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Retro looks clothe cutting-edge technology in Toyota's new-era J250-series Land Cruiser. This go-almost-anywhere contender now has looks as capable as the mechanicals beneath, all as part of a complete redesign that sees it better ready to snare potential Land Rover Defender customers.
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Driving experience
This J250 Land Cruiser is just about the only new-era model we can think of that could be excused a switch to full scale electrification. You don't want to be worrying about Hybrid electronics when you're crossing the Zambezi. And you certainly don't want to be looking for a charging station. You might have hoped though, that Toyota would have redesigned the trusty 2.8-litre diesel that the previous J150 model campaigned with for most of its production life. As it is, the Japanese engineers have contented themselves with merely embellishing it with a 48V mild hybrid system (which won't arrive until some time after launch). This unit is at least paired to a new 8-speed auto gearbox and the 4WD 201bhp powertrain has 500Nm of torque and will tow up to 3,500kg.
If ever a Land Cruiser switched to the kind of monocoque construction used by more tarmac- orientated large SUVs, it wouldn't really be a Land Cruiser. This one sticks with a traditional body-on-frame architecture, but mates it to the brand's latest GA-F platform. The idea of course is to preserve this model's legendary off road prowess, further enhanced here with greater wheel articulation. Another key improvement in this regard is the disconnecting front anti-roll bar, which can be disengaged via a button on the dash to give maximum wheel articulation on really testing trails. The Multi-Terrain Select drive mode system's been enhanced too, the set-up adapting vehicle performance to suit various kinds of off-road conditions. And there's a new Multi-Terrain Monitor, which uses a high resolution camera and display to give the driver a clear view of the area immediately around and beneath the vehicle. Plus 'Crawl Control' can be used to maintain a low speed in off-road/downhill driving. It governs engine torque and brake pressure, avoiding wheelspin and wheel-locking and allowing the driver to focus on the steering.
Where this J250-generation Land Cruiser really had to improve though, is away from the rough stuff. Toyota somehow had to make it a better tarmac tool without compromising this model line's renowned off-road ability. And the developments in that regard are promising. Combined body and frame rigidity is up by 30% aided by that new platform, which should reduce body roll and contribute greatly to handling responsiveness. This Land Cruiser is the first Toyota to use a Stabiliser Disconnect Mechanism, which has the dual benefits of enhancing off-road performance and a more comfortable ride on standard roads. Using a switch on the centre console, the driver can unlock the front anti-roll bar (stabiliser), increasing suspension travel. Toyota claims the new electric power steering system is more feelsome too.
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Design and build
A few decades ago, Land Cruiser design went through a compromised 'urban jungle'-style phase which thankfully has been dispensed with here as part of a chunky, tough 'back to origins' theme. SUVs as varied as Suzuki's Jimny, Jeep's Wrangler and Land Rover's Defender have proved the merit of this approach and this boxy J250 Land Cruiser model embraces it thoroughly. In long wheelbase form (the only version we're going to get), it measures 4,920mm long and 1,870mm tall. So it's slightly larger than its predecessor, with strong horizontal lines and headlights that were retro round in the initial 'First Edition' variant but which are now rectangular.
Off-road performance is aided by short overhangs, sculpted corners and a narrowed lower body. Body parts have been designed for easy replacement in the event of damage. Just as important of course is what you can't see - a bit of old (traditional body-on-frame SUV architecture) and a lot of new (the brand's latest GA-F platform).
At the wheel, there are big screens for both instrumentation and infotainment, with both being 12.3-inches in size. There's plenty of chunky switchgear too, designed so it can be easily used in rough terrain. There's a horizontally arranged instrument panel and the usual lofty Land Cruiser seating position. Overall, cabin quality's taken a real step up. Compared to this, the cabin of the previous J150-series model looks like something out of the Ark. The second row can't offer the kind of sliding bench you'll find in most large SUVs but feels fairly roomy. And you have to have a third seating row, which would ideally be just for kids but which isn't quite as cramped as with some SUVs of this kind.
