We like
Tough as teak, bulletproof, legendary fourbie with as much character as a mere mortal can take. Sounds like a diesel locomotive, goes anywhere, comes back. Huge tray in single cab.

Room for improvement
Fairly underwhelming performance from 4.5-litre turbo diesel V8, drinks diesel when pushed, notchy, whirring old five-speed manual only. Limited seat back adjustment, minimal storage options in single cab model. Crappy audio, boat steering, massive turning circle.

Overview

 

TRY buying a new Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series and you will be asked politely to bugger off and come back later, months later.

 

If buying a used one at auction or from a dealer, you’ll fork out tens of thousands over the odds. This vehicle is still in serious demand and not just by farmers.

 

The tough old truck has come full circle from being just a farm or mining workhorse to being seriously coveted by a wide audience including city folk dreaming of a tree-change.

 

As a phenomenon, it is difficult to put it down to any particular factor but the instant business asset write off could be an influencer as well as buyer preference for an analogue vehicle good for heavy-duty work rather than a digital new model something-or-other wannabe fourbie.

 

GoAuto recently secured a week in the rare LandCruiser 79 Series 70th Anniversary single cab limited edition and we came away surprised on a number of levels.

 

On entering the GXL-based 79 Series 70th you can’t help but notice how “old school” it is in terms of layout and controls. Just like a time warp back 30 odd years despite token efforts by Toyota to update the beast for the 21st Century. They needn’t have bothered as it’s likely buyers prefer old school design and function anyway.

 

The windscreen is almost perpendicular, there’s minimal seat back recline (single cab), the five-speed manual-only gear stick is long with a wide gate between ratios, there’s a secondary 4WD selector lever on the transmission tunnel and the free-wheeling hubs are manually engaged.

 

In other words, you need to get out of the vehicle and turn the dial in the centre of the wheel to fully engage four-wheel drive. Yep, it’s a real throwback.

 

There are a few concessions to modernity such as air-conditioning (with interesting controls), power steering thank goodness and a rudimentary audio system. The two comfy seats in the single cab/chassis version driven here have some adjustment and fold forward to allow small objects to be squeezed in behind.

 

Other than that, minimal storage is provided apart from a centre console lidded box and door pockets. You can of course put just about anything you like in the tray short of a small hatchback.

 

This lack of cabin storage is possibly one of the main criticisms of the vehicle driven but is a reflection of its design age and intended purpose. Buy the dual cab ute or wagon variants and the problem diminishes.

 

The Limited Edition 70^th Anniversary model scores some additional goodies like the black heritage grille with 'TOYOTA' lettering matching the black front bumper and wheel arch flares.

This “stealth” treatment continues with darkened 16-inch alloy wheels and headlamp bezels, while the front fog lamps and daytime running lights have been upgraded to LED units.

Marking the anniversary is a 'Heritage' LandCruiser badge above the front wheel arch, as well as a '70th Anniversary' emblem.

Inside, the special-edition LandCruiser features a number of premium options not previously offered on LandCruiser 70 Series.

The seats are clad in black upholstery while black leather-accented trim has also been applied to the steering wheel and gear shifter.

The interior's ambience has been further enhanced with a woodgrain-look trim and instrument panel, silver accents for the air vents and black treatment for the switch trims on the doors.

A newly designed black centre console has also been fitted, complete with two additional 2.1-amp Type A USB chargers and a pair of cup holders.

 

Only 600 examples of the 70th Anniversary LandCruiser were produced – 320 double cabs, 200 single cabs and 80 wagons. No Troopy. Each was available in three colours: French Vanilla, Merlot Red and Sandy Taupe.

 

This is all probably irrelevant now as all would have been sold but this is how they were priced at launch back in September last year: from $80,050 (single cab), $82,600 (double cab) and $78,500 (wagon) plus on road costs with no movement on price since.

