Cruiser back to basics

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If you’ve ever wondered what a luxury SUV is like when it’s stripped back to the basics, then the Commercial Utility Land Cruiser is it. In its normal form, it is Toyota’s legendary big 4x4 with a high-quality interior and not far removed from the standards set by its upmarket Lexus cousin.

But the Commercial is a workhorse so it bares all, including most of the seats to get down to the serious business of hard labour.

There are just two in the front while behind where there would normally be some plush seating for the rear passengers, there’s a steel mesh bulkhead and a large flat-lined load area.

It comes as either a short or long wheelbase, like the test vehicle which keeps the five doors along with a sidehinged tailgate for three options of access to the rear loadspace.

There are

no fancy features. The normal alloys are replaced by 17inch steel wheels, bodycoloured panels line the rear-side windows and other obvious differences are the complete lack of the chrome trim, which highlights areas on the standard model.

Gone also are the wood and leather trim, replaced by cloth seats and hardwearing plastic which gives the interior a tough, robust and well, utilitarian feel.

Power comers from the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel that’s in the SUV and that’s because it’s a superb unit with plenty of power and tons of torque. It’s available only as a six-speed manual with the excellent four-wheel-drive set up along with the standard hill descent control, hill start assist and an active traction control system that puts down the power exactly where it’s needed.

Prices start at just over £27,500 before VAT.