Toyota has reimagined what its go-anywhere Land Cruiser large SUV can be. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Retro looks clothe cutting-edge technology in Toyota's new-era J250-series Land Cruiser. This go-almost-anywhere contender now has looks as capable as the mechanicals beneath, all as part of a complete redesign that sees it better ready to snare potential Land Rover Defender customers.

Background

The Toyota Land Cruiser is arguably the world's most iconic off-road driving model line. Switches between generations have happened rarely since the original version, the Toyota BJ, was first launched in 1961. Since then, 11.3 million Land Cruisers have been sold across 170 countries, with the most recent J150 version launched back in 2009. Back then, there were two sizes of Land Cruiser but Toyota no longer imports the larger one - the current J300 model - in Western Europe. Still, to compensate, this latest J250 design, announced in Autumn 2023, is a fraction larger than its predecessor - and quite a lot more sophisticated. There are plenty of headlines here, retro looks clothing an all-new body-on-frame GA-F platform. Plus new to the line are advances like electric power steering and a clever disconnecting anti-roll bar system for even more capable off road prowess. There's also stronger standards of safety and even the introduction of 48V mild hybrid electrification. Sounds promising.

Driving Experience

This J250 Land Cruiser is just about the only new-era model we can think of that could be excused a switch to full scale electrification. You don't want to be worrying about Hybrid electronics when you're crossing the Zambezi. And you certainly don't want to be looking for a charging station. You might have hoped though, that Toyota would have redesigned the trusty 2.8-litre diesel that the previous J150 model campaigned with for most of its production life. As it is, the Japanese engineers have contented themselves with merely embellishing it with a 48V mild hybrid system (which won't arrive until some time after launch). This unit is at least paired to a new 8-speed auto gearbox and the 4WD 201bhp powertrain has 500Nm of torque and will tow up to 3,500kg. If ever a Land Cruiser switched to the kind of monocoque construction used by more tarmac- orientated large SUVs, it wouldn't really be a Land Cruiser. This one sticks with a traditional body-on-frame architecture, but mates it to the brand's latest GA-F platform. The idea of course is to preserve this model's legendary off road prowess, further enhanced here with greater wheel articulation. Another key improvement in this regard is the disconnecting front anti-roll bar, which can be disengaged via a button on the dash to give maximum wheel articulation on really testing trails. The Multi-Terrain Select drive mode system's been enhanced too, the set-up adapting vehicle performance to suit various kinds of off-road conditions. And there's a new Multi-Terrain Monitor, which uses a high resolution camera and display to give the driver a clear view of the area immediately around and beneath the vehicle. Plus 'Crawl Control' can be used to maintain a low speed in off-road/downhill driving. It governs engine torque and brake pressure, avoiding wheelspin and wheel-locking and allowing the driver to focus on the steering. Where this J250-generation Land Cruiser really had to improve though, is away from the rough stuff. Toyota somehow had to make it a better tarmac tool without compromising this model line's renowned off-road ability. And the developments in that regard are promising. Combined body and frame rigidity is up by 30% aided by that new platform, which should reduce body roll and contribute greatly to handling responsiveness. This Land Cruiser is the first Toyota to use a Stabiliser Disconnect Mechanism, which has the dual benefits of enhancing off-road performance and a more comfortable ride on standard roads. Using a switch on the centre console, the driver can unlock the front anti-roll bar (stabiliser), increasing suspension travel. Toyota claims the new electric power steering system is more feelsome too.

Design and Build

A few decades ago, Land Cruiser design went through a compromised 'urban jungle'-style phase which thankfully has been dispensed with here as part of a chunky, tough 'back to origins' theme. SUVs as varied as Suzuki's Jimny, Jeep's Wrangler and Land Rover's Defender have proved the merit of this approach and this boxy J250 Land Cruiser model embraces it thoroughly. In long wheelbase form (the only version we're going to get), it measures 4,920mm long and 1,870mm tall. So it's slightly larger than its predecessor, with strong horizontal lines and headlights that were retro round in the initial 'First Edition' variant but which are now rectangular. Off-road performance is aided by short overhangs, sculpted corners and a narrowed lower body. Body parts have been designed for easy replacement in the event of damage. Just as important of course is what you can't see - a bit of old (traditional body-on-frame SUV architecture) and a lot of new (the brand's latest GA-F platform). At the wheel, there are big screens for both instrumentation and infotainment, with both being 12.3-inches in size. There's plenty of chunky switchgear too, designed so it can be easily used in rough terrain. There's a horizontally arranged instrument panel and the usual lofty Land Cruiser seating position. Overall, cabin quality's taken a real step up. Compared to this, the cabin of the previous J150-series model looks like something out of the Ark. The second row can't offer the kind of sliding bench you'll find in most large SUVs but feels fairly roomy. And you have to have a third seating row, which would ideally be just for kids but which isn't quite as cramped as with some SUVs of this kind. If you're delivering vital supplies to insurgents in Fallujah, you'll be glad of the enormous boot. Unlike the inconvenient side-hinged rear door of its predecessors, this J250-series model has a conventional top-hinged powered tailgate with a useful independently opening glass hatch. There's not much space behind the third row seats (just 130-litres), though Toyota says that two 55cm suitcases would fit. With the third row folded, there's 566-litres of space. For more room still, you'll need to manually flatten the second row seating and if you do that, there's up to 2,000-litres of cargo capacity available.

