Model review
While you might think of Jeep and Land Rover as the firms for truly unstoppable cars off-road, you shouldn’t discount Toyota – and that’s because of its Land Cruiser. Known for its bulletproof reputation, the Japanese manufacturer has been producing this model since 1951, so unsurprisingly there’s been a lot of change in that time.
While starting out in life as a rugged no-nonsense off-roader, over the years it’s become more of an SUV-like model, but without compromising on its tough and rugged ability – something that remains the Land Cruiser’s ultimate selling point.
But it’s also quite old, and despite Toyota’s best efforts to update it, there’s no hiding the fact that this current generation of Land Cruiser has been around since 2009.
Latest model
Despite being around in its current generation for some years, there have been plenty of updates and range changes over the past decade – including the introduction of a ‘Commercial’ variant, along with styling changes and tech upgrades.
The most recent of which came along in September 2020, which had a key focus on refreshing its powertrain. This saw an updated 2.8-litre engine being introduced, which brought the likes of stop start for reduced fuel consumption, along with an increase in performance thanks to an extra 27bhp and 50Nm of torque.
Technology and safety has also been enhanced – thanks to the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring and driver assistance kit like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist.
Value for money
When it comes to the Land Cruiser, you’re really paying for that impressive build quality and outstanding off-roading ability, so prices aren’t cheap. New, this Toyota is available from £42,345, but that’s for the three-door model, so you’ll want to upgrade to the five-door model, which isn’t vastly more expensive at £43,690.
While standard kit isn’t overly generous, it gets everything you need. It could be worth ticking a few optional extras on this model rather than choosing the top-spec Invincible grade (the only other option on new models), which adds a whopping £14,000 to the price, and is really hard to recommend when it’s so close in price to far more premium SUVs.
Good savings are available on pre-updated models, though, with high-spec Invincible versions that are 18-month-old available from around £40,000.
Looks and image
Few cars can offer the imposing looks of the Land Cruiser. Just one look at this large Toyota and you know it means business, with high ground clearance and imposing front grille giving it the much-craved ‘SUV’ look. The design itself is quite old school, with no fancy lines or design features, just a smart and functional look that favours substance over style.
It’s a similar story on the interior. You don’t get the fancy dials and displays that you find in BMW X5s and Audi Q7s, but rather a clear layout and systems and functions that are easy to operate and get your head around. There’s a real sense of durability on the cabin, too, and while not feeling as ‘premium’ as other big SUVs, it’s a vehicle that’s built to last – look at 10-year-old versions and they’ll be just as well screwed together as when they left the factory.
This rugged and durable feel is also carried through to the experience behind the wheel. Compared to rivals, it might feel like it’s from another day and age, with big and heavy steering, loads of body clean and a true agricultural feel to it. But that’s the aim here – it’s not meant to feel sporty, but rather big, secure and capable, of which it most certainly is. If you want something fun or quick to drive, look elsewhere.
Space and practicality
Despite limited uptake for such things here in the UK, Toyota continues to offer the Land Cruiser in three-door guises. There’s very few of these available, though, and we struggle to see why you’d choose one – it just makes the Land Cruiser more impractical than it needs to be.
And as the five-door version isn’t noticeably more expensive, it’s the one to go for. You can choose it with five or seven seats, and despite it being a huge SUV, it’s not quite as roomy as rivals – the Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery both offer more seating space. That said, it’s still a very spacious car overall, but it’s best treated as a five seater as the third row is small, and only suited to children. The boot is also tiny with seven seats in position (just 120 litres), so leaving five seats in place and making use of the 640-litre cargo area is a much better option.
Engines
Despite Toyota’s line-up now being predominantly made up of hybrids, it’s diesel engines that continue to be used in the Land Cruiser.
Earlier current-generation Land Cruisers (sold from 2009) used a 3.0-litre unit, but since 2015 Toyota has used a smaller 2.8-litre diesel unit producing 175bhp.
But on this updated Land Cruiser, Toyota now utilises a much-improved version of that 2.8-litre diesel engine – this time producing 201bhp and 500Nm of torque, which allows for a big reduction in 0-60mph time, as it drops by 2.8 seconds to just 10 seconds. All Land Cruiser passenger models also come with a six-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel-drive.
Running costs
Despite Toyota’s latest Land Cruiser adopting technologies like stop start, it remains a big and thirsty SUV. Claimed fuel economy figures only just hit 30mpg, while CO2 emissions are steep at 250g/km. First year road tax is also expensive at £1,850, though has been cut by £325 as part of this update due to the engine now meeting stricter emissions regulations.
Things to look out for
Toyota has a pretty bulletproof reputation when it comes to reliability, and given there are still plenty of Land Cruisers on the road that are still several decades old, you shouldn’t worry too much about this Toyota going wrong. With a five-year and 100,000-mile warranty on newer models, that should provide even further reassurance.
Rivals
There are two ways of looking at the Land Cruiser – either as a rugged 4x4 or a big SUV. If you want it for the latter, consider a Jeep Wrangler, Mitsubishi Shogun Sport, Land Rover Defender or even a pick-up - Toyota’s own Hilux being a great example. As for more refined SUVs, look at the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery, Mercedes GLE, Volkswagen Touareg or Volvo XC90.
Depreciation
As with most big SUVs, the Land Cruiser takes a big hit on the depreciation front to begin with. It’s not out of the question to save £10,000 off the price of a nearly-new model, which makes this Toyota much better value for money.
However, once Land Cruisers get to a certain age, they pretty much stop depreciating. For example, even a 10-year-old version with over 100,000 miles could still be worth £18,000.
