2024 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series review: Automatic four-cylinder driven

Toyota has lastly gone and accomplished it.

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Sequence has seldom been provided with an computerized from the manufacturing unit (it has occurred earlier than although), and it’s been a V8 in Australia since 2007. Any change to the method is keenly studied by its homeowners married to its no-nonsense model of motoring, both

Though it’s been progressively developed since its debut in 1984, an enormous a part of the LC70’s attraction is simply how old-school it’s. It’s a time machine on wheels, with solely cursory nods to the security, comfort, and luxury options that are actually normal on even primary dual-cab utes and four-wheel drives.

Halving the cylinder rely on any automobile goes to lift some eyebrows; doing it to an icon just like the LandCruiser 70 – which in V8 kind has ready lists so lengthy some sellers have been telling potential patrons they’ll be ready between two years and eternally for a brand new automobile – is a giant story regardless of which means you spin it.

Accepted by Japanese executives in 2019, the four-pot LC70 computerized comes on the again of “sturdy demand” from clients “as a result of it makes the car a lot simpler to deal with for situations comparable to towing trailers via sandy deserts”.

Together with the brand new engine, the up to date LC70 has picked up lane departure warning, velocity signal recognition and computerized high-beam. This follows the standardisation of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and bike owner detection throughout the vary for 2023.

It’s a complete replace given how slowly issues change within the LandCruiser 70 world.

We headed to outback New South Wales to see if Toyota has taught been profitable in its makes an attempt to show its oldest canine just a few new methods.

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 price?

2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel

• LandCruiser 76 Sequence Wagon WorkMate: $75,600
• LandCruiser 76 Sequence Wagon GXL: $79,800

• LandCruiser 78 Sequence Troop Provider WorkMate: $79,200
• LandCruiser 78 Sequence Troop Provider WorkMate: $82,500

• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis WorkMate: $76,800
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis GX: $78,800
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis GXL: $80,900

• LandCruiser 79 Sequence double-cab chassis WorkMate: $79,300
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence double-cab chassis GXL: $83,500

4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel

• LandCruiser 76 Sequence Wagon GXL: $83,900

• LandCruiser 78 Sequence Troop Provider WorkMate: $83,300
• LandCruiser 78 Sequence Troop Provider GXL: $86,600

• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis WorkMate: $80,900
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis GX: $82,900
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence single-cab chassis GXL: $85,000

• LandCruiser 79 Sequence double-cab chassis WorkMate: $83,400
• LandCruiser 79 Sequence double-cab chassis GXL: $87,600

All costs are earlier than on-road prices.

The LandCruiser 70 has a restricted collection of rivals, however they’re on the market. You may construct your personal side-by-side pricing chart utilizing our new comparability operate.

What’s the Toyota LandCruiser 70 like on the within?

The adjustments inside are delicate, as you’d count on.

The brand new bits are the retro-inspired dashboard – which now contains a decidedly trendy digital journey pc, full with a digital speedo. There are additionally two USB-C ports within the GXL, a redesigned transmission console within the computerized, and a brand new infotainment touchscreen full with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Anybody who’s pushed the guide will admire the additional knee room afforded by the dying of the clutch pedal; it’s simpler for long-legged drivers to get settled in and the footrest is extra outstanding.

The additional USB ports are welcome, and smartphone mirroring means you don’t must fiddle with what in any other case seems like fairly an aftermarket head unit.

The motive force and passenger sit in flat chairs trimmed in gentle, velour-like material, and the driving place is correctly old-school. Adjustment is restricted for tall drivers, though the steering wheel does modify for attain and rake. You may get snug, however this isn’t probably the most pure automobile for lengthy stints behind the wheel in case you’re awkwardly proportioned.

Storage is restricted by trendy requirements. There’s slim door pockets and a small area between the entrance seats, however that’s concerning the extent of it. Fortunately the glovebox is comparatively spacious.

Rear passengers get respectable legroom, even behind taller drivers, and loads of headroom from the tall, boxy roofline. The view out is positively panoramic due to the tall, sq. home windows in each the wagon and dual-cab ute.

It’s price noting the rear doorways on the dual-cab ute don’t open significantly large, so in case you are loading apprentices in they’ll have to be limber.

The counter to the respectable area on supply is the very fact the home windows aren’t tinted and there’s no air vents again there, turning the automobile into one thing of a greenhouse on a sunny day.