Market and Model

This J250 generation Land Cruiser will be launched in stages. First up will be a five-door 'First Edition' model (visually distinguished by its round headlights) which will be limited to just 3,000 examples across Europe. Costing around £80,000, it gets some exclusive paint finishes (in two-tone 'Sand' and 'Smoky Blue') and is based around the long wheelbase body shape. Once those variants are sold, the range will settle down, initially based around an 'Invincible' variant, also long wheelbase, costing around £75,000. It's not yet known whether Toyota will import either the short wheelbase body style or the previous commercial vehicle variants. Once Land Cruiser sales get into full swing, you can expect a baseline trim level starting from not too far above the £50,000 mark, but the 'First Edition' derivative will cost considerably more than that. Early versions of this design will be sold with a straightforward version of the usual 2.8-litre diesel, but after the first year and a half of production, a 48V mild hybrid version of this powerplant will be offered. Because of the switch to electric power steering, Toyota can now offer this car with more of its 'Safety Sense' active safety and driver assistance features; specifically, the brand's 'Lane Tracing Assist' system. As for luxury equipment, well to better target the Land Rover Defender, there's a clear shift up-market. Both the 'First Edition' and the 'Invincible' have seven seats with black leather upholstery. Equipment features include air conditioning with separate front and rear cabin controls and the Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and both cloud-based and embedded navigation. A head-up display, a fully digital driver's instrument combimeter, a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a Panoramic View Monitor, roof rails and a sunroof are also included. The 'Invincible' has 20-inch black alloy wheels.

Cost of Ownership

Exemplary engine efficiency might not be of paramount significance to likely Land Cruiser owners, but it's pretty important for Toyota to achieve it here if this J250 model isn't to unacceptably drag down the brand's overall fleet CO2 average in Europe. To start with, don't expect the returns to be that much different from those of the previous generation model (they're now 26.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 280g/km of CO2). That's deeply unremarkable and worse even than a clunky Ineos Grenadier. To give you some perspective on a more direct class competitor, a rival Land Rover Defender 110 D250 manages up to 32.8mpg and up to 226g/km of CO2 - but that's a mild hybrid. This Land Cruiser will get a little closer to those figures when the 48V mild hybrid version of its 2.8-litre diesel becomes available later on in production. As before, exemplary depreciation should offset some of the big diesel's thirst. If the residuals from the previous model are carried forward, you can expect around 52% of your original purchase price back after the usual three year standard ownership period. That's thanks to the relatively low numbers sold, this car's bullet-proof quality and its loyal following. As before, maintenance costs can be kept down thanks to a fixed price servicing plan. And if you regularly service the car at a franchised Toyota dealer, your warranty can be extended for as long as 10 years. But if the previous reliability of this model line is carried forward, you'll almost certainly never need it.

Summary

There's a proven bullet-proof go-anywhere feel to this J250-series Land Cruiser that even its closest Land Rover Defender 110 rival can't quite emulate. Previously though, few customers could justify the crude performance in tarmac territory that earlier versions of this Toyota forced upon you. Things are different now though. This new-era model combines its wilderness capability with modern standards of handling, luxury, safety and infotainment. Of course, it still won't handle quite like a more compromised large luxury SUV would on tarmac, but as long as you're not throwing the thing about, that should hardly matter. It might seem a bit anachronistic for Toyota to have continued to engineer the range around diesel power - basically the same engine the Land Cruiser's used since the Noughties - but that remains the most suitable engine for the kind of car this is. And if you ever need to cross the Gobi desert, it'll keep going long after comparable powerplants in, say, a Defender or an Ineos Grenadier have waved the white flag. That's the kind of capability you're buying here. For loyal Toyota Land Cruiser folk, there really is no substitute.

