It has been around for 60 years and this time around Toyota may have perfected it. Here's what we think of the 2011 Land Cruiser.
Inside & Out: 7/10
The latest Toyota Land Cruiser is a gentle evolution of a tried and trusted formula. It is rugged on the outside, with great ground clearance and chunky good looks. This is a vehicle that has stayed true to its original DNA. While many of its key executive rivals quickly date, the Land Cruiser always grows old gracefully. Compare a ten-year old BMW X5 and a ten-year-old Land Cruiser and you will see what we mean.
Inside, the latest Land Cruiser is much better appointed than ever before. There is lots of leather in the cabin while the addition of aux-in ports and Bluetooth drag the Land Cruiser into the 21st century.
Engine & Transmission: 7/10
Under the enormous bonnet is a superb 3.0-litre 16-valve four-cylinder common-rail diesel engine putting out 190hp and a huge 420Nm of torque. The Land Cruiser has old-school low-down grunt and that familiar bellow that we have associated with the model for some time now. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 11.7 seconds, which seems like quite a while but it really isn't that shameful considering the Land Cruiser's considerable bulk.
The automatic transmission is a little on the lazy side, showing itself to be ponderous. But on the plus side, it is a relaxed auto and once you leave it to its own devices it works well. Remember too that should you wish to go off-road then this has one of the better transfer boxes around. The Land Cruiser is an incredible vehicle off road.
Ride & Handling: 8/10
The Land Cruiser is supremely comfortable. If you like your SUVs to be high, cozy and cosseted then this is a great buy. Don't ask it to be too dynamic though. Fling the Land Cruiser into a corner too quickly and it pitches and rolls, a by-product of the vehicle's undoubted off-road ability and massive ground clearance. Compared to the BMW X5 or Audi Q7 it feels like it's from a different era, but it has so much more off-road credibility then either.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: 7/10
Our seven-seat test car cost €71,995. It is one of those vehicles that you could own for ten years and it would still feel fresh. You get a decent amount of kit for your money too. Amongst the equipment is cruise control, leather upholstery, Bluetooth, dual-zone air conditioning and a host of safety equipment including Hill-Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC); Active Traction Control/Vehicle Stability Control (A-TRC/VSC). The combined fuel consumption is 8.1 litres/100km, which isn't that bad, although emissions at 213g/km means a hefty €1,050 per annum annual road tax.
Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0 D-4D LWB GX Auto:
- Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
- Maximum power: 190hp at 3,400rpm
- Maximum torque: 420Nm at 1,600rpm
- Acceleration (0-100km/h): 11.7 seconds
- Maximum speed: 175km/h
- Fuel economy (combined cycle): 8.1 litres/100km (34.8mpg)
- CO2 emissions: 213g/km
- Motor tax band: F
- Annual road tax: €1,050
- Retail price: Official price of test car without options is €71,995