Toyota has lastly gone and executed it.

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

Though it’s been regularly developed since its debut in 1984, an enormous a part of the LC70’s enchantment 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 automotive 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 without end for a brand new automotive – is an enormous story regardless of which approach you spin it.

Authorized by Japanese executives in 2019, the four-pot LC70 computerized comes on the again of “robust demand” from prospects “as a result of it makes the automobile a lot simpler to deal with for circumstances resembling towing trailers by sandy deserts”.

Together with the brand new engine, the up to date LC70 has picked up lane departure warning, pace signal recognition and computerized high-beam. This follows the standardisation of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and bicycle 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 tips.

How does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 fare vs its rivals?

View an in depth breakdown of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 towards equally sized automobiles.

Toyota

LandCruiser 70

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 value?

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 number of rivals, however they’re on the market. You possibly can construct your individual side-by-side pricing chart utilizing our new comparability perform.

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

The adjustments inside are delicate, as you’d anticipate.

The brand new bits are the retro-inspired dashboard – which now incorporates a decidedly trendy digital journey laptop, 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 handbook 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 have to fiddle with what in any other case looks like fairly an aftermarket head unit.

The motive force and passenger sit in flat chairs trimmed in mushy, velour-like fabric, and the driving place is correctly old-school. Adjustment is proscribed 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 automotive for lengthy stints behind the wheel in the event you’re awkwardly proportioned.

Storage is proscribed by trendy requirements. There’s slim door pockets and a small house between the entrance seats, however that’s in regards to 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 notably extensive, so if you’re loading apprentices in they’ll must be limber.

The counter to the respectable house on supply is the actual fact the home windows aren’t tinted and there’s no air vents again there, turning the automotive 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.

Prime-tether factors are on the roof within the wagon, however aren’t fitted to the rear of the dual-cab ute. The only cab, in fact, 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 liberate extra space for storing.

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

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

What’s beneath the bonnet?

Nearly all variants might 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 handbook 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 gas economic 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 style gear selector into first gear (or second, relying in your temper) to get moving into 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 possibly can simply level and shoot at metropolis speeds, concentrating on threading what’s an enormous outdated bus with heavy, imprecise steering by extra trendy site visitors.

Even in undemanding circumstances, eradicating the third pedal frees up a stunning 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 completely happy 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 highway there’s a sure allure in regards to the V8. It’s delightfully old skool, with a gruff sound and loads of vibrations within the cabin, whereas the transmission calls for deliberate, agency actions. A minimum of 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 pace, 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 strong entrance axle likes going for a wander with cambered roads, and even with lane departure warning you’ll have to have your wits about you in a approach you don’t with a HiLux or Ranger.

The payoff, in fact, is if you get off the overwhelmed monitor. Together with the requisite 2H, 4H, 4L switch case (operated with a lever somewhat 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 strong entrance axle opens doorways normally shut by a dual-cab ute’s unbiased entrance suspension.

As is the case on the highway, 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 clean over awkward obstacles, and regardless that 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 have to get your left leg concerned.

Within the computerized, you may simply hover over the brake and let the automotive crawl alongside with out the identical stress. The 70 Sequence walked by 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 considered one of its most senior take a look at drivers behind the wheel and a reasonably severe 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 wider entrance monitor that’s been round since 2007 stays an obstacle if you’re traversing mushy surfaces, forcing you to work tougher by forging two paths as a substitute of letting the rear tyres observe in the identical monitor 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 highway” conditions, Toyota factors to towing by robust environments as a key marker for the LandCruiser 70 in its growth. To indicate off what that appears like, the model connected a 3100kg caravan and allow us to free on a brief gravel and tarmac loop.

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

In line 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 affect 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. In fact, there’s nonetheless one thing deeply satisfying about muscling the handbook round…

What do you get?

LandCruiser WorkMate highlights:

• LED headlights
• Automated 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 (instead of 12V socket)
• Reversing digital camera (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 acquired 5 stars, nonetheless this was for the only cab-chassis variant solely.

It acquired a entrance offset rating of 14.75 out of 16, a aspect affect 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.

Commonplace security gear consists of:

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

The 76 Sequence Wagon provides a reversing digital camera.

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 value 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 the event you sustain with the scheduled providers.

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

The primary 10 providers every value $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 bounce to the brand new four-cylinder comes right down to how you intend to make use of the LC70.

There’s a powerful 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 handbook transmission. It’s a extra charming, participating automotive to drive than the four-cylinder… but it surely’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 staff who depend on their LandCruiser 70, but it surely’ll solely take one spin across the block to grasp how a lot simpler it makes life.

Based mostly on our back-to-back on-road, off-road, and towing loops, the four-cylinder desires for nothing in relation to outright functionality.

That could be promoting it brief; 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 actual fact it’s 1700cc down on the V8, to the purpose you could possibly simply trick folks 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 gas economic system, cheaper sticker, and computerized transmission, and it’s arduous to see why you’d keep on with the V8 engine in the event 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 by its upright windscreen, there’s nothing else you could possibly be driving, for higher or worse.

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