ROAD TEST: Toyota Land Cruiser VX Limited

OVERSTEER ROAD TEST: Toyota Land Cruiser VX Limited

The latest incarnation of the Toyota Land Cruiser VX Limited maintains the model’s formidable off road ability, while adding to its ever-increasing on road prowess.

“I know what this is!” cried the smart-arsed blonde as she walked past the massive white Toyota Land Cruiser I was climbing into, “It’s a penis extension!”

I got half way through my first list of reasons why the Cruiser was awesome (“It’s HUGE!”, “It’s got a faaarkin’ big turbo V8 engine!”, “Listen to the sound it makes!”, “The stereo can make you deaf!”, “You don’t need to worry about anything smaller than a Mini, because you don’t feel it when you run over them!”) when I realised that they were all just confirming her statement anyway.

So I just told her to shut up and drove away.

That is because it IS slightly hard to deny that a huge vehicle with a 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 that costs close to $150,000 is anything but the metaphorical penis extension, because is it simply so utterly huge and largely unnecessary that it’s main purpose in life is clearly to gently stroke the driver’s ego. But the Land Cruiser has more to its story than that, more of a working class heritage that sets it apart from the huge and unnecessary competition; whereas the Land Rover might be the 4WD you drive when you inherit money, the Land Cruiser is the one you drive when you made the money yourself by digging drains with your own teeth until you could afford to buy your first digger… or something like that.

Outside

The exterior of the 200 Series Land Cruiser is all business. It’s big, it’s not quite square (but you almost expect to see the file marks where they ground the square edges off) and it’s serious. Except for the silly little LED daytime running lights at the bottom of the headlights that just seem to have been popped in for comedy value. Or to be extra annoying to the poor bastard you are tailgating…

Bling is kept to an admirable minimum on the outside and, apart from the massive chrome grille, is suitably sober and workman-like enough that it simply wouldn’t seem out of place caked in mud and parked badly out the front of a country pub on a saturday night.

There is nothing terribly complicated about the Land Cruiser’s shape. Nothing particularly stylish. Nothing frilly or unnecessary. “I’m a truck. Piss off if you don’t like that” is what the basic shape of the Cruiser says. And that is as it should be. Style, design, flowing lines, soft curves; these things have their place in the car world, just not on the flanks of a Land Cruiser.

After all, if you are the owner of a successful digger contracting company the only place you want flowing lines and soft curves are on the 22 year old secretary you will eventually ditch your wife for. She’ll almost certainly get the house in the divorce settlement, but you’ll probably get to keep the Cruiser…

Inside

Inside the Cruiser is relatively bling-free too, with a splash of horrid dark wood and matt silvery plastic the only real nod to unnecessary showiness and even then it is kept to an admirable minimum.

The seats are spectacular, being both heated AND cooled as well as fully electrically adjustable, and while being tailored for, erm, “larger” frames (think your stereotypical digger contracting company owner…) and therefore lacking in lateral support for more modest shapes, are still wonderfully comfortable, while the leather is impressive.

The list of standard specification on the top-of-the-line VX Limited Cruiser we tested is impressive to say the least, with a staggeringly loud stereo being our particular highlight. Complete with nine speakers, a fold down rear DVD screen, full iPod integration, a USB port and other elderly technologies like radio and CD, the sound quality of the Cruiser’s stereo is simply amazing. Startlingly clear and frighteningly loud, it will have you deaf before the warranty expires if restraint is not exercised…

Elsewhere inside the Land Cruiser you get four zone climate control air conditioning, a chilled centre console compartment, the “Electronic Multi-Vision Display” in the dash that displays the satellite navigation system, Bluetooth telephone capability, audio controls, climate controls and reversing camera, second row rear seat heaters, strip computer with twin trip meters, gear lever position, driving range, average speed, distance travelled, current and average fuel consumption, steering wheel angle display, digital speed display, turn-by-turn navigation display and the Multi-Terrain Select display for off-road doings.

The Cruiser is bristling with cameras, with one at the front, one either side and one at the rear, which are used for parking, ensuring you don’t back over stray children or smaller cars and gently squeezing between trees and the like off the sealed stuff.

