Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota's switch from a 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 to a 3.3-litre V6 diesel with dual turbochargers has gotten a lot of attention. Many fans of the original V8 diesel believe that a smaller V6 will never be able to compete with the larger engine.

Toyota strongly disagrees. In fact, with a power output of 227kW and torque of 700Nm, the new engine easily outperforms the previous V8.

The new engine's layout is also intriguing. The two turbochargers and their piping are housed inside the engine's vee rather than dangling off either side. This results in a shorter distance between the cylinder head and the turbocharger, which improves throttle response and allows Toyota to package the same engine in a smaller engine bay.

Only one gearbox option is available: a 10-speed conventional automatic with a torque converter.

Toyota does provide differential locking on its most costly model, as well as the incredibly sophisticated 'Kinetic Suspension System' with active sway bars, but none of this is available on the VX. In fact, it's not even an option at any price.

It leaves the VX with a locking centre differential and full-time four-wheel drive with low-ratio gears in the transfer case. Combine it with the independent front suspension and live rear axle, and you've got a pretty standard formula for a good off-roader.

It's typically taken as a praise, but your initial thoughts of the LandCruiser from the driver's seat are that it's not as large as you expected. It includes not just how it drives - and visibility is excellent - but also the appearance and feel of the real inside.

The high centre stack and high dashboard line likely contribute to the sensation of compactness. What isn't so wonderful is how the switchgear is organized. There appear to be a lot of switches, but no clear recognition that one is more significant than the others.

The dark-chrome buttons on the steering wheel appear to draw stray reflections, leaving their low-relief images unreadable. The volume-up push-button is likewise an ergonomic mystery.

With keyless entry and start, a starting button is mounted high on the dash and starts the engine after a brief cold-start delay to power the glow plugs. The audio of the V6 is plainly high-tech for a diesel, but yet very much a diesel.

And, although you can't disagree with the new engine's economy or power, there's no denying that it misses some of the charm (or, more correctly, character) of the previous V8 turbo-diesel.

In fact, the LC300 is so quiet in every other manner that when the engine is under load or revving hard, you will notice some characteristic diesel harmonics.

It's never horrible, but it's there, even if there's almost no mechanical noise at cruising speed. Part of the reason for this is the high gearing, which produces just 1400rpm at 100km/h in ninth gear. Why not try tenth gear? Since the gearing is so high, the Cruiser hardly never selects top gear.

While traversing small-amplitude bumps, there is some suspension jiggling. This is down to the suspension rates necessary to regulate so much weight carried so high, but it remains that when speeds climb and the bumps grow greater, the Toyota starts to deal better.

However, the steering is geared to perform off-road, so it might seem far and remote on the road. Nonetheless, the turning circle is small for such a large machine, making life simpler in the city.

Overall, the LandCruiser is a far more precise and accurate vehicle than its size and off-road abilities would imply. It's not a high-performance SUV, but it was never intended to be.

Toyota's 'Safety Sense,' now in its third iteration on the LC300, comes standard on the new LandCruiser. Autonomous emergency braking, pre-collision features, daylight cyclist detection, pedestrian recognition, intersection-turn assist, and steering assist are among the driving aids available.

The VX we tested is the lowest grade to be equipped with curve speed reduction, which means the car will slow down in a corner if it 'thinks' the speed is set too high for that bend. Lane-keeping assistance with steering-wheel vibration is also included in the package.

All LC300s include automatic high-beams, 10 airbags, and a reversing camera, as well as a tracking system to prevent thieves. In accordance with the most recent 2022 assessment standards, the LandCruiser 300 received a maximum five-star ANCAP rating.

Toyota clearly recognizes that hard-core off-roaders are vehicles with a distinct body mounted on a ladder-chassis frame. The alternative design - a monocoque, in which the body serves as the chassis - is superior on various levels (weight management, body rigidity, packing), but the old-school body-on-chassis is unrivalled in terms of robustness.

And, given that the LC300 is intended to be an off-roader, regardless of what it becomes in 2022, that counts for a lot. Yet, via creative design and material manipulation, Toyota has managed to save up to 200kg in weight (depending on model). While it may seem insignificant in the context of a car weighing just under 2600kg, it is nevertheless defying the overall trend towards larger, fatter automobiles.

Another intriguing technological element is that Toyota has opted for traditional, hydraulic power steering for this car. While electronic power steering is popular right now, sticking with tried-and-true technology implies a conservative approach that will be welcomed by bush travellers and remote-area technicians alike.

Because the new engine's intake and turbochargers are located inside the engine's vee, the usual location for the intercooler (directly on top of the engine, out of harm's way) is no longer possible. Toyota has opted for twin intercoolers, which are mounted in front of the headlights. This makes them far more vulnerable.

Many owners will also bemoan the loss of the preceding VX LandCruiser's horizontally split tailgate. What was once a nice picnic table or workbench with its own canopy has been replaced with a hefty one-piece tailgate that opens a considerable distance away from the car. More complication, less convenience?

The interior design, atmosphere, and execution are vintage. Many LandCruiser fans would recognise this, but for a brand-new vehicle, it seems antiquated right out of the oven.

Case in point is the modest 9.0-inch infotainment screen (VX and up have 12.3-inches) which in style and functionality is considerably behind the times currently. Toyota will undoubtedly introduce a new format somewhere within the following 14 years or so of current generation's existence.

The absence of proprietary navigation, that too in these days, is a huge mistake by Toyota.

All of the observations we made about the workmanlike material selection hold true here lower down the spectrum. Most of it is tough, but nothing of it seems upscale or appropriate for a car costing close to 8 figures.

There's a phone pad (with inductive charging on higher-end models) and a deep oddment cubby above it for glasses and keys: but be careful, or your personal items will fly into the passenger's side footwell, as I can personally attest.

There's great quality fabric on the plush 'lounge-like' upholstery, but aside from the rubber-spec matting, there's nothing here that's more 'Outback-fit' than a RAV4 or Corolla. The rubber sealing, on the other hand, appears to be robust enough to keep the finest bull dust at bay via the door jambs.

On that note, why is there so much piano black in a gadget that appears to be intended for possibly filthy adventure?

There's lots of storage space, including a large console bin and door bins with six cupholders. The single USB-A and USB-C ports scream of cost-cutting (the seven-seat GXL gets five) and won't delight gadget-obsessed youngsters in row two, but dual-12-volt power in both rows and a 220V input mean there's plenty of auxiliary device power when you're out in the sticks.