Toyota Land Cruiser 68,000 euros* for a dinosaur: Toyota defies the zeitgeist

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FAULHABER Drive Systems

Ladder frame, turbo diesel, and digital cockpit: The new Land Cruiser shows how Toyota interprets the balance between tradition and modernity.

*approx. 71.386 USD

For off-road vehicles, the model change cycle is typically longer than for most passenger cars. Such is the case with the Toyota Land Cruiser, whose "J15" version has been available since 2009. Now it was time for an update. Toyota is banking on the 70-year tradition of the Land Cruiser, incorporating retro elements into the design. The front, with its angular LED headlights, is likely to appeal to many potential buyers. Even more nostalgic are the round headlights of the First Edition, but the 3,000 units have long been sold out.

Underneath the sheet metal, there's still traditional technology. This means the same four-cylinder diesel engine with 2.8 liters of displacement and 151 kW/205 PS power as in the predecessor is at work here. The 4x4 doesn't have to be dynamic but rather have pulling power, which the 500 Newton meters of torque provide. And why isn't there a six-cylinder available? Deputy Chief Engineer Kohei Nohara doesn't necessarily consider that relevant in this segment. It can also be seen this way: the robust sound of the sturdy turbodiesel matches the workhorse Land Cruiser, which is tasked with the really tough jobs. However, at a base price of 68,000 euros, it's not exactly a bargain.

Car Interior

Feasibility of futuristic interior concepts

To demonstrate its work capabilities, Toyota took its test vehicles to the Atlas Mountains. Here, you won't just find perfectly paved roads but also really nasty, rocky inclines. However, for the Land Cruiser, this is not a problem, more so for its tires, which groan under potentially sharp stones. But Toyota has devised even more demanding exercises, having the convoy tackle steeper slopes. These are handled with the help of the low-range transfer case. Descents can be precisely controlled with electronic assistance, and even articulation passages are mastered by the heavy ladder frame vehicle with a special controller without driver intervention. Engaging the differential locks is included. To allow for even more articulation, the front stabilizers can be disconnected.

A shortcoming in customizable features

So far, so off-road capable—as expected. In 2024, a corresponding interior is also expected. And here, Toyota has upped its game considerably compared to earlier models. The cockpit is fully digital. There are no analog displays with mechanical needles anymore, but that's standard by now. However, given a customizable screen area, a few more layout configuration options would have been nice. And the operation could use some improvement from the Japanese. Silencing the beeping assistants, especially the overzealous speed warning, requires too much fiddling with the steering wheel buttons. It would be nice if these settings were given a place in the main menu. On the other hand, navigating the main menu is at least reasonably intuitive.

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Few customers are likely to demand the full off-road capabilities of the time-honored Toyota. In everyday life, it will, for example, be used as a towing vehicle, given its towing capacity of 3.5 tons. And if desired, there is even a sliding third row of seats. The manufacturer specifies the luggage compartment volume at 2,000 liters, so there's nothing to stop a trip to the hardware or garden center. A separately opening rear window aids in everyday loading, as the tailgate swings to the side rather than upwards, which isn't always practical depending on the parking situation.

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The ride comfort is typical for the genre. The suspension's ability to absorb bumps is remarkable. While the steering precision isn't like that of a sports car, the new electric power steering is adequate. And the driving performance is, in any case, acceptable except for a slight sluggishness when starting from a standstill. This should be remedied at the latest when the mild hybrid version is introduced. Hopefully, the consumption, currently just over ten liters according to WLTP, will also decrease a bit by then.