The platinum anniversary model marks the 1951 arrival of Toyota’s BJ in Japan, which three years later was renamed LandCruiser – a brand that has gone into folklore and been affixed to more than 10 million vehicles sold worldwide.

When the 70th Anniversary model was launched, Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations Sean Hanley said Australian customers had made LandCruiser the icon it is today with 1.14 million sold locally.

As expected from a vehicle such as this, all 70 series ‘Cruisers have high and low-range gearing, 3500kg braked towing capacity, front and rear differential locks, a raised air intake and 130-litre fuel capacity.

Some safety upgrades are due to filter through this month with a pre-collision safety system incorporating autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as a payload increase that reclassifies the ‘Cruiser up from the light to the medium goods vehicle category to sidestep re-engineering for new safety requirements.

It already has basic safety technology that includes anti-lock braking, traction control, vehicle stability control and hill-start assist.

Driving impressions

 

Being familiar with this beast over about three decades meant nothing really surprised. It looks a lot better around the front, the tray is comparatively huge and the wheels and other limited edition add-ons are cool.

 

There’s a fair old step up into the cabin, and down when you want to get out, but you become accustomed to it.

 

Taking hold of the key, you slot it into the ignition on the steering wheel and turn it – which is most unusual these days.

 

Fire the 70 series up and you instantly feel and hear one of the main reasons why the 70 series V8 is so popular; it’s the sound, the throb like a locomotive that lives under the bonnet. It’s really macho, semi-trailer V8 engine stuff.

 

Select first through a long throw of the long shaft stick shifter and away you go, for a brief run through first cog which is low geared and then into second.

 

Then the lazy V8 churns out its best torque through a 2000rpm range between 1700 to around 3700 revs, outside of which is pretty much a waste of time.

 

The gears select willingly in a truck-like manner – no quick shifter here – and overall gearing is on the short side apart from top (fifth) which is for cruising, but not up hills, because the 70 Series easily loses pace and needs a downshift to maintain the desired speed.

 

You really have to be prepared to rev it hard for overtaking because there isn’t enough available torque or enough gears to keep the beast on the boil and pulling hard. Overtaking at speed can be interesting unless you have a long clear run.

 

Which comes as a shock compared to the more passenger-oriented LandCruiser 200 Series V8 with a similar engine that goes way better thanks in part to having more gears, auto transmission, two turbos and more power and torque. Then again the newer 300 Series feels positively rapid compared to the 200!

 

But neither 200 or 300 Series is as hard-edged as the 70 Series, which is a favourite of the mining industry because it’s so tough and reliable.

 

You could probably fix one with a screwdriver, a hammer and a piece of fencing wire; that’s how tough and basic it is.

 

The gearbox whirrs away, while the engine can be thrashy and generates plenty of vibes. But that’s what buyers seem to want in their 70 Series truck.

 

Onto the steering, which is completely in keeping with the engine; delivering a light feel, slow response and a large turning circle to keep you on your toes when parking.

 

Unladen ride quality is firm to hard as you’d expect but is a boon when driving on our broken asphalt roads and when off-road.

 

Which brings us to doin’ it in the dirt, at which the ‘Cruiser is extremely adept.

 

Toyota claims you can take it almost anywhere and get back and we would agree with that thanks to the vehicle’s ground clearance, front and rear diff locks, selectable low and high range 4WD, suspension that lifts the body through holes, low gearing and its overall tank-like construction.

 

We took it on the beach and it was the same as long as we deflated the tyres enough to compensate for the weight.

 

On test, we clocked fuel consumption of a touch less than 13 litres per 100km, which gives the Cruiser a range in excess of 1000km.

 

After a week of driving the big old ‘Cruiser you find your love/hate relationship softens toward the former as you revel in the hard core-nature of this iconic, tank-like fourbie that would probably last decades with minimal maintenance, take you reliably around Australia and tow anything, anywhere you choose.

 

You can’t say that about most new cars on the market today.