Overview

TOYOTA added the option of a five-speed manual transmission to its beloved LandCruiser 70 Series range late last year, the tried-and-true workhorse, which now features a turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine across the range, having been previously offered only with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Priced from $75,600 plus on-road costs, the class-of-its-own LandCruiser is something of an anachronism when viewed against more modern four-wheel drives but is one that Australian buyers continue to admire for its go-anywhere ruggedness and no-nonsense design.

The newly offered manual transmission is offered on selected Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series variants and is said to “make the most of the four-cylinder engine’s higher torque output with shorter first, second and third ratios to aid start-off performance, and a longer fifth gear to help improve fuel economy and reduce engine noise when cruising at highway speeds”.

A new flywheel compatible with a 12-inch clutch has also been adopted for the new powertrain, providing excellent clutch slip resistance, while a triple synchronisation mechanism has been added for the first gear to enhance shifting operability.

The final drive ratio also differs at 4.1:1 against the automatic’s 4.3:1.

Along with the range of durability-focused engine upgrades applied to four-cylinder grades in late 2023, manual variants further add a dust seal to the rear-end plate to prevent ingress of foreign matter to the release bearing.

Apart from the deletion of the front console box due to the packaging of the manual gear shifter, and downhill assist control, all variants equipped with the manual transmission offer the same level of equipment and share the same GCM and towing capacity as their automatic counterparts.

Front and rear differential locks remain optional on selected grades ($1500), while premium paint attracts a $675 surcharge.

The LandCruiser 70 Series range continues to be powered by Toyota’s 1GD-series 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine developing 150kW of power at 3200-3400rpm and 450Nm over 2400-3000rpm.

Toyota says the four-cylinder engine comes with several mechanical upgrades which improve cooling and reliability in “heavy-usage scenarios”. The changes include the addition of a larger diameter cooling fan and an isolation crank pulley to reduce the load on the engine’s serpentine belt.

A newly designed sump pan, strainer and oil level sensor has also been introduced, aimed at improving oil delivery in “off-camber and hilly situations”, while the orientation of the oil filter has been adjusted to suit its new location.

Toyota says noise, vibration and harshness levels have also been reduced thanks to the inclusion of a balance shaft.

In automatic variants, we find a deeper oil pan, optimised oil strainer intake position, and newly added oil catch tank. The automatic transmission further offers a power/haul mode, and a second gear start switch for easier recovery from mud, snow, or sand.

Finally, the updated LC70 sports an underbody guard for the transmission, while the breather hose has been raised to a height of 900mm to assist water wading.

Identifying the updated LC70 from its predecessors are LED headlights with automatic high beam, the updated design of the ‘70’ also sees the addition of a new black mesh grille with “heritage inspired” bonnet and turn signals, and dark grey alloy wheels and over-fenders on 76 and 79 Series GX and GXL variants.

The 76 Series wagon range (tested) is now available with a new Eclipse Black paint hue joining the carry-over six colours already available throughout the range. Metallic paint is a $675 option.

Inside, the updates extend to a larger 6.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with voice recognition and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4.3-inch digital instrument cluster display, and new-look instrumentation that recalls the FJ40 series LandCruiser.

New multimedia and safety assist control buttons have been added to the steering wheel, while the console has been “redesigned with greater amenity” in mind. GXL grades gain two USB-C ports which replace the existing 12-volt socket, while the 76 Series line-up adds a reversing camera.

Across the range, an expanded suite of Toyota Safety Sense technologies arrives, now offering downhill assist control, road sign assist, and lane departure alert – the features join the existing pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

Warranty cover extends to five years / unlimited kilometres. The LandCrusier 70 Series requires servicing every six months / 10,000km (whichever comes first), and is offered with capped price servicing to the tune of $545 per visit – yes, an expensive proposition no matter how you choose to look at it.

Driving Impressions

Given the uncertain political times we live in, the LandCrusier’s Orwellian origin date of 1984 seems somehow rather fitting...

Sure, the engine and driver assistance technologies offered in the 70 Series have come a long way in 40 years, but the tried-and-true recipe is essentially unaltered – something LandCruiser loyalists wouldn’t have any other way.

The 1GD-series engine familiar to the HiLux and others is a good fit for the ’70 providing decent acceleration and respectable fuel economy. On test, we managed 10.6 litres per 100km, which outperforms my HiLux across similar usage patterns – and is all the more impressive when you consider the ’70 makes do with just five forward ratios (against the HiLux’s six).

Of course, the ’70 is nowhere near as refined as HiLux with its the independently sprung front end. It is, however, a steadier proposition than the likes of the Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator and provides a reassuring foothold on sealed and unsealed roads alike, the latter a 70 Series highlight.

Toyota changed the final drive ratio of the ’70 to accommodate the four-cylinder engine, lessening the reduction ratio for crawling to 38.5:1 (down from 44.0:1 in the now-departed V8). In combination with first gear, we found it more than capable of pulling itself up steep off-road grades.

It did not, unfortunately, change the front-to-rear wheel track discrepancy which remains 95mm wider at the front. In truth, it’s not the bother as some make it out to be but can still be felt when tackling tricky obstacles at a slow-motion pace.

The five-speed ‘box feels as familiar as any LandCruiser I can recall, there’s even a sense the old HZJ75 is sitting under your left hand at times... The clutch action is progressive and with appropriate weight for the task at hand, though we did occasionally find it necessary to take your time when returning to first to avoid that little ‘snag’.

While we won’t go in to repeating the remainder our drive impressions of the automatic four-cylinder 70 Series, we will take a moment to highlight some of the downsides ownership might pose – especially if you’re viewing the vehicle as an alternative to a more modern four-wheel drive, like the Y62-series Nissan Patrol, 300-series Toyota LandCruiser, or a ute-based alternative like the Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

As much as I personally love the honesty of this vehicle, there is simply no getting around the fact it is a 40-year-old design. It is not as spacious or comfortable as a modern four-wheel drive. The cabin is narrow, rear-seat legroom is cramped, the seats are about as comfortable as deck chairs, and the ergonomics are woeful.

Sound insulation is basically non-existent, and the level of in-cabin storage is a joke. Front seat occupants will need to fight over the cup-holder and rear seat occupants don’t get one.

There is very little in terms of oddment storage, and equipment offerings are limited. No rear-seat ventilation outlets, no climate control, no sat nav, no seat heaters, no wireless phone charging pad, no self-dimming mirror… the list goes on and on.

The updated infotainment system is likewise laughable with a tiny screen and terrible audio quality. In fact, at highway speeds you can’t even hear it.

Yes, we know a lot of people like to personalise their LandCrusier with armrests, consoles, cup holders and audio equipment.

But to retail a car for close to $80K and offer it with so very little – especially when you consider its design costs have now been well and truly amortised – is a joke. Expecting customers to have to option the car with thousands of dollars of aftermarket accessories to bring it in line with a base spec Corolla is simply insulting.

In 2025 we reckon you’d have to need a 70 Series for it to make any sense at all.

If you live in a remote area where the “roads” will destroy a lesser four-wheel drive in no time flat – or simply want easy-to-repair pragmatism that only the LC70 provides in this day and age – then it’s arguably a vehicle that makes a lot of sense.

But if you’re a mall crawler who wants the boxy look and will seldom head off-road then perhaps you’re better off looking elsewhere. Personally, I think I’ll stick with the HiLux for now.