If you had to choose one car and it had to last you the rest of your life it would have to be one of these.
Imagine being in a post-apocalyptic world – and with AI and Trump in our lives that’s not too difficult – you would need something simple, reliable, capacious, with go-anywhere-ability.
Let’s face it, the pothole fillers will be long gone and asphalt is going to be at a premium, so it needs to be a proper off-roader not a soft-roader.
Toyota’s Land Cruiser would be my first choice and if friends and family had gone too the Commercial would do nicely for me.
It is huge yet only has two front seats. Behind the cage divider, to the rear of the driver’s head, there is a square load bay that will swallow 2,000 litres.
That’s more than enough for supplementary fuel tanks, food, even livestock, water, clothes and the odd armament to keep the hostiles at bay.
So what are the pros and cons? Well on the plus side you will love its Leviathan size and great road presence, its immense load carrying ability, the go-anywhere 4×4 with crawler low ratio box and diff-locks, the high build quality and peerless reliability, its strong performance with good economy and the overall enjoyable driving experience.
Cons might include slightly weak headlights, even on high beam, no heated steering wheel, no satnav but there is Apple Car Play to use Google Maps, no rear seats, but then it is a Commercial and it’s a diesel.
It’s strange that something so square can look this good and the big Toyota is recognisably brand Land Cruiser.
The lights and grille make it look contemporary and the over-square nature makes driving such a beast an absolute doddle because you can see where your extremities lie and slot the giant home.
The rear door windows are blanked out making it van-like but the rear camera and big wing mirrors offer excellent visibility.
It’s a Commercial so it needs to be utilitarian inside but that doesn’t mean it’s badly equipped. The great thing is that primary functions are on knobs, buttons and switches so you can happily drive in gloves not worrying about having to swipe a touchscreen.
It feels well-made and solid, but then it would as it’s a Toyota. The specification is high so the heated seats are electrically operated, as are the large door mirrors. There are controls on the steering wheel for the cruise and to operate the infotainment.
Something this big, square and heavy (3.1 tonnes) should not be this good to drive. Land Cruiser bowls along in such a relaxed fashion that it’s virtually impossible not to fall in love with it.
The 2.8 litre turbo diesel has the tell-tale oil-burner rattle but it is lusty and surprisingly quick off the mark. Loads, gradients and head winds make no difference to progress and it shrugs off any condition with alacrity.
In the dirt it is even more impressive with the low ratio box, diff-locks, electronic wizardry and great axle articulation offering true off-road ability making it virtually unstoppable. It is epic.
A strong motor (it will pull 3.5 tonnes) and a silky smooth and slick eight-speed automatic gearbox make the Land Cruiser special to drive and the handling is exceptional too.
Its all-wheel-drive makes it very grippy, the body control is impressive and the ride quality is composed. Add positive steering and powerful brakes and the Toyota is indecently good to drive.
High spec, immense capabilities and an excluding VAT price tag of just over £50k make the Land Cruiser an enviable buy.
The economy for such a behemoth is startling. I managed 32.5mpg on average but on one run saw 40.5mpg on the trip computer.
Life is strange and just as some very expensive vehicles leave me cold and unimpressed, what should be a utilitarian workhorse has me feeling warm and fuzzy.
Land Cruiser really is that good – try one.
Factfile
| Engine: 2.8 litre, diesel |
| Drivetrain: eight-speed automatic full-time AWD |
| Power: 202BHP, 500NM torque |
| Top speed: 102mph |
| 0-62mph: 10.9 secs |
| Miles per gallon (combined): 32.5 |
| CO2 (g/km): 278 |
| Price: £61,995 (£51,729 with VAT reclaimed) |
