Cruising to the next level

MENTION Toyota Land Cruiser to almost anyone that has a passing interest in cars and it immediately conjures images of an all-conquering all-terrain vehicle that shrugs off any obstacle and will reach its destination with little fuss.

South Africans love their Cruisers, borne out by the sales figures over the past 70 years since its introduction.

The 80 series in the 1990s cemented the Cruiser phenomenon locally and, in decent nick, they command top-tier prices in the used car space and on the various Toyota forums.

What started as a utilitarian vehicle has evolved into a luxurious SUV that has an incredible off-road ability and remains “The Master of Africa”.

If you prefer the hardcore uncompromising farm-style truck, Toyota’s got that covered too with the 70-series range of Cruisers.

However, when you get behind the wheel of the new Toyota Land Cruiser 300, you understand that tackling rugged terrain, dirt roads and exploring our neighbouring countries in luxury is the way to go – if you can afford it.

There wasn’t much wrong with its 200 Series predecessor but, after 14 years, Toyota decided that it was time to do a new ground-up design on its flagship SUV featuring Toyota’s New Global Architecture platform (TNGA) and in the 300’s case, TNGA-F, indicating the first ladder-frame execution of the design keeping to its offroad ethos.

It’s unmistakably Land Cruiser, the design angular in its execution but harking back to the 80 Series with its two-box look.

To propel the large chunk of metal forward, Toyota has slotted in two new engines in the form of a 3.5-litre V6 twin turbo petrol mill and a 3.3-litre V6 turbodiesel that provide increased efficiency and improved torque output over the outgoing V8 plants.

Both are mated to a new 10-speed automatic gearbox with low range and diff-lock available.

The diesel gives you 225kw and 700Nm, should you wish to move Table Mountain, and the V6 petrol is good for 305kw and 650Nm, with Toyota claiming consumption figures of 8.9 l/100km and 12.1 l/100km respectively, but that’s likely to be more in daily driving, especially once you’ve experienced the V6 petrol.

There’s a new grade line-up too with the GX-R as the utility model fitted only with the diesel engine and a rear diff-lock and probably the one you’ll see more of on your overlanding trips.

The GR-S (GR Sport) has an offroad bias with centre, front and rear diff-locks and it is the off-road performance model but has fancier exterior styling, high-end interior trim levels and fittings and stands on 18-inch alloys.

The ZX lines up as the bespoke model and a true urban cruiser (with a centre diff-lock) with luxurious fittings, among them a wi-fi-enabled rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones and stands on 20-inch alloys.

During the launch in the Western Cape, we were able to drive both the GR-S and ZX models in a variety of terrains including tar, sand and gravel along the West Coast and into the interior.

If the 200 Series was a pleasure to drive, the 300 sets the bar higher but, to be honest, drive quality has always been a feature on the Cruiser’s list of things it does well.

We’d like to spend more time with it to see what it's like as a daily driver and do some more off-road driving but as Toyota’s premium SUV it really is just that.

Prices range from R1 283 200 to R1 842 900.