Admirably restrained and understatedly luxurious, the interior of the Land Cruiser VX Limited is in keeping with a vehicle that costs $147,500, yet is neither overly showy nor unnecessarily over-styled.

Under the bonnet

Pure muscle is what nestles under the plain bonnet of the Land Cruiser 200 Series. Pure muscle in the form of an impressive 4.5-litre twin turbo diesel V8 that pumps out 195kW of power and a massive 650Nm of torque.

It is this huge chunk of torque that gives the Land Cruiser its extraordinary clout. Whether it is hauling the 2,750kg kerb weight over a mountain off the road or over the loss of licence threshold on the road, the muscular V8 is simply remarkably capable at propelling the big Cruiser.

Surprisingly frugal too, for that matter, with the Cruiser sitting on an average of 12.7L/100km during our week with it. When you consider that it is near-as-damn to 3 tonnes, freakin’ huge and surprisingly quick – and in no way was driven conservatively during our time with it – a figure this close to single figures is staggeringly good…

The torquey V8 is hooked up to a brilliantly calibrated six-speed automatic transmission that channels the power through Toyota’s remarkable 4WD system. Full-time 4WD and a Torsen centre LSD combine to make the Land Cruiser as capable off the road as it is on, with its legendary off-road reputation well and truly intact with the latest incarnation.

An array of off-road electronics compliment the tough, basic hardware’s pure ability, with a multi-speed crawl function with “Turn Assist” and the multi-terrain select, with settings for various types of terrain.

On the road

The sheer muscle provided by the big diesel V8 makes the Land Cruiser a formidable machine on the road. Forward motion is utterly effortless, while overtaking is equally effortless and ever-so-slightly spectacular as the big Cruiser rears its nose and bellows past whatever mobile chicane currently holding you up.

While the chassis is very much oriented towards off-road ability and on-road comfort rather than corner-carving athletics, it can still be hustled through the twisty bits at an impressive rate, provided you are willing to put up with considerable body roll.

What it does best, however, is suggested by its name; cruising. Whether at or considerably above the legal limit, the Land Cruiser is almost arrogant in its ability to waft over New Zealand roads. Nothing particularly unsettles it and the seemingly endless torque from the engine means that if you do, by chance, have to slow down, getting back up to speed again is merely a slight flex of the right ankle away.

Off the sealed stuff, the Land Cruiser is equally impressive with its sheer comfort and massive torque making progress across any kind of terrain equally effortless. The only real limiting factor of the Cruiser off the road (and on it in some situations) is its sheer size and expense, as gently guiding it through potentially panel-damaging trees and rocks is sometimes slightly overwhelming, with the number “147,500” always lurking in the back of your mind…

Verdict

Overall the Land Cruiser VX Limited is a remarkably impressive and likable machine. The massive engine is both incredibly muscular and surprisingly frugal, while the luxurious, yet pleasantly understated interior is a thoroughly comfortable, functional and sensible place to spend time.

The exterior is both understated and muscular – possibly a bit TOO understated for some tastes – while the interior manages to be both understated and luxurious.

The Cruiser’s sheer size may be intimidating for some, but probably not for the sort of person who has $150K to drop on a ‘proper’ 4WD.

Which the Cruiser most certainly is. Legendary off road ability, effortless on road ability and absolutely jam-packed with kit, the Land Cruiser VX Limited represents remarkable value for money, even for its considerable asking price.

Toyota Land Cruiser VX Limited Specifications

Price: $147,500
Body type: 5-door wagon
Drive: Four-wheel drive
Engine Type: V8
Engine Capacity: 4461cc
Max power: 195kW @ 3400rpm
Max torque: 650Nm @ 2600rpm
Fuel Consumption: 10.3L/100km
C02 emission: 273g/km
0 to 100kph: N/a
Front suspension: Independent double wishbone
Rear suspension: 4-line coil rigid suspension
ABS Brakes: Yes
Air Bags: 12
ESP: Yes
Air Conditioning: Four zone climate control
Lap/diagonal belts: 7
Satellite Navigation: Yes
Electric seats: Yes
Burglar Alarm: Yes
Panic Button: Yes
Wheel type: 18-inch alloy