Toyota’s still cruising on

As SUVs become more and more luxurious, the Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the few unashamedly oldfashioned off-roaders around.

The story of the Land Cruiser is one that’s almost as old as Land Rover. Production began in 1951 and since then it’s gained a worldwide reputation for strength, solidity and off-road capability.

The latest model was introduced in 2009 but a range of updates has kept it feeling relatively fresh. It is also packed with tech, none which detracts from the overall feeling of old-fashioned brawn.

This year has seen a large update aimed at keeping up with rivals such as Land Rover’s Discovery. The 2.8-litre diesel engine gets a smaller turbocharger along with AdBlue to reduce exhaust emissions, and the interior’s been tidied up to accommodate a large central touchscreen and comprehensive off-road controls.

The large capacity and low cylinder count naturally means it’s less smooth than a Land Rover’s 3.0-litre V6, and it is down on power too, with just 174bhp. However, with almost 450Nm of torque, pulling power is ample, and the Land Cruiser feels like it could cope not just with its 2.4-tonne weight, but the 3-tonne trailer it’s permitted to tow.

The Land Cruiser is enormous, heavy, slow and ponderous – but buyers won’t care too much about that. Crucially, with an automatic gearbox and great visibility, it’s very easy to drive for a car of its size, more so than the Discovery with its bustling rear.

Prices start at £33,435 and top spec models cost more than £50,000. Comfortable electrically-operated front seats feature both heating and ventilation, and the off-road goodies are all standard too. Some items are missing too, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, or a sunroof.

The Land Cruiser is truly an institution and current owners won’t need any encouragement to soldier on with the brand.

They’re unstoppable due to amazing off-road ability and dependability.

Unstoppable: the Toyota Land Cruiser suggests old-fashioned brawn.