Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series Double-Cab 2012: Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $67,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Air Conditioning: $2761; Heavy-Duty Steel Tray: $2508; Headboard-mounted Spare Tyre Hanger $73
Crash rating: Three-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 11.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 304
Also consider: Land Rover Defender 130 (from $52,690 - $54,190); Toyota HiLux (from $38,990 - $50,990); Ford Ranger (from $42,890 - $57,390); Holden Colorado (from $42,990 - $49,990)

It’s the body style that industry and recreational four-wheel drivers have been crying out for for more than a quarter of a century. And now, the 79 Series double-cab has finally arrived, albeit in the workhorse’s twilight years.

Toyota has said that there will be no vehicle to replace the 70 Series range when the current model has run its course. And with fleet buyers now requiring a five-star ANCAP rating -- something the 79 will never achieve -- the heavy-duty four-wheel drive ute’s days are numbered.

The only other full-size, heavy-duty, double-cab four-wheel drive ute on the market is the Land Rover Defender. Its heritage stretches back longer than the 79 Series, and it feels it. Ironically Land Rover lost its popularity in the bush to workhorses like the LandCruiser due to the reliability and factory support of the Japanese brand. Today the Defender’s engine is less than half the size of the Cruiser’s, its cabin is cramped, and despite offering a higher payload it can’t hope to reclaim the popularity it once had.

Lighter duty one-tonne utes such as the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 and Volkswagen Amarok are growing in size, but are still not as big as a LandCruiser. Yet they offer comfort, safety, efficiency and performance the big 79 Series can only dream about. What they can’t touch, not even Toyota’s own HiLux, are the LandCruiser’s tough-as-nails construction, dependability and off-road supremacy.

The LandCruiser double-cab ute was created by using the rear doors from the 76 Series wagon and fitting them to an extended 79 Series ute cabin. The new body sits on the same 3180mm wheelbase as the single-cab ute which puts the cargo tray behind the rear axle line to accommodate the four-door, five-seat cabin.

The LandCruiser’s payload is between 819kg and 959kg depending on the weight of accessories fitted. So, it can’t match the capacity of smaller utes that carry one-tonne and more. It does, however, have a 3500kg (braked) towing capacity which is only matched by Holden’s newest Colorado. But with its heavy duty build and stump-pulling V8 engine, we feel the LandCruiser would haul such a load a lot more comfortably.

Under the new body is the same ladder frame chassis as found in other 70 series models. Its live axles both fore and aft use soft-riding coil springs up front and load-bearing leaf springs at the rear. The engine and gearbox are the same across the range, too, with the familiar 151kW/430Nm 4.5-liter turbo-diesel engine grunting away under the big, flat bonnet.

The 79 Series LandCruiser double-cab is available exclusively with a five-speed manual gearbox.

This is a significant omission from the specification list as many recreational buyers, and specifically those who want to tow, prefer automatic transmissions. The 79 Series would also benefit from the taller gearing of an auto as with the standard five-speed manual, the engine is pulling close to 3000rpm at highway speeds. With its torque, it should effortlessly cruise 1000rpm lower.

The high revving of the engine also makes it thirstier than it need be. On test, we returned 13.1L/100km, totalling around 900km of highway driving from the 130-litre tank.

The 70 Series range was updated at the time of the double-cab’s launch with improved front seats, a better audio system (with Bluetooth and voice recognition), a standard fit air intake snorkel, and front and rear diff locks (standard on GXL models).

The new front seats are longer and have more padding in the bases to noticeably improve driver and passenger comfort, but the interior remains a Spartan affair. The GXL model adds power windows and cloth seat trim and there’s a new small console around the gearshift that offers a single cup-holder and 12-volt power outlet.

The high seating position is comfortable and gives great vision through the tall, upright windows. Plenty of noise intrudes to the cabin both from the rumbling engine and wind noise around the large manually-adjusted exterior mirrors. The sounds and driving position are constant reminders that you are driving something that is more light-truck than passenger car.

The back seat is the same as that used in the 76 wagon giving a wide, flat pew with lots of space for three adults. Unfortunately, for anyone riding in the centre position, there is only a lap seatbelt and no headrest, compromising safety. There are no provisions in the back seat for the fitting of child seats -- an oversight in a vehicle that might otherwise appeal to family buyers living on the land or looking to tour the country.

Safety was improved with the 2012 upgrade adding anti-lock brakes to the standard inclusion of dual front airbags. Side airbags and stability control are still not available, and as such, the LandCruiser 79 Series scores a three-star ANCAP rating.

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series double-cab ute is a unique vehicle; and at $68,000 plus the tray and air-conditioning is also the highest priced ute on the market.

Tough and rugged with the ability to go anywhere you’d really need to think long and hard to justify the cost of the 79 over a more modern, lighter, safer and more efficient one-tonne ute.

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