The Land Cruiser is sold all around the world under different names, but it always stood for excellent off-road capabilities and high levels of comfort, although it never made a name for itself as a smooth asphalt cruiser. This means the Land Cruiser loses ground in the fight with the Volvo XC-90 and Lexus RX, but once the road turns to dirt the SUV will deliver an up-to-the-challenge performance. It was also NATO’s vehicle of choice for the same reasons we mentioned above and it will serve your family’s needs without a fuss.
PROS & CONS
Pros
Strong Points
- Excellent Off-Road Ability
- Very Spacious
- Generously Equipped Even In Base-Spec
- Smooth Ride At Low Speeds
Recommended Versions
- Go For The Diesel-Powered 3.0 D-4D Lc3 Variant
Cons
Weak Points
- Not So Great On Asphalt
- Heavy Fuel Drinker
- Plenty Of Body Roll
Stay Away From
- Avoid The 4.0 V6 Lc5 Version Is Both Expensive And A Serious Gas-Guzzler
Attention
Known Problems & Recalls
- Early Recalls Were Operated Due To Some Fuel Leak Issues, But Other Than That The Land Cruiser Is As Sturdy As They Come
CAR DETAILS
Drive
Powertrain
A 161-horsepower, 3.0-liter common rail diesel engine was fitted under the Toyota Land Cruiser’s hood at launch, but this unit was later on upgraded to 171 HP. In the petrol department, the Land Cruiser offered a 4.0-liter V6 engine good for 245 HP. The latter engine is not a fuel economy champion, but compared to the diesel counterpart, it’s faster, quicker from 0 to 100 km/h and more refined.
Handling
If you’re looking for fancy urban SUVs, be advised: the Land Cruiser is not one of those models, as it can still face rough off-road courses without even blinking, thanks to its four-wheel drive system and features like hill start and hill descend control. This means the asphalt is a rather uncomfortable territory for the Toyota Land Cruiser. Therefore, you should expect a bouncy behavior at times, coupled with a serious amount of body roll. Other than that, the steering is kind of slow to respond and lacks any feedback whatsoever.
Safety
There’s no need to insist on the fact that the Land Cruiser is a very big car and therefore it generates a strong feeling of safety and security, but this particular generation has no Euro NCAP ratings as it was never tested. However, this is Toyota we’re talking about here, so every Land Cruiser comes with side and curtain airbags for the driver and passenger.
Interior
Comfort
The Land Cruiser’s generous dimensions are reflected inside, where space was never a problem due to a roomy and large cabin. Five adults can travel in good comfort conditions, the rear seats can be reclined but those sitting in the third row of seats will have to face the limited legroom. That’s the five-door version, but things change if you opt for the three-door one, as space, rear access and accommodation become an issue. The driving position is just as high as one would expect, offering a towering view on what’s happening around the car. There’s also a good amount of back support delivered by the front seats, although they lack enough lateral hold.
Quality
Durability is the name of the game here, and it’s a good reason why some owners describe their Toyota Land Cruiser as “invincible” and far from utilitarian. This high level of toughness comes from an excellent build quality and decent materials, both from a visual and tactile point of view.
Practicality
Couple with comfort, practicality is one of the aces well-hidden up Land Cruiser’s sleeve. The rear seats can be split-folded on both the five-door and the three-door, but it goes without saying that the most practical choice is the five-door configuration. In addition, for this variant, the third row of seats can be either folded to the sides of the boot or removed completely.
Infotainment
Not much to mention here, but the Land Cruiser offers satellite navigation with traffic avoidance on the LC4 trim and above, coupled with a six-CD auto changer and a nine-speaker sound system on the LC5 equipment level, operated via a touch-sensitive control display.
Budget
Efficiency
You’ll have to face the music as far as efficiency is concerned: the Land Cruiser is quite expensive to run, mostly because the two engines are far away from the general idea of fuel efficiency. So don’t expect these units to offer a good level of fuel economy, because they won’t. In fact, expect 30 mpg in the combined cycle, a value that won’t be easy on your wallet. Also, the 260 g/km of CO2 mean that the Toyota Land Cruiser is not your everyday eco-friendly car.
Equipment
As most Toyota models, the Land Cruiser offers plenty amenities even in base-spec guise. Three equipment levels are available, namely LC3, LC4 and LC5. For example, go for the entry-level LC3 and you’ll still get cruise control, dual-zone climate control plus electric lumbar support for the front seats, front and rear seat armrests, electric windows, 17-inch alloys and heated/electric side mirrors. LC4 takes things up a notch with gizmos like traction and stability control, Sat-Nav and hill start / downhill assist control, but only for automatic variants. Most of the technological goodies are brought by the LC5 trim level. We’re talking about a touchscreen display, climate control feature for passengers sitting on the rear seats and an electrically-adjustable suspension system.
Acquisition
The best Toyota Land Cruiser money can buy is a model built after 2004, fitted with the 3.0-liter diesel engine, for offering Toyota’s legendary reliability but also a certain level of frugality, compared of course to the gas variant. Depending on your budget, you can look for the entry-level LC3 or above. Otherwise, lower trim levels are well-equipped, which means the Toyota Land Cruiser is a proper all-rounder in this respect.