Toyota Land Cruiser | Cars to be grateful for

The first edition of the newest Land Cruiser is his presence in our good books to three things. First, the way it looks, which, thanks to a big kink in the direction of the original Prado from the 90s era, is right on the money. Secondly, there is the way it drives, which is exactly on the nose. And third, there is the fact of his scarcity -not only in a limited edition sentence, but also a shortage in J250 generation cars in general. No wonder that the example we borrowed generated so much attention to annual service; For many Fers it was certainly their first time that the model came across in the meat.

Toyota’s Abject Not to build (or import) a sufficient number of land cruisers to meet the level of interest that is apparently generated in British buyers, GR Yaris or GR86 buyers will be known, although it was rarely a problem for existing owners, who traditionally had so few that the dealer probably knew by name. This is because the ‘Light Duty’ variant is usually sold in this country, although always one of the most competent and reliable SUVs, has not been interesting for decades.

The maker solved that in the summer of 2023 with the battle of a magical marker. The decision of Toyota to finally dump the anonymous look with which he had sustained since 2002 and to embrace his square, upright A-Pillary Heritage was almost unanimously received. “Would this rather have than an Ineos Grenadier,” said the first Pher who arrived on stage. Well, all the way.

As it usually does, this level of forum -based enthusiasm was replicated in showrooms. Toyota UK recently told PH that the answer was no different than the one who greeted the first Gr Yaris; The franchise dealers not only met people new by Land Cruiser (no shock there), but also completely new for Toyota. The fervor of the public is cited as the reason for the continuous presence of the first edition on the British press fleet; Instead of being retired after a matter of months (or insignificantly a few kilometers), the cars that received it in the first batch are applied to Soldier because the company gives priorities to paying customers.

That is of course only fair, although the idea that the world’s largest car manufacturer cannot satisfy both requirements on a large European market. In any case, it is confirmation (if necessary) that people can be trusted to vote for a well -considered design. The Land Cruiser is considerably retro, but not in a way that seems hopelessly to be obliged to the past; The core triumph is to satisfy the expectations of most people on very well of what a large and very robust 4×4 should actually look like. Supported by the knowledge that the Land Cruiser itself is the embodiment of what a large and very robust 4×4 should pass.

Indeed, if there is something to be really grateful for, it is the fact that the Landkruiser remains impressive to itself under all new body panels. After all, this is a ladder list 4×4 powered by a four-cylinder turbo diesel, with a wonderful view of what the right amount of tough plastic is and is not given a quarter in terms of off-road performance. Of course, the underlying GA-F platform is new and therefore inevitably stiffer than its old predecessor, and the J250 contains electric power steering for the first time, and not to mention a modern eight-speed car and disconnecting anti-Roll-Balk-but there is also a live rear axle, passive suspension, a standard transfer box.

Understandably, the Kneep-Jerk is a comparison for all this kit de Land Rover defender, given the shared reputation for a long service life and modeling modism but in truth, the similarities end the moment that you climb (literally) in the hut. The defender is a smartly composite masterpiece of material choices and minimalist layout; The Land Cruiser is a beaten archive cabinet compared, with sufficient switching device to connect to the Kremlin seem feasible. It takes you days to learn where everything is – and whole hours to eliminate all the ubiquitous drivers aid that Toyota has installed, including one that admonishes you to look at the Sat -Navel for a little longer than a nanosecond.

But if the fact of the superiority of the defender is recognizable in an instant in an instant (and then confirmed by the rustic thrum of Toyota’s four-pot), the fixation of the Land Cruiser is also with a kind of job-done kind of robustness. Much of it seems just as widely as a pillow cover by John Deere; It offers a shortcut to almost every function that is not linked to a safety function and should be harmless in the light of unsympathetic use. This is the kind of car that you almost dare to drive directly to something, at speed. Most pick-up trucks compete with the invulnerability front.

This is useful for the Land Cruiser, because several come close to competing for rolling refinement. The J250 is a world away from the air-sought pages of most high-quality SUVs. His relaxed attitude towards body control ensures that a diesel G -class resembles a Porsche Cayenne – but for all his tendency to step under a small coercion as a Japanese cork on turbulent asphalt, you rarely lose confidence in his handling or abuse of the trusted limitations of a separate chassis. This is partly because the Land Cruiser is refreshingly comfortable in its own rugged skin; It is partly because it has all the characteristics of a 2.5 -ton power -tool -a patient wait for you to use it as intended.

The previous defender naturally owned this quality and although there is clearly a world of difference between the J250 and Land Rover’s consciously unpolished bag with bolts, it is that car that occasionally comes to mind – much more than the defender ever does when you manage the very superior modern SUV that now bears its name. Admittedly, it helps that the 2.8 -liter oil burner, a unit that is robust enough to have driven the powerful Hilux for ten years -and here with only 205 hp here -clearly not chosen because of its dulcet or neck -snapping performance. With 369LB FT torque from 1600 rpm, it will ultimately call 62 MPH in 10.9 seconds, which is effective enough enough, although it is the unimportant diligence of the unity and its tough atmosphere that works as a time machine on your imagination.

This effect is not necessarily paper about the shortcomings of the Land Cruiser on the road – where you are lucky to see 30 mpg – nor the scale of the current asking price, which starts at £ 77,845. Almost the same amount buys a mid-spec defender 110 D350, and to be honest, that is exactly what most people should do on the market for an off-road-Capable SUV. But for anyone who is still daydreaming about owning a series I or 40 series, but needs something mandatory modern and famous reliability, there is really nothing else like the latest Toyota workhorse.

Also for nothing, but it looks good in Waitrose -parking And It is the 4×4 that we would choose to pick up lumbar jackets from impossible Siberian Taiga. But most of the time it is just happy to be itself, a facet that leads you to drive. And this includes the moments when you end the steering lock or accelerate very modestly or forgive it for rattling your archives. It is easy to forgive the relative shortcomings of the Land Cruiser if they feel much less important or memorable than the convincing, personality -controlled whole. Easier to forgive the lack of availability, as a second -hand prizes as a resistant prove to be for depreciation as earlier models …

Engine: 2,755cc, four-cil turbo diesel
Transfer: 8-speed car, four-wheel drive
Power (HP): 205@3,000-3.400 rpm
Couple (LB FT): 369@1.600-2.800 TPM
0-62 MPH: 10.9 seconds
Top speed: 102 MPH
Weight: 2,520
MPG: 26.4 (WLTP)
CO2: 280 g/km (WLTP)
Price: £ 77,845 (starting price, standard)