Body Glass

Rain sensor

Privacy glass

Shade band to windscreen

Intermittent windscreen wipers

Rear electric windows

Rear privacy glass

Auto wipers

Rear window wiper

Auto up and down function on all power windows

Anti-jam protection on power windows

Rear window defogger

Front electric windows

UV-filter on rear windows

Power roof opening

Noise reduction layer on windscreen

Rear tailgate with opening window

Windscreen wiper blade with cover

Rear intermittent wipers

Green UV cut front side glass

Brakes

Brake assist function

Electronic parking brake

Downhill Assist Control (DAC)

Hill start assist control (HAC)

Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Toyota safety sense with over the air updates

Active Traction Control (A-TRC)

Chassis/Suspension

Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

Multi terrain select

Stabiliser disconnect mechanism (SDM)

Communication

Bluetooth telephone connectivity

Wireless Mobile Phone Charger

Toyota Smart Connect multimedia system with wireless Smartphone integration incl Apple CarPlay

Front USB-C connectors x 2

HDMI connector

Driver Aids

Electric power steering

Crawl control

Pre-collision system (PCS)

Multi terrain monitor

360 degree panoramic view monitor

Road sign assist - RSA

Lane trace assist

Front Cross Traffic Alert

Intelligent adaptive cruise control

Lane Departure Alert (LDA) switch on steering wheel

Lane departure alert (LDA) with Brake induced steering

Dynamic guide lines on reversing camera

Reversing camera with washer function

Cruise control switch on steering wheel

Lane change assist

Safe exit assist

Driver monitoring camera

Speed limiter switch on steering wheel

Emergency driving stop system

Speed limiter information

Front parking sensors with automatic braking (object, vehicle and pedestrian)

Multi-info switches on steering wheel

3 Mode integrated sport driving

Driver Convenience

Tailgate/bootlid remote release from key

Emergency services call system

Driver Information

Trip computer

Digital speedometer

Blind spot monitor

Touch 2 Go navigation system

ECO-driving indicator

Digital tachometer

12.3" multi-information multimedia colour display screen

Coloured head up display

Driving Mirrors

Body coloured door mirrors

Electrically retractable door mirrors

Electric heated door mirrors

Power adjustable door mirrors

Indicators integrated on door mirrors

Digital rear view mirror

Memory function on door mirrors

Embellishment Trims

Black dashboard

Soft-touch front door trim

Soft-touch rear door trim

Engine

80 litre fuel tank

Entertainment

Steering wheel mounted audio/telephone controls

DAB Digital radio

USB connection

Auxiliary input socket

JBL Premium sound system with 14 speakers

Exterior Body Features

Black roof rails

Rear spoiler

Body colour door handles

Body coloured bumpers

Panoramic roof

Shark fin antenna

Front and rear mud flaps

Black door moulding

Emergency brake-light signal (EBS)

