Test drive

Toyota Land Cruiser: how the off-roader made in Japan performs

While retaining its off-road DNA, Toyota's Land Cruiser gets a makeover, now offering more comfort and a lot of technology that allows even the most inexperienced to tackle the most challenging conditions

2 December 2024

5' min read

For over 70 years, the Toyota Land Cruiser has been one of the benchmarks for those who want to venture off-road and over rough terrain. There are few cars that can boast so much history: since its debut in 1951 (at the time it was called Jeep BJ1, the name Land Cruiser arrived in '54) it has been able to renew itself and diversify; in 1967 with the station wagon version (not available in Europe) and in 1985 with the light duty, designed more for everyday use and equipped with greater driving comfort. This year, the Japanese manufacturer chose to renew its design and contents to make it more comfortable, safer and more technological while maintaining its off-road character capable of climbing any terrain.

A modern design

The design of the new Land Cruiser is rather boxy, with large measurements (4.9 metres long, 2 metres wide and 1.9 metres high), a long bonnet moulded for maximum visibility, an almost vertical windscreen and characteristic trapezoidal wheel arches. These elements are complemented by interesting solutions such as deformable spoilers in front of the front wheels to channel airflow towards the brakes, a grille shutter that activates at high speeds and a high rear spoiler that contributes to better aerodynamics. The fog lights, set into the bumper for added protection, and the more exposed elements such as the corner and underbody guards have been designed for easier and cheaper replacement.

Special design features include a bonnet sculpted in such a way that the taller side parts serve as a reference to determine the car's footprint precisely, while the central part is lowered for greater visibility of the terrain; the tailgate can also be opened with the glass top only.

Il nuovo Land Cruiser Toyota in azione su strada e in off road

The Land Cruiser interior

There is plenty of space, both at the front and at the rear, and the many physical buttons on the centre console stand out: in addition to those for climate control, there are in fact those for engaging the reduced gears, locking the differentials and decoupling the anti-roll bar, as well as a multifunction wheel that allows you to select the different driving modes, on and off-road. Standard for all versions are two large 12-inch displays with the Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia system, dual-zone automatic climate control and the ability to heat, cool and electrically adjust the seats. There are two versions available, Adventure and Lounge, the richer one, which in addition to using natural leather seats (those in the Adventure are in synthetic leather) optionally offers seven seats with a second row of seats that can be folded down manually or by means of an electric control. Luggage compartment capacity varies from 742 to 1,292 litres for the five-seater version, and from 130 to 1,053 litres for the seven-seater: these measurements are under the canopy, from the ground to the sky they reach 2,000 litres.

The chassis and engine

The Toyota Land Cruiser has a classic long-slung chassis, the platform used by the Japanese manufacturer is the new GA-F, which provides 30 per cent more torsional rigidity (50 per cent more for the chassis alone) and allows the use of a permanent four-wheel drive with two lockable differentials (rear and centre) for off-road use. The engine chosen by the Japanese manufacturer is a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel inline four-cylinder capable of generating 204 horsepower (151 kW) and 500 Nm of torque, combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission. In my opinion this represents one of the few weak points of the new design: designed more for off-road than for the asphalt road, it offers extremely smooth gear changes but delays the shift to the higher gears a little too much with an annoying increase in engine revs. A 48 volt mild hybrid version will also arrive by the end of 2025.

Security Systems

The new Cruiser is equipped with all the latest safety systems that make use of its large number of sensors to identify vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles in advance so as to warn the driver in good time at intersections or activate pre-collision measures. The use of electric power steering has made it possible to implement some interesting features such as the Emergency Steering Assist System. When the driver has to swerve sharply to avoid an animal, bicycle or other obstacle, there is a risk that the vehicle may swerve, in which case the system helps to maintain the Cruiser's stability.

How it goes on the road and off-road

We had the opportunity to test the Land Cruiser's capabilities on the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, an area characterised by rocky areas and paths with very fine soil that easily becomes muddy.

Cars of this type necessarily have to make compromises with regard to use on paved roads, especially in terms of noise, comfort and consumption. Although the turbodiesel is rather noisy, road use proved to be rather quiet: Toyota has taken great care in soundproofing the doors and added sound-absorbing panels between the engine and the passenger compartment. The driving position is obviously rather high: visibility is excellent but some roll is perceptible, though not excessively annoying, while the gearbox, as mentioned, disappoints in terms of responsiveness. Declared consumption is 10.5 litres per 100 km on 18-inch tyres and 10.7 litres/100 km on 20-inch tyres.

When driving on unpaved roads, the work done by the shock absorbers and the electronic steering system is truly astonishing; bumps and dips are absorbed perfectly, so much so that it is possible to drive along trails at high speeds (even over 70-80 km/h) while maintaining a perception of great stability and control. Finally, as we tackled rough areas and technical trails, we understood why the Land Cruiser is a favourite choice of millions of users worldwide. What impressed us most was the simplicity with which even inexperienced drivers can climb challenging slopes, ford small streams and tackle steep descents, leaving traction management to the automatic systems.

The angle of attack is 31 degrees, the exit angle 17 degrees (this difference is due to the choice of fixing the spare wheel at the bottom) and the ground clearance is 21-22 cm depending on the tyres (18" or 20"). From controls located on the central tunnel it is possible to activate the reduced gears and select the type of terrain you are driving over (such as snow, mud, sand, rocks) or simply choose the Auto mode that automatically adjusts the response of the steering, the engine and the hydraulic intervention of the brakes. The contoured bonnet is lowered in the middle for better visibility and the 360 degree camera system, including the one underneath the vehicle, can be displayed on the interior screen, which can also be activated by voice command so that you don't have to take your hands off the steering wheel. The Lounge version also allows the front anti-roll bar to be released, allowing greater suspension extension and even greater grip on rough terrain.

One of the secrets of the effectiveness of the new Land Cruiser is the Crow Control system, a sort of cruise control designed for off-road use: it allows the driver to move forward at a very low constant speed, between 1 and 5 km/h, autonomously managing the intervention of the brakes and the engine, always guaranteeing the necessary grip and traction so that the driver is left with no other task but to control the steering.

Versions and prices

The new Cruiser is available in Adventure version, with a list price of 84,000 euros, and the richer Lounge version, which starts at 90,500 euros. This version boasts 20-inch wheels, leather interior, head-up display, Jbl sound system, digital centre rear-view mirror and a detachable front anti-roll bar.A limited edition (50 cars), the First Edition (from 96,500 euros), was also available at launch and sold out within hours. Easily recognisable by its classic round headlights and two-tone exterior paintwork, it boasts exclusive upholstery for the interior seats.