Test drive of the Toyota Land Cruiser 180D VXL Auto, unstoppable 4x4

Every day there are fewer 4x4s on the market, vehicles that can be called off-roaders in the truest sense and that aren’t afraid to leave the tarmac or face a snowy road high in the mountains. The Highmotor test team put the Toyota Land Cruiser to the test at high altitude in its five-door version, with an automatic gearbox and the VXL trim.

Design: exterior muscle for a spacious seven-seat interior

The Toyota Land Cruiser doesn’t go unnoticed wherever it goes, and even less so in its five-door version, because its dimensions and shapes are very striking. Externally it stands out for its considerable height, straight lines that project a robust image, and an imposing front end where the grille and headlights take centre stage (with full-LED technology on our unit).

From the side, we see its 19-inch alloy wheels (depending on the version) and the practical side steps, especially useful for getting into the cabin. At the rear, the design is again robust (especially its raised LED tail lights) and there is a large tailgate that opens sideways, with a high but comfortable loading lip.

Once inside, the feeling that takes over is one of space, both in the huge seats up front and in the rear. The dashboard has a very Japanese design, and the build quality is decent; much of the material is soft to the touch. Details such as the digital clock on the climate control screen are a nod to classic Japanese vehicles. The navigation screen is a touchscreen from which the multimedia system and navigation are controlled, while directly below are the climate control switches.

The driving position is elevated, with electrically adjustable seats (the steering wheel is also electrically adjustable) that hold the body perfectly, with good lateral support, and with heating and ventilation functions. The centre console is raised and has a large armrest with two generous compartments for storing items.

The rear seats are very spacious, both in width and in legroom and headroom. The backrest angle can also be adjusted. Our VXL-trim unit featured three-zone climate control, with individual controls for the rear seats and seat heating.

The third row of seats offers sufficient width but little legroom, although it is roomier than similar solutions in seven-seat models.

The boot has a high but practical loading lip, with a capacity of 554 litres with five seats and 104 litres with all seven seats. The rear window or the tailgate, which opens sideways, can be opened.

Engine and performance: 177 CV of pure power

Behind the 180D designation lies a 2,700 cc diesel engine block producing 177 CV, whose job is to move this off-roader of almost five metres and over two tonnes with reasonable ease and plenty of force.

It is neither a smooth nor a sporty engine, but thanks to its 420 Nm of torque, in the 1,400–2,600 rpm range this Land Cruiser moves with considerable force, although it runs out of steam after 3,000 rpm, which is entirely logical in this off-road segment, where torque matters more than power.

Our unit is paired with a torque converter automatic gearbox, which, while comfortable, doesn’t fully exploit the engine and can become annoying at high revs. I believe that with a manual gearbox you could get more out of those 177 CV, although it depends on what you’re looking for, because in terms of comfort and refinement it is more than adequate.

Handling: typically off-road

At the wheel of the Land Cruiser you have to be aware that it is an off-roader, that is, a tall vehicle with considerable dimensions and a weight exceeding two tonnes. With that in mind, the unit we tested in VXL trim features adaptive suspension which keeps the chassis under control depending on the driving mode.

It has three driving modes: ECO, Normal and Sport. In ECO and Normal modes, in corners you will notice the inertia typical of its size, which saps much of its effectiveness and even comfort when climbing or descending a mountain pass. The best option in this situation is to engage Sport mode, which noticeably improves the chassis behaviour, making it firmer and reducing the body movement through each bend. That said, even in Sport mode, it is a slow-accelerating car.

On the road, as long as it isn’t too demanding, the handling is stable and geared towards comfort, particularly smooth when the tarmac is badly broken or deteriorated. On the motorway it cruises well, with good sound insulation even though the engine is not quiet and its dimensions don’t help aerodynamics.

Another point to consider is the braking system, which you have to get used to — and, as is logical, avoid pushing braking to the limit because, although it fulfils its function, physics is physics.

4×4 dynamics: king off the tarmac

Without a doubt, when you drive a Land Cruiser it doesn’t matter what the surface is or what type of terrain you are on. Its generous ground clearance of 21.5 cm, its generous angles (approach: 31 degrees, departure: 25 degrees and breakover: 22 degrees), or its wading depth of up to 70 cm are exterior characteristics that already give an idea of its effectiveness off the tarmac.

Add to this a full-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case and, depending on the version, a centre and rear differential lock (or even the Multi-Terrain Select System, a terrain-specific selector equipped on the top-of-the-range Limited). Our unit in VXL trim had the traditional low-range transfer case and centre differential lock, which guarantee you can get out of 90% of complicated off-road situations.

In fact, to test it, we decided to take a mountain route, to put it through its paces specifically in snow. As standard, our unit comes with M+S tyres in 265/55 R19 sizes, which, although not winter tyres as such, passed the test with flying colours.

The Land Cruiser can run in 4x4H or 4x4L mode, always in permanent four-wheel drive. In that mode we were able to overcome most obstacles, and should the track become difficult, it is enough to stop and engage the low-range transfer case so that literally nothing can stop you. In fact, during the test over various tracks (with snow of different depths) we never needed to lock the centre differential.

When driving in mountain areas, it makes no difference how broken the track is, because thanks to its ground clearance and generously profiled tyres, this Land Cruiser passes over any type of terrain without complications.

In short, we did not carry out a technical off-road test or drive on sand, but we did cover several kilometres on snowy tracks with snow of different types, as well as testing on closed mountain terrain with broken tracks and firebreaks, and the 4×4 capability of this Toyota seems to have no limits, beyond those set by its tyres (it is always advisable to fit more specific ones if you plan more intensive off-road use).

Consumption

Fuel consumption figures are not the most notable aspect of this 4×4, since given its characteristics they are higher than those of an SUV, for example. On the motorway, average consumption was 10.9 litres per 100 km, while on the road the lowest figure we achieved was 8.2 litres per 100 km, but it normally hovers around 10 litres per 100 km.

Equipment

The five-door version comes in several trim levels: GX, VX, VXL and Limited. The base trim includes: a self-locking centre differential (with low range), 245/70 R17 tyres with steel wheels, a 6-speaker CD radio, auxiliary input and USB, manual air conditioning (automatic on seven-seat versions), among other features. The VX level adds cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear-view camera and Toyota Touch 2 touchscreen, among other features.

The trim of our unit, VXL, adds 19-inch alloy wheels, full-LED headlights, LSD Torsen rear differential lock, the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) and a sunroof, among others. Finally, the Limited level adds Active Crawl Control, an entertainment system for the rear seats, GO navigation with advanced functions, AVS variable adaptive suspension and the Multi-Terrain System (MTS).

Within the equipment, the full-LED headlights on our unit stand out for their excellent visibility, while the area for improvement is the infotainment system, whose operation is not fluid and which falls short compared with what other models offer today.

Price and personal opinion

Now that

there are few true 4x4s left, this Land Cruiser becomes more necessary. It’s clear it is not a car for those looking for a large vehicle for the road; on tarmac it behaves correctly, but that is not its best habitat. When the tarmac ends and tracks or any other kind of terrain open up, that is where this Toyota Land Cruiser shows the best of its potential. Looking at the equipment, with the VXL trim we did not need the Multi-Terrain System to get out of any difficult situation; in fact, with the low-range transfer case it is possible to get out of 95% of conventional situations (rural tracks, snow, difficult countryside terrain). Other, more demanding off-road routes are where it may be worth having it.

The starting price for the five-door version with the base GX trim is 40,500 euros, while the version we tested had a price of 59,300 euros.

Photos | Test team