A bit out of date
New Toyota Land Cruiser – mix of tradition and modernity
New Toyota Land Cruiser – mix of tradition and modernity
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Toyota remains true to its line and has also made the latest generation of the Land Cruiser with the name “J25” extremely off-road. Time to take a close look at the off-roader.
For off-road vehicles, the model change cycle is usually a little longer than for most passenger cars. This is also the case with the Toyota Land Cruiser, whose version “J15” has been available since 2009. Now it was time for an innovation. Toyota relies on the tradition of 70 years of Land Cruisers and works with retro elements in the design. The front with the angular LED headlights in particular should appeal to many interested parties. The round headlights of the First Edition are even more nostalgic, but the 3,000 copies have long been sold out.
There is still traditional technology underneath the sheet metal. This means that the same four-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 2.8 liters and an output of 151 KW/205 HP is used here as in the predecessor. After all, the 4×4 doesn't have to be dynamic, but it does have to be powerful, which is supported by 500 Newton meters of torque.
And why isn't a six-cylinder available? Deputy chief engineer Kohei Nohara doesn't think that's necessarily relevant in this segment. You can also see it this way: The shirt-sleeve sound of the robust turbodiesel suits the workhorse Land Cruiser, which is responsible for the very rough tasks. However, with a base price of 67,990 euros, it's not exactly a bargain.
To demonstrate its workability, Toyota took its test vehicles to the Atlas Mountains. There are not only perfectly asphalted roads to be found here, but also really nasty, rocky inclines. Not a problem for the Land Cruiser, but rather for its tires, which groan under potentially sharp stones.
It also creates challenging terrain
But Toyota has come up with even more demanding exercises and has the entourage drive up steeper slopes. These are taken using the terrain reduction. Downhill rides can be fine-tuned using electronic support and the heavy ladder frame can even handle twisting passages with a special controller without the driver having to do anything. The corresponding activation of the differential locks included. To enable even more articulation, the front stabilizers can be decoupled.
So far, so off-road – so expected. Of course, a corresponding interior can also be expected in 2024. And here Toyota has stepped up its game compared to before. The cockpit is fully digital. There are no longer any analog displays with mechanical needles, but that is now common practice.
But if you already have a freely configurable screen area, a few more configuration options for the layout would have been nice. And the Japanese should take a second look at the service. In order to switch off beeping assistants, especially the overzealous speed warning, you have to fiddle with the steering wheel buttons too much. It would be nice if these settings were given a place in the main menu. This, in turn, can at least be handled somewhat intuitively.
In everyday life, it's probably more of a driving force than an off-roader
Very few customers are likely to demand full off-road skills from the traditional Toyota. In everyday life, for example, it will be used as a pulling horse, given the trailer load of 3.5 tons. And there is an optional third row of seats that can be moved.
The manufacturer puts the luggage compartment volume at 2000 liters, so nothing stands in the way of a visit to the hardware store or garden center. A rear window that opens separately helps with everyday loading, as the rear door swings open to the side rather than upwards, which is not always practical depending on the parking situation.
The ride comfort is typical for the category. The suspension's absorption capacity is remarkable. And the steering precision isn't like that of a sports car, but it's okay with the new electric power steering. And the performance is okay anyway, apart from a little sluggishness when starting from a standstill. This should be remedied at the latest when the mildly hybridized version is released later. Then, according to the WLTP, the consumption of currently just over ten liters will hopefully decrease somewhat.
Toyota Land Cruiser – technical data
- SUV
- Length: 4.93 meters, width: 1.98 meters, height: 1.94 meters, wheelbase: 2.85 meters, trunk volume: 171 to 2000 liters
- 2.8 liter four-cylinder diesel, 151 kW/205 hp, torque: 250 Nm at 2,800 rpm, eight-speed automatic transmission (converter), permanent all-wheel drive
- 0-100 km/h: kA, Vmax: 170 km/h, average consumption: 10.7 l/100 km (WLTP)
- Prices: from 67,990 euros