The LC70 can be the one of many few vehicles on sale we’ve seen with a lap belt for the center passenger.

High-tether factors are on the roof within the wagon, however aren’t fitted to the rear of the dual-cab ute. The only cab, after all, doesn’t have any top-tether factors given it doesn’t have rear seats.

The rear bench backrest folds and the entire row tumbles ahead as one piece within the wagon, and might now be tumbled within the ute to unencumber extra space for storing.

Opening the boot (via side-opening barn doorways) reveals a broad area with some (minimal) wheel arch intrusion.

As you possibly can see from the pictures, the spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate old-school fashion. In ute variations, it’s on a handy tray that slides out from beneath the bathtub.

What’s below the bonnet?

Nearly all variants may be had with the brand new to the LC70, however“tried-and-tested” elsewhere 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which produces 150kW of energy and 500Nm of torque. That is mated solely to a six-speed computerized transmission.

The opposite obtainable powertrain is the acquainted 1VD-FTV 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel engine which produces 151kW of energy and 430Nm of torque. That is mated solely to a five-speed guide transmission.

All LandCruiser 70 Sequence fashions include a part-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range switch case. Locking entrance and rear differentials can be found on GX fashions and normal on GXL fashions.

Claimed gasoline financial system is 9.6 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle within the four-cylinder, and 10.7 litres per 100km within the V8.

Single-cab chassis

Double-cab chassis

Wagon

How does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 drive?

It’s unusual not stepping on a heavy clutch and muscling the lengthy, old school gear selector into first gear (or second, relying in your temper) to get getting in a 70 Sequence.

That’s not the one core trait that’s modified. The four-cylinder is quieter than the large V8, and it’s a lot smoother at low speeds. You may simply level and shoot at metropolis speeds, concentrating on threading what’s a giant outdated bus with heavy, obscure steering via extra trendy site visitors.

Even in undemanding circumstances, eradicating the third pedal frees up a shocking quantity of mind energy. Put your foot down, and the engine – which is acquainted from the HiLux, Fortuner, Prado, and HiAce – packs an honest punch, dragging greater than two tonnes price of LandCruiser as much as the authorized restrict with out an excessive amount of fuss.

It’s spinning at round 2000rpm at 110km/h, and eats up freeway overtakes due to a six-speed computerized that’s blissful to kick down from sixth and thrust the engine into the meat of its torque band. No, it’s not quick. Sure, it’s simpler to go as quick as such a heavy, un-aerodynamic physique will permit within the four-cylinder.

With that mentioned, even on the street there’s a sure attraction concerning the V8. It’s delightfully old style, with a gruff sound and loads of vibrations within the cabin, whereas the transmission calls for deliberate, agency actions. At the very least there’s sufficient torque on faucet to basically transfer away in first, second, or third gear.

We didn’t spend a lot time within the metropolis, given our drive kicked off in Damaged Hill. However at any velocity, the LandCruiser 70 doesn’t trip like a contemporary ute or four-wheel drive.

It’s fairly terse, and is liable to bouncing round at freeway speeds over the crests, dips, and cattle grids littering outback Australia. The stable entrance axle likes going for a wander with cambered roads, and even with lane departure warning you’ll must have your wits about you in a means you don’t with a HiLux or Ranger.

The payoff, after all, is once you get off the crushed observe. Together with the requisite 2H, 4H, 4L switch case (operated with a lever moderately than a new-school dial), you get no less than one locking differential, and a set of locking hubs on the entrance axles. There’s round 90mm extra floor clearance than you get in a HiLux, and the stable entrance axle opens doorways normally shut by a dual-cab ute’s unbiased entrance suspension.

As is the case on the street, the four-cylinder feels each bit as succesful because the V8 within the offset moguls and rock crawl we took on, however is way simpler to drive. It’s simpler to be easy over awkward obstacles, and although the 4.5-litre V8 has sufficient torque to basically cease useless in low-range with out stalling, there nonetheless comes a degree the place you’ll must get your left leg concerned.

Within the computerized, you possibly can simply hover over the brake and let the automobile crawl alongside with out the identical stress. The 70 Sequence walked via all of the off-roading challenges we threw at it, which isn’t uncommon on a launch. Toyota did actually stretch its legs although, with certainly one of its most senior take a look at drivers behind the wheel and a fairly critical rock face.

