The updated version of the Toyota Land Cruiser, one of the few remaining SUVs with true off-road capability, debuts at the Frankfurt motor show.
Changes to the robust vehicle include styling enhancements to give it a more modern but durable look, a higher quality interior and driving improvements. The exterior modifications increase the length of the vehicle by 60mm to 4840mm and are also aimed at making off-road progress easier – they include reshaping the bonnet to improve downwards visibility at its centre, and raising the tops of the wings so the driver can more easily judge where the edge of the vehicle is.
Inside the driver will find the switchgear more sensibly grouped, the layout dominated by a new eight-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Touch 2 with Go multimedia system, Optitron meters and a 4.2-inch display ahead of the steering wheel.
Interior extras
Occupants now have the use of front seat ventilation, rear seat heating and automatic climate control, while an electric heated windscreen, heated washer nozzles, reverse-tilting door mirrors and a new smart key design have also been added.
The Land Cruiser retains its single engine choice, a 2.8-litre turbodiesel with 178hp and 370Nm of torque. This takes the big vehicle through 62mph in 12.7 seconds while returning combined cycle fuel economy of 38.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 194g/km. Eastern European markets also get the option of 2.7 and 4.0-litre petrol engines but there appear to currently be no plans to offer these engines to UK buyers.
Safety features have also been upgraded, particularly on vehicles with the automatic transmission. These now get Toyota’s Safety Sense active technology package that includes a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with pedestrian detection function, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB). A Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and an upgraded tyre pressure warning system are also part of the revamped package.
