Toyota Land Cruiser LC4 3.0 D-4D Auto | Expert Road Test Review

“One vehicle dominates the world’s
4WD market. And no, it’s not the
Land or Range Rover brands but
the Toyota Land Cruiser. And now
the all-new five-door 3.0-litre diesel
models are arriving in the UK...”

FROM MILITIA TO THE UN PEACEKEEPING FORCES, from the Taliban to Arab States royalty, from the Australian outback to South America to emerging markets such as China, Russia and India, from war zones to farming communities, desert workhorse to must-have country lifestyle limousine, no other vehicle dominates in its class like a Land Cruiser.

It's rare for one model range to dominate sales in a sector worldwide but the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser does just that with 332,000 global sales in 2008 and sales are still rising. Users range from the military to the UN peacekeepers, Sheiks to Princes, outbackers to explorers, farmers and towing contractors to school run mums.

From December 2009, the all-new five-door Land Cruiser 3.0-litre diesel models make their debut in the UK with prices ranging from Ł29,795 for the five-seater LC3 up to Ł44,795 for the seven-seat LC5. Up to 1,200 of these will be sold in the UK in a full year in the diminishing heavyweight sector of the 4x4 market. In addition, Toyota GB will sell another 500 units of the already established and slightly larger V8 petrol-powered Land Cruiser with prices starting at close to Ł55K.

The new models cost upwards of 15% more than the models they replace, in part due to the poor value of the Pound but mainly because the new Land Cruisers are much more technically advanced and with much higher levels of specification than the models they replace.

Whilst the new Land Cruisers remains hugely capable and durable for serious off-road work and travel, the new models show some improvement in their on-road driving manners. There is still considerable body roll during cornering; the vehicle floats along never fully engaging with the driver; and the steering feels vague — but the ride is comfortable.

While they run the latest sales leading new Discovery very close for off-road ability, they cannot match the Land Rover or Range Rover models for on-road manners and sophistication. However, the Japanese product does score well for high levels of standard equipment and build quality, and prices are similar.

The new Land Cruisers, for durability, strength and the 3,000kg towing performance, continues with the traditional body on a ladder-frame chassis design. All the new models use a 3.0-litre turbodiesel power unit but, unusually for this capacity, it is only a four-cylinder unit with 171bhp power and 302lb ft of torque output via a five-speed automatic transmission. The new Disco 3.0-litre, V6 diesel unit with an auto 'box pushes out 245bhp and 443lb ft of torque — enough said.

“Excels off-road in
seriously bad driving
conditions but it still
needs some refinement
for the highway...”

The design brief for the new Land Cruiser was to improve on its undoubted off-road capabilities and, more importantly, to improve its road manners.

All three versions of the Land Cruiser have a full-time AWD system with torsion limited slip differential which automatically adjusts front to rear power distribution from 50:50 to 30:70 depending on grip.

For LC3/4 versions there is a driver selectable centre differential lock; LC5 models also gain a rear differential lock. There are four driver selected modes to tailor vehicle settings for different off-road surfaces — mud and sand, loose rock, mogul (deep mud) and rock. There are also hill-start and downhill assist settings, crawl control, active traction control, mud-terrain ABS braking and vehicle stability control.

All these functions are operated by pushbuttons, a turn control switch and a menu type scroll down bar. Believe me, it's very impressive but it does take some getting used to and off-road driving knowledge. I do not think the system is as easy to use as, say, the Land/Range Rover or BMW Xdrive central control unit and pictograms.

As for the suspension system (double wishbone at the front, four-link live axle at the rear), the LC4 and LC5 versions have what Toyota call a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) which through anti-roll bars reduces body roll and is supposed to give positive steering response on-road. It does, in part.

Off road the new system, by virtually disconnecting the anti-roll bars, increases wheel articulation (suspension travel) for maximum grip. The top LC5 version has, as standard, adaptive variable suspension and active height control and this cleverly adjusts the firmness of the suspension according to the speed being travelled on road, and the height of the vehicle for optimum ground clearance off-road.

The LC5 also has a Multi-Terrain Monitor which Toyota claim is a world-first although the latest Disco/Range Rovers have something similar. A system of external cameras give combined or separate real time views of areas in front and to each side of the vehicle that cannot be seen from the driver's seat. These only operate in multi-terrain mode at speeds below 6mph. It is very clever and useful knowing what direction your vehicle's front wheels are pointing when you're driving in thick mud and to make sure you are not going to scrape a tree or rock with the side of the vehicle.

Technically, the new Land Cruiser excels off-road in seriously bad driving conditions and deep water but it still needs some refinement for the highway to match some of the competition. That said, it is still a major step forward.

As for specification, the main selling LC4 really wants for nothing and items such as heated front seats, leather upholstery and a navigation system are included. The LC5 gains a sunroof, adaptive suspension, crawl control, the external camera display and a rear seat entertainment system.

It may be the world's best selling 4x4 but its competitors in this sector run with six-cylinder diesel units whereas the Land Cruiser has to make do with a refined but underpowered four-cylinder unit. And while its road manners are better, they are not the best. It's also expensive to run.

However, it's tough, reliable and has workhorse towing ability as well as having impressive and safe off-road ability. It's also comprehensively equipped and well made. Although not a common site in the UK, you can be sure the Land Cruiser will continue to dominate the landscape in the tougher terrains of the world. — David Miles

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