Automotive

Review: 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser lets you safari in comfort

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The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser - there's still a bit of African adventure in this Cruiser
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser - there's still a bit of African adventure in this Cruiser
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The 2016 Land Cruiser has shed much of its safari image, taking on a more urbane look
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The suburbanite sport utility bodywork has smoothed away most of those chiseled, rough edges for a more contemporary appeal
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser has only one trim level, stepping away from the usual Toyota multi-trim scheme
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser is still a big, robust sport utility
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
Standard equipment includes a locking center differential, five-speed crawl control, hill descent control, and a unique Off-Road Turn Assist system which applies brakes to the inner wheels on a turn to improve the turning radius off-track
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
Off the road is where the Land Cruiser really comes into its own
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
What we also like in this 2016 Land Cruiser is the multi-view camera system which allows the driver to select from various camera viewpoints
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
There are few factory-made vehicles capable of the kind of off-pavement feats that a Land Cruiser can manage
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
In the snow, on uneven trails, and through drift and wash, the Land Cruiser never faltered as we piloted through the backcountry in South East Wyoming
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The beefy truck-ready powerplant under the 2016 Land Cruiser’s hood is a 5.7-liter eight-cylinder that outputs 371 horsepower
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
New this year is the eight-speed automatic transmission that attaches to that engine in full-time four-wheel drive
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
In the interior, the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser’s US$85,000 price tag gets you a host of features that would befit any luxury vehicle
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The very upscale cabin comfortably seats five with the third row seating two more when required
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The second row is sliding and reclining with a 40/20/40 split and comes standard with an entertainment system
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
Cargo space is good, but not excellent thanks to those third row seats folding to the side, taking up room
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The two-piece tailgate is an ergonomic touch
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
With the third row stowed, the Land Cruiser has 43 cubic feet (1,218 liters) of cargo
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The infotainment in the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s Entune system with its smartphone integrated app-based services
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
The Land Cruiser also comes with Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) as standard
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag
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The legendary Land Cruiser brings to mind visions of great adventures on the savannah, where lions roar in the evening and herds of water buffalo rumble by in the distance. The urbane looks of the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser seem well and truly at odds with that image, yet underneath the rough-and-ready capability of the LC of old is still there. This Toyota can race the rhino with any of its forebears. It will just look classier doing it.

Standard equipment includes a locking center differential, five-speed crawl control, hill descent control, and a unique Off-Road Turn Assist system which applies brakes to the inner wheels on a turn to improve the turning radius off-track
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag

The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser has only one trim level, stepping away from the usual Toyota multi-trim scheme, and opting for something more akin to what the upscale Lexus brand might do. The price tag for the Land Cruiser definitely puts it in contention for the Lexus nameplate, being just a few thousand shy of a well-outfitted Lexus LX 570 SUV. There is a lot of shared equipment under the bodywork. Those who know the "Baja Lexus" will recognize the third row's fold up-and-to-the-side setup and some of the switches and knobs on the dash. They'll also be familiar with the big V8 under the hood.

The beefy truck-ready powerplant under the 2016 Land Cruiser’s hood is a 5.7-liter eight-cylinder that outputs 371 horsepower
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag

The beefy powerplant under the 2016 Land Cruiser's hood is a 5.7-liter eight-cylinder that outputs 371 horsepower (277 kW) and 401 pound-feet (544 Nm) of torque. New this year is the eight-speed automatic transmission that attaches to that engine in full-time four-wheel drive. The extra gearing did not improve fuel economy, however, which still stands at 15 mpg (16 l/100km) combined. This is calculated from an EPA-estimated 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway (18 and 13 l/100km).

Before anyone scoffs at that number, which is low mpg even for a truck, remember that the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser is about capability, not economy. Standard equipment includes a locking center differential, five-speed crawl control, hill descent control, and a unique Off-Road Turn Assist system which applies brakes to the inner wheels on a turn to improve the turning radius off-track. The Land Cruiser also comes with Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) as standard. This electronically adjusts and separates the stabilizer bars for improved ride and better wheel reach off the road. It is, in our experience, one of the best factory-made systems of this type on the market. It is featured on the Toyota 4Runner Trail and select vehicles in the TRD Pro line.