The potential baked right into a inventory LandCruiser 70 is fairly staggering, not to mention one which has been fettled by the aftermarket. After 39 years although, we already knew that.

With that mentioned, the broader entrance observe that’s been round since 2007 stays an obstacle once you’re traversing gentle surfaces, forcing you to work tougher by forging two paths as a substitute of letting the rear tyres observe in the identical observe because the fronts. Sadly, you’ll want to show to the aftermarket and dig deep into your pockets to get that sorted.

Together with off-roading and “no street” conditions, Toyota factors to towing via robust environments as a key marker for the LandCruiser 70 in its growth. To point out off what that appears like, the model attached a 3100kg caravan and allow us to free on a brief gravel and tarmac loop.

Physique management is stable with such a heavy load on the again, with our dual-cab tester settling in a single or two actions moderately than bouncing round, and each engines have sufficient punch to drag the caravan and three grownup blokes uphill with out feeling overly strained.

Consistent with the theme laid out by the remainder of the vary, the four-cylinder doesn’t really feel under-gunned alongside the 4.5-litre V8. The additional gear, mixed with the influence of the torque converter on the engine’s outputs, imply the brand new 2.8-litre is less complicated to drive easily with a load on the again.

It pulls simply as arduous uphill, and also you’re in a position to lock it into tow/haul mode for keener response between 0 and 75 per cent throttle. After all, there’s nonetheless one thing deeply satisfying about muscling the guide round…

What do you get?

LandCruiser WorkMate highlights:

• LED headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• Black mesh grille
• Heritage-inspired bonnet
• Heritage-inspired flip alerts
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster display
• 6.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Voice recognition
• Centre storage field (computerized variants solely)

LandCruiser 79 Sequence GX single-cab chassis provides darkish alloy wheels and overfenders.

LandCruiser GXL provides:

• 2 x USB-C ports (rather than 12V socket)
• Reversing digicam (76 Sequence Wagon solely)

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 GX single-cab chassis is offered with entrance and rear differential locks for an extra $1500.

Is the Toyota LandCruiser 70 protected?

The LandCruiser 70 Sequence was examined by ANCAP again in 2016 and obtained 5 stars, nevertheless this was for the one cab-chassis variant solely.

It obtained a entrance offset rating of 14.75 out of 16, a facet influence rating of 16 out of 16, a pole rating of two out of two, and a seat belt reminder rating of three out of three.

Customary security tools contains:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Lane departure warning
• Site visitors signal recognition

The 76 Sequence Wagon provides a reversing digicam.

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 price to run?

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Sequence has the identical five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee because the broader Toyota vary, prolonged to seven years on the powertrain in case you sustain with the scheduled companies.

Upkeep is required each 10,000km or six months, whichever comes first. For a automobile that’s relied upon by so many, having to go to your dealership twice yearly is a giant miss.

The primary 10 companies every price $525 within the each fashions.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Toyota LandCruiser 70

Whether or not you need the long-running V8 engine, or whether or not you’ll soar to the brand new four-cylinder comes all the way down to how you intend to make use of the LC70.

There’s a robust cult of lovers who desire a 70 to relive occasions passed by, they usually’re solely going to need the V8 with its retro-tastic five-speed guide transmission. It’s a extra charming, participating automobile to drive than the four-cylinder… nevertheless it’s not a greater one.

It’s going to take some time for the brand new 1GD engine to show itself dependable to the legion of distant employees who depend on their LandCruiser 70, nevertheless it’ll solely take one spin across the block to understand how a lot simpler it makes life.

Primarily based on our back-to-back on-road, off-road, and towing loops, the four-cylinder needs for nothing with regards to outright functionality.

That is perhaps promoting it quick; the additional gear you get by choosing the automated, together with the four-cylinder engine’s broader torque band, do an distinctive job disguising the very fact it’s 1700cc down on the V8, to the purpose you would simply trick individuals into pondering it was the larger engine.

Throw within the truth it’s going to be simpler for fleet controllers to promote to their authorized departments due to its decrease claimed gasoline financial system, cheaper sticker, and computerized transmission, and it’s arduous to see why you’d persist with the V8 engine in case you’re not an out-and-out fanatic.

As for the remainder of the LandCruiser 70 replace? It’s nonetheless a time machine on wheels – from the second you unlatch the steel door deal with, clamber onto the velour seat, and survey the outback via its upright windscreen, there’s nothing else you would be driving, for higher or worse.

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