Body coloured protection moulding on side doors

Black side steps

Bi-tone solid paint

Rear side wing doors

Power back door

Grained and painted front bumper

Grained rear bumper

Black insert on boot door

Matte grey lower front grille protection

Matte grey upper front grille

Land Cruiser insert in headlamps

Luggage utility rail

Auto and easy close back door

Black tape door window frame

Fuel tank protector

Exterior Lights

Automatic headlamp levelling

Dusk sensor

Follow me home headlights

LED daytime running lights

LED rear lights

LED front fog lights

LED Indicators

LED rear combination lights

Headlight cleaners

Automatic high beam - AHB

Auto headlights

Puddle lamps

Automatic headlights cut-off

LED High mounted stop light

LED rear fog lights

Automatic rear flashing hazard lights

Circle LED Headlights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Heater

Dual zone automatic air conditioning

Rear passenger air vents

Pollen air filter

Remote air conditioning system

Three zone rear passenger air conditioning

Interior Features

Front and rear door pockets

Leather gearshift

Heated steering wheel

Retractable tonneau cover

Leather handbrake

3 spoke leather steering wheel

Rear armrest with cupholder

Ashtray

Front and rear cup holders

Front and rear bottle holders

Silver interior door handles

Sunglasses holder

Leather door trim

Electric tilt/telescopic steering wheel

Leather centre armrest

Illuminated door pockets

Gear shift indicator

2x Rear coat hooks

12v socket in front

Driver and passenger seatback pockets

Voice recognition switch on steering wheel

Multimedia switches on steering wheel

Lockable glovebox with illumination

Memory function on steering wheel

220v power socket in boot

Cooler in centre console box

12v power socket rear passenger 2nd row

Ticket holder on driver sun visor

Soft-touch front door armrests

First edition Leather upholstery

Accelerator pedal

First Edition insert on dashboard

Overhead console storage

Assist grips - Centre pillar

Assist grips - Front

Assist grips - Front pillar

Assist grips - Rear

Soft-touch centre console

Soft-touch knee pads

Interior Lights

Illuminated entry system

Courtesy light delay

Front foot well lighting

Driver and front passenger personal light

LED centre room light

Microphone on front personal light

Door courtesy light

3rd row rear passenger room light

2nd row rear passenger personal lights

Cargo area room lights x 2

Packs

Rough road pack - Land cruiser

Safety

Seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters

3x3 point rear seatbelts

Front seatbelt reminder

Tyre pressure warning system

Child safety door lock

Driver and front passenger airbags

Passenger airbag on/off switch

Occupant detection

Rear seatbelt reminder

Horn

side collision airbag

Seats

Heated rear seats

Height adjustable front head restraints

Driver's seat memory

Driver's electric lumbar adjustment

Sliding 2nd Row rear seats

Heated driver and front passenger seats

Driver and front passenger Whiplash Injury Lessening seats

Power tilting cushion on driver seat

Driver and front passenger air ventilated seats

Electric height adjustable sliding and reclining driver seat

ISOFIX child restraint system

60/40 split folding 3 rear seats in 2nd row

Electric height adjustable sliding and reclining front passenger seats

Reclining 2nd row rear seats

Reclining 3rd row rear seats

Sliding 3rd row rear seats

Single front passenger seat

50/50 split/folding 2 rear seat in 3rd row

4 adjustable rear headrests

Rear passengers air ventilated seats

Manually extendable cushion on driver seat

Security

Immobiliser

Remote central door locking

Glass breakage instrusion sensing

Intrusion sensor and alarm

Drivers Smart entry + Smart start

Tilt detection sensors

Speed detecting automatic door lock

Digital key

Driver power door lock

Towing

Trailer sway control

Trailer wiring harness

Transmission

Rear electrical Diff Lock

Vanity Mirrors

Light on driver sun visor

Light on passenger sun visor

Mirror on driver sun visor

Mirror on passenger sun visor

Wheels

Matte black centre caps

Wheels - Alloy

18" 9 spoke matte grey alloy wheels

Emissions - ICE

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High - TEH: 235

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 285

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High - TEH: 294

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium - TEH: 268

HC: N

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low - TEH: 409

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium: 263

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 276

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High: 285

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High: 228

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low: 401

Engine and Drive Train

Transmission: SEMI-AUTO

Cylinders: 4

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Number of Valves: 16

Camshaft: DOHC

Fuel Delivery: COMMON RAIL

Catalytic Convertor: No

Compression Ratio: 15.6:1

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 103.6

Gears: 8 SPEED

CC: 2755

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 92

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - High: 32.5

WLTP - MPG - Medium: 28.3

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 10.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High - TEH: 11.2

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High - TEH: 8.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - TEH: 10.2

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low - TEH: 15.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 10.6

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High: 10.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High: 8.7

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium: 10

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low: 15.3

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 25.9

WLTP - MPG - Extra High - TEH: 25.2

WLTP - MPG - High - TEH: 31.7

WLTP - MPG - Medium - TEH: 27.7

WLTP - MPG - Low - TEH: 18.3

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 26.7

WLTP - MPG - Extra High: 25.9

WLTP - MPG - Low: 18.5

General

AdBlue: No

Special Edition: No

Generation Mark: 5

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

Badge Engine CC: 2.8

Badge Power: 204

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 49P

Based On ID: N

Special Order: 0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Coin Description: D-4D 204

Coin Series: First Edition

Performance

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Power - BHP: 204

Top Speed: 109

Engine Power - KW: 150

Engine Power - RPM: 3400

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 369

Engine Torque - NM: 500

Engine Torque - RPM: 1600

Engine Torque - MKG: 51

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Tyres

Tyre Size Rear: 265/65 R18

Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY

Wheel Style: N

Tyre Size Front: 265/65 R18

Alloys?: No

Vehicle Dimensions

Width: 1980

Wheelbase: 2850

Length: 4925

Height: 1925

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 80

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 3500

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 815

Gross Vehicle Weight: 3150

No. of Seats: 7

Minimum Kerbweight: 2335

Interior Features

Illuminated scuff plates

Packs

Essential Protection package - Land Cruiser

Paint - Special

Bi-Tone solid - Sand/Light grey

Bi-Tone solid - Smoky blue/Light grey

Towing

Towing solutions - Fixed - 13 pin

Towing solutions - Detachable - 7 pin

Towing solutions - Fixed - 7 pin

Towing solutions - Flanged - 13 pin

Towing solutions - Flanged - 7 pin

Trim - Leather

First edition leather - Black