In the interior, the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser’s US$85,000 price tag gets you a host of features that would befit any luxury vehicle
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag

In the interior, the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser's US$85,000 USD price tag gets you a host of features that would befit a luxury vehicle. Automatic LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, power-folding heated mirrors, a roof rack, running boards, and keyless entry/ignition are all there. So are technology features centered in the 9-inch touchscreen on the dash. Voice controls, Qi wireless device charging, and dual-screen rear seat entertainment are also standard. The second row is sliding and reclining with a 40/20/40 split. The infotainment in the Land Cruiser is Toyota's Entune system with its smartphone integrated app-based services. A 14-speaker JBL sound system is also standard. The 2016 Land Cruiser literally has no factory options beyond its paint color.

The very upscale cabin comfortably seats five with the third row seating two more when required. Those seats are really only meant for children, but expand the carrying capacity of the Land Cruiser to seven people in all. Cargo space is good, but not excellent thanks to those third row seats folding to the side, taking up room. With the third row stowed, the Land Cruiser has 43 cubic feet (1,218 liters) of cargo, which expands to almost 82 (2,322 liters) when the second row is folded. The two-piece tailgate is a nice ergonomic touch.

The two-piece tailgate is an ergonomic touch
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag

What we also like in this Land Cruiser is the multi-view camera system which allows the driver to select from various camera viewpoints (rear by default, front or either side by selection) for both on and off the road vision during maneuvers.

Out on the road and highway, the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser is a smooth drive. Around town, its truck-based roots show with its wide turning radius and poor visibility, but the built-in cameras with multiple angles are a boon in tight parking lots and sometimes on narrow streets.

In the snow, on uneven trails, and through drift and wash, the Land Cruiser never faltered as we piloted through the backcountry in South East Wyoming
Aaron Turpen / Gizmag

Off the road, though, is where the Land Cruiser really comes into its own. This is no typical soccer mom mobile and the LC capability of legend is quickly shown to still be there. In the snow, on uneven trails, and through drift and wash, the Land Cruiser never faltered as we piloted through the backcountry in South Eastern Wyoming.

There are few factory-made vehicles capable of the kind of off-pavement feats that a Land Cruiser can manage, so for those who need that kind of capability and sure-footed excellence, the legendary Land Cruiser still delivers in 2016 ... and in much more style and comfort than in years gone by.Product Page: Toyota Land Cruiser

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8 comments
Tommo
Give me a Range Rover any day, the LC looks agricultural in comparison..
RangerJones
Probably the worst cargo area of any SUV EVER. Just ugly and horribly engineered. Would never trade my Infinity for THAT.
MikeDaniel
Horribly overpriced, even for a Toyota.
hockeyornothing
I'd strongly disagree - pretty much give me Toyota ANY DAY! Currently driving a 2004 Toyota Sequoia with only 361,500 miles on it! Haven't put money into - ever - with the exception of tires, oil changes (religiously every 3,000), brakes and most recently a second timing belt - again normal maintenance. I've calculated out that I've spent much more on gas over the years than the original cost of the vehicle. I couldn't be happier. We also have 1995 LC with 198,000 miles on it. Never had any problems there either and we've leased many other LC's over the years too.
KenCapach
About the only advantage a Range Rover has over a Land Cruiser is that you can get a diesel in the RR. Aside from that, the Cruiser is the far better vehicle.
EduardoHernandez
Correction, it is an Eight Passenger Vehicle. It is well worth the price.
Kudos74
Text From an Australian review with the 4.5 TTD engine.
Mechanically, the LandCruiser is lightly revived with Euro5 emissions-compliant 4.5-litre twin-turbo-diesel and naturally-aspirated 4.6-litre petrol V8 engines. Power for the oiler (as tested) increases by 5kW to 200kW (at 3600rpm) – thanks to new fuel injectors and revised engine mapping – while torque is unaltered at 650Nm (from 1600-2600rpm). The six-speed automatic transmission and full-time, dual-range all-wheel drive system are unchanged.
Toyota says the diesel model's fuel economy improves by nearly eight per cent, now 9.5L/100km, with CO2 emissions now listed at 250g/km. Not bad figures for a four-wheel drive that tips the scale at 2740kg (kerb) and is capable of towing 3500kg (braked)
My Comment , We change our landcruisers over every two years . We never go near the petrol V8 . Cant even give them away to anyone down here !
yawood
@KenCapach. In Australia the 4.5 litre V8 Diesel is the only engine available over the whole 200 range. The upper models do have a petrol (gas) engine option but hardly anyone opts for it. IMHO the Toyota Landcruiser is the king of the full-size 4x4 vehicles. The Range Rover is OK but is more for city posers than those who truly travel outback and get their vehicle dirty.