8-speed automatic gearbox and of course permanent four wheel drive.
I’m not going into performance figures, who cares in a vehicle like this however I found overall performance to be quite good. From the economy side expect to return an average of about 12.2 litres per 100km as per my test which did include off road, towing and motorway driving.
So how does it drive?
On first acquaintance and after so much time testing quiet petrols and electric cars this big diesel does sound gruff and somewhat agricultural. Nevertheless you soon adapt and while cruising the motorway it settles down to a resolutely quiet thrum.
On the road it rides very well actually. The driving experience also takes a few moments to adapt to and brings me back to my early years of road testing vehicles like this. For example in corners you find the steering feels quite low geared resulting in you putting in a driver input but the car then seems to take time to react. This is not unusual in vehicles like this.
So on road and about town it acquits itself very well indeed.
So how about towing and off road?
Well I fully tested that too.
With a horse box hooked up and a lovely 500 kilo horse called “Saint” on board the Toyota Land Cruiser didn’t seem to notice! With a 3.5 tonne towing capacity it pulls so strongly and stops so well that frankly you could forget the horse box was behind you. I was most impressed with its towing capability.
Furthermore we all know how much rain we have had recently how the ground is very soft underneath. When I arrived at a dressage event for my daughter and had to cross a very soft field the Land Cruiser just ploughed on in 4-low mode horse box in tow without hesitation. Interestingly it also came to the rescue of someone who was stuck and hauled them out of the mud.
It is in environments like this that the Toyota Land Cruiser frankly excels!
Hugh’s Verdict.
As a rugged go anywhere vehicle there is very little out there to match the Toyota Land Cruiser save for maybe the Land Rover Defender.
If you are looking for a truly dependable, rugged, well built versatile commercial 4×4 the latest model Toyota Land Cruiser commercial takes some beating. Prices start at €70,300 including VAT.
Likes:
Rugged go anywhere ability.
Powerful reliable diesel power plant.
Excellent passive & active safety features.
Dislikes:
Engine can sound rather gruff.
No wireless phone charging.
Can be noisy.