When it comes to the great outdoors, the Toyota Land Cruiser has a reputation as the go-to machine for those who dare to tread where few others would. Despite some voices arguing that the 2024 Land Cruiser 70 Series hasn’t entirely kept up with the times in terms of tech and safety bells and whistles, we wanted to find out how the new Land Cruiser 76 LX Station Wagon stacks up.
If there’s one feature of the Cruiser 76 that has iconified it since the first iteration over seven decades ago, it is the irreverence with which it embraces its heritage with its unmistakeably classic, boxy shape.
At the rear, the simple taillights and barn-style doors with a spare wheel attached spell out utility, not glamour, as the dark grey alloy wheels and steel bumpers round out the tough-as-nails aesthetic.
Aside from a few contemporary touches, such as a bold black grille and round headlights complemented by LED fog lamps and the large “TOYOTA” badge on the grille, its look is properly rugged. Function over flash. Benchmark stuff that resonates as strongly today as it has for 70 years.
Ironically, it’s precisely this old-school look that has kept it fresh for the longest time despite its apparent shortcomings in the comfort department.
IT’S BIG, BUT NOT THAT BIG
Inside, the heritage vibe continues with a straightforward dash that uses the space well. To its credit, Toyota has overhauled the centre console by adding a few hold-all trays, cup holders (albeit small ones), and a clever cellphone tray with charge cable cut-out.
Equally, the Cruiser is surprisingly up-to-date on the tech front. It sports a neat touchscreen that handles everything from navigation to music streaming, and it’s compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
While many new cars go all-in on digital, the Cruiser keeps it real with manual controls for the air conditioning – a little nod to those who prefer to keep things straightforward. Other standard perks include central locking and electric windows.
Comfort is basic but adequate, with the seats offering enough support for most journeys, although the back seats are a tight squeeze unless you’re hauling kids or shorter folks.
The cargo space is a big plus, proving its worth on various short trips during our test. It’s ideal for pet owners or anyone needing to cart around bulky sports equipment or tools.
The safety features are straightforward but sufficient. It’s equipped with what you need to feel secure without overcomplicating things. It’s got airbags, ABS, and obvious essentials such as hill-start assist, but shuns most other gimmicky tech in favour of remaining analogue.
ANALOGUE DRIVE
Our time with the Cruiser took us across varied terrain, including runs to the mall, highway cruising, and a few challenging backroads, where the Cruiser was simply impossible to beat.
Yes, it’s a little noisy and heavy, and its meaty tyres aren’t exactly ideal for highway cruising, but its light steering and raised seating position made it less cumbersome than you’d think, even on rough terrain.
Under the hood, the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine transplanted from the Toyota Hilux is a solid performer, making the Cruiser competent both on steep inclines and off-road trails. It’s not just about power, the engine is also surprisingly fuel-efficient for such a large vehicle, with Toyota claiming 9.8 l/100 km. During our test period, we couldn’t get the needle to dip below the 10.5 l/100 km mark, but even with the slightly elevated consumption number, the large (130-litre) fuel tank means that you can go longer between fill-ups, which is perfect for road trips to remote destinations.
On the subject of fuel, the robust 2.8 GD-6 won’t choke on poorer quality diesel either, another reason why the Cruiser is still Africa’s off-roading leader.
LAST WORD
The Land Cruiser 76 isn’t cheap, with the base LX model priced just under a million Rand. It’s a serious investment, but for those needing a vehicle that can handle almost anything, will last forever, and will retain a decent resale value for even longer, it might be worth it. So what if it lags behind some newer rivals in terms of fancy tech, when it comes to sheer off-road ability, it is still in a league of its own.
Report & Images by BERNIE HELLBERG JR
