MOTORING REVIEW: Toyota Land Cruiser: rebirth of a legend

Toyota’s Land Cruiser is renowned for its superb off-road ability to tackle different types of terrain in the most extreme conditions. The model has sold more than 10 million units worldwide through a few generations since its first production in 1951. 

Its arrival last year marked the first new Land Cruiser in 15 years in Ireland. The vehicle blends the iconic retro style that harks back to the Land Cruiser’s classic design heritage with a modernised interior and the latest cutting-edge technology. It is built on a robust body-on-frame platform to provide exceptional off-road performance and rugged durability for even the harshest terrain on the planet. 

The model is offered as a seven-seater family car, positioned as a premium SUV, it is ideal - if you can afford the hefty price - for towing horse boxes or caravans, as it can pull up to 3,500kgs, matching the ability of the Toyota Hilux pick-up. It is also available as a two-seat commercial, favoured by farmers, vets, and the self-employed. 

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This is a tall, heavy vehicle measuring 4925mm in length, 1925mm in height, 1980mm in width, and with a wheelbase of 2850mm. The passenger version comes with privacy glass, roof rails, large side mirrors with good blind-spot alerts, running boards, mud guards, front and rear parking sensors, a dusk sensor, a large rear window with a wiper, and an electric tailgate. 18-inch wheels help with all-terrain grip and traction. 

Interior upgrades make the cabin quite luxurious and spacious, while large hand grips on the front and middle rows make getting in and out easier. The large amount of glass and panoramic sunroof help keep the cabin nice and airy despite the dark interior and synthetic black leather upholstery. There are some textured grey inserts on the dash to relieve the look. 

Upgrades include a large multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto integration, which doubles as an excellent reversing camera, and a recessed driver’s digital information display with all the relevant drive info. 

Comfy front seats have power adjustments and can be heated and ventilated. My seat had lumbar support and could also recline and slide. Features include dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a cool box, two deep cupholders, a mobile phone charging pad, USB-C ports (five in all), big door bins, a decent glovebox, and overhead handgrips.

The Mode Selector on the dash lets you drive in Sport, Normal, or Eco modes, while a View button on the central console shows the entire area around the car when parking up. 

There’s generous head and legroom in the rear, which also has its own temperature controls, two small USBs and a power outlet. Both outer seats can be heated and ventilated. A section of the central console, close to the floor, doesn’t impact the middle foot space. The very rear seats are mostly for children or teens.

My car had a power tailgate; the glass could open to allow items to be placed inside without opening the tailgate. In a five-seater configuration, the luggage capacity is around 620 litres, reducing to around 120 litres with all seats down, making a flat floor. 

You sit up high and have an unobstructed view out front, thanks to the low dashboard. The area around the gear lever is brilliantly designed, with graphics to guide you through the car’s off-road capabilities. The Land Cruiser has permanent four-wheel drive. The Multi-Terrain Select optimises the suspension and powertrain for different terrains. Use the ‘Crawl Control’ for slowly going up a steep hill or down a steep descent - you let the vehicle do the hard work itself, taking your feet off the brake and the accelerator pedal, and placing your trust in the car. There was also Downhill Assist Control onboard.

Power comes from a powerful 2.8 mild-hybrid diesel engine paired with a redesigned turbocharger that delivers 500Nm of torque, and a new eight-speed automatic transmission ensures a smoother, more efficient driving experience, whether on or off-road. It also adds electric power steering, replacing the former hydraulic system, providing better handling off-road. 

My car had Auto Hold, Pre-Collision System, Adaptive Cruise Control, rear parking system with automatic braking, lane departure alert, all part of Toyota Safety Sense. The Driver Monitoring system was annoying in all types of weather, with a ‘Closed Eyes Detected. Look forward’ message on the driver’s screen and a loud alert when my eyes were wide open and fully focused on the road ahead. 

Off-road is where the vehicle feels more at home, with a climbing angle of 42 degrees, a departure angle of 22 degrees, a ground clearance of 205.3mm, and a wading depth of 700mm. A really good feature of the off-road mode is that it lets you view the car’s chassis and see the ground beneath it as you drive over rough terrain. 

Toyota offers a 3-year/100,000km manufacturer’s warranty.

The passenger version is priced for a huge €140,830 (VAT @ 41pc doesn’t help!); the commercial from €69,990.