NEW Toyota Land Cruiser Full Review: Can It Beat the Land Rover Defender?
Watch DriverReviews ambassador Vicki Butler-Henderson give her verdict on the new Toyota Land Cruiser.
With a heritage spanning over 70 years, the Toyota Land Cruiser has been reimagined with modern tech while staying true to its rugged roots. Vicki Butler-Henderson takes the new Land Cruiser for a full test, exploring its off-road capability, durability, and practicality. Powered by a 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine with 500Nm of torque, an 8-speed automatic gearbox, and a full-time 4WD system, this beast is built for adventure. But has it lost any of its old-school charm?
Specifications
• Price: £75,000 Invincible specification / £80,000 First Edition specification.
• Power: 200bhp / 500nm/t
• Engine: 4 cylinder 2.8-litre turbo diesel.
• Gearbox: 8-speed automatic.
• Boot space: 2000l (maximum).
• Tow capacity: 3.5 tonnes.
Exterior
A striking feature of the Land Cruiser is its headlights, which are a nod to the 1960s version with their round shape. They are positioned higher up on the front of the bonnet, with the intention of preventing them from being damaged, especially when you are wading in the water. Another prominent feature of the Land Cruiser’s exterior is the colour, sand, as it is described. We’d be keen to hear what you make of that colour so head over to our YouTube channel and let us know in the comments!
Vicki feels this car is function over thrills with details such as trapezoidal arches, a wide stance, long bonnet, and short bumper corners all contributing to this SUV’s make-up. Roof rails and side steps add to the overall feel of functionality and despite the fact that the Land Cruiser is quite bulky and boxy, there is a spoiler (albeit a tiny one) to help the SUV glide with ease.
Aerodynamic spats situation in-front of the front axel helps guide air over the wheels too helping reduce drag levels. Continuing the theme of practicality are the smaller details such as the mud flaps situated behind the rear wheels, and an opening rear screen which is fantastic for those in a hurry or have limited space and need to access the boot space without having to open that huge rear door. Speaking of the boot, there is an impressive maximum load of 2,000 litres which is on a par with one of its rivals, the Land Rover Defender 110.
Another close comparison between those two cars is the towing capacity and both can comfortably two loads up to 3,500kg. However, where they can be split apart is how the boot door opens. The Toyota Land Cruiser boot opens in the more traditional way where the door moves upwards to give access to the space. Whereas with the Defender, the boot door opens more like an internal door in your house which might make accessing the boot difficult if parked in a cramped space.
Wheel & Tyre Talk
When it comes to wheels, the launch spec editions come with 18” alloys whereas the non-launch spec models will get 20”.
The model in the review is on Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 tyres which have been engineered for durability and their aggressive tread pattern resists wear, cuts, and chips helping the tyre to excel in all conditions and terrains. It is mud and snow certified as well as the three peak mountain snowflake symbol for winter use.
The Geolandar A/T G015 has been reviewed by thousands of drivers on DriverReviews and has achieved an impressive rating of 4.6 / 5.0 stars. They also won the ‘Highly Recommended’ award in the ‘Best Tyres for Pick-Up Trucks’ in the 2024/25 DriverReviews Customer Choice Tyre Awards.
Interior
We talked earlier about practicality and this theme continues inside the Land Cruiser. Immediately you are greeted by large seats, with an extendable seat if a long-legged driver needs more support, and your seating position is a commanding one, whatever your height, giving a good view of the road/area around you. The A-pillar, which is more vertical than in other SUVs, adds to the practicality by improving your side vision.
There’s a panoramic roof too which will let plenty of light into the cabin, but it does have a sliding blind too if you wanted to reduce that. It also opens up in the front so that the two people in the front can “feel as though they are in a convertible” in Vicki’s words. She does also explain that the interior is more of a no nonsense one than a sumptuously luxurious one but there are some nice touches around the cabin such as rope trims, serrated edges, and the cushioned dash.
As this is an off-roader, Toyota have thought of the occupants, providing knee and arm pads for when things get a bit bumpy. With manufacturers trying to outdo each other when it comes to infotainment systems and centre consoles, it is refreshing to hear Vicki say that all the buttons are in a logical position and easy to reach. The driver also has access to a 'tiltometer' and a head-up display, adding to the Land Cruiser's functionality. There's also a handy voice assistant to help you with a range of queries; in the video, Vicki asks it for her fuel consumption figures, which happen to be 26.5 mpg (0.1 mpg below the official figure!).
Given the size and stature of the Land Cruiser, it should come as no surprise that it can seat 7 people. The second-row seats three, but as Vicki points out, the person in the middle might need to have slim hips! A nice feature of the second-row seats is that they recline a little, which might make those longer journeys a little more comfortable. There is also a control panel between the two front seats, on the back of the armrest, which allows your passengers to heat or cool their seats, as well as the usual climate control, complete with a couple of USB-c ports.
At the very back is the final two seats which operate by electric, like the second row, there is a little bit of recline on offer as well as cupholders for both seats and USB-c ports for both too.
Engine, Power & Performance
If you are looking for a smooth hybrid engine, you are in the wrong place as under the bonnet of the Toyota Land Cruiser is a 4 cylinder, 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine. Toyota do plan to offer the Land Cruiser with a hybrid engine, but this won’t arrive until 2026. The engine has an output of around 200 bhp and 500Nm torque which is welcomed when propelling a 2.5 tonne beast of an SUV. It has a 0-62mph time of just under 11 seconds and a top speed of just over 100 mph so it won’t be winning any drag races.
Driving Experience: On-Road & Off-Road
With an all new 8-speed direct shift gearbox that has been tuned for a “punchy” take off on and off the road and top-gear tuned for quieter motorway driving, the new Land Cruiser delivers a perfect balance of responsive acceleration and refined cruising, ensuring confidence in any driving scenario.
If you like to be in control of the gearbox, you can just flick the lever over to the side and manually go up and down the gears. However, the gearbox paired with all the other driving aids should be clever enough to work out what you are trying to do and select the optimum gear for you in that moment.
At this point in the video, Vicki is on an off-roading course, and she compliments how well the Yokohama tyres are performing. Stating that even when she sees a slope covered in mud and thinks that the Land Cruiser will slip, the tyres just “eat into the earth and grip”.
Vicki’s Verdict
“It’s a car that I have always respectfully called the cockroach of the motoring world because it just keeps going”.
At the start of the video Vicki says that the Land Cruiser is function over frills and throughout the review Vicki gives plenty of reasons why this is the case. If you want to go for the bells and whistles, the Land Rover Defender is the way to go (even with the option of a V8 engine).
Vicki goes on to give plenty of reasons why your head should make the Defender the choice if you are in the market for a large SUV. However, if, like Vicki, you are ruled by your heart, then there is something charming about the Land Cruiser and therefore the choice should be the Land Cruiser.
We would love to hear your opinions on the Toyota Land Cruiser so head over to our YouTube channel and let us know in the comments. Don't miss out on future reviews and automotive insights - subscribe to DriverReviews on YouTube for the latest updates and in-depth analysis from our brand ambassadors!