If you're delivering vital supplies to insurgents in Fallujah, you'll be glad of the enormous boot. Unlike the inconvenient side-hinged rear door of its predecessors, this J250-series model has a conventional top-hinged powered tailgate with a useful independently opening glass hatch. There's not much space behind the third row seats (just 130-litres), though Toyota says that two 55cm suitcases would fit. With the third row folded, there's 566-litres of space. For more room still, you'll need to manually flatten the second row seating and if you do that, there's up to 2,000-litres of cargo capacity available.
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Market and model
This J250 generation Land Cruiser will be launched in stages. First up will be a five-door 'First Edition' model (visually distinguished by its round headlights) which will be limited to just 3,000 examples across Europe. Costing around £80,000, it gets some exclusive paint finishes (in two-tone 'Sand' and 'Smoky Blue') and is based around the long wheelbase body shape. Once those variants are sold, the range will settle down, initially based around an 'Invincible' variant, also long wheelbase, costing around £75,000. It's not yet known whether Toyota will import either the short wheelbase body style or the previous commercial vehicle variants. Once Land Cruiser sales get into full swing, you can expect a baseline trim level starting from not too far above the £50,000 mark, but the 'First Edition' derivative will cost considerably more than that.
Early versions of this design will be sold with a straightforward version of the usual 2.8-litre diesel, but after the first year and a half of production, a 48V mild hybrid version of this powerplant will be offered. Because of the switch to electric power steering, Toyota can now offer this car with more of its 'Safety Sense' active safety and driver assistance features; specifically, the brand's 'Lane Tracing Assist' system. As for luxury equipment, well to better target the Land Rover Defender, there's a clear shift up-market. Both the 'First Edition' and the 'Invincible' have seven seats with black leather upholstery. Equipment features include air conditioning with separate front and rear cabin controls and the Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and both cloud-based and embedded navigation. A head-up display, a fully digital driver's instrument combimeter, a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a Panoramic View Monitor, roof rails and a sunroof are also included. The 'Invincible' has 20-inch black alloy wheels.
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Cost of ownership
Exemplary engine efficiency might not be of paramount significance to likely Land Cruiser owners, but it's pretty important for Toyota to achieve it here if this J250 model isn't to unacceptably drag down the brand's overall fleet CO2 average in Europe. To start with, don't expect the returns to be that much different from those of the previous generation model (they're now 26.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 280g/km of CO2). That's deeply unremarkable and worse even than a clunky Ineos Grenadier. To give you some perspective on a more direct class competitor, a rival Land Rover Defender 110 D250 manages up to 32.8mpg and up to 226g/km of CO2 - but that's a mild hybrid. This Land Cruiser will get a little closer to those figures when the 48V mild hybrid version of its 2.8-litre diesel becomes available later on in production.
As before, exemplary depreciation should offset some of the big diesel's thirst. If the residuals from the previous model are carried forward, you can expect around 52% of your original purchase price back after the usual three year standard ownership period. That's thanks to the relatively low numbers sold, this car's bullet-proof quality and its loyal following. As before, maintenance costs can be kept down thanks to a fixed price servicing plan. And if you regularly service the car at a franchised Toyota dealer, your warranty can be extended for as long as 10 years. But if the previous reliability of this model line is carried forward, you'll almost certainly never need it.
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Summary
There's a proven bullet-proof go-anywhere feel to this J250-series Land Cruiser that even its closest Land Rover Defender 110 rival can't quite emulate. Previously though, few customers could justify the crude performance in tarmac territory that earlier versions of this Toyota forced upon you.
Things are different now though. This new-era model combines its wilderness capability with modern standards of handling, luxury, safety and infotainment. Of course, it still won't handle quite like a more compromised large luxury SUV would on tarmac, but as long as you're not throwing the thing about, that should hardly matter.
It might seem a bit anachronistic for Toyota to have continued to engineer the range around diesel power - basically the same engine the Land Cruiser's used since the Noughties - but that remains the most suitable engine for the kind of car this is. And if you ever need to cross the Gobi desert, it'll keep going long after comparable powerplants in, say, a Defender or an Ineos Grenadier have waved the white flag. That's the kind of capability you're buying here. For loyal Toyota Land Cruiser folk, there really is no substitute.
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