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Philip Lord3 Mar 2018
REVIEW

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series 2018 Review

We tow-test the latest version of the venerable Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series dual-cab ute
Review Type
Tow Test
Review Location
Jamisontown, NSW

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series ute looks like it's been around for a long while because it has. The boxy turret, with rain channels wide enough to sluice away a monsoonal downpour, and the guard-mounted power aerial look so 1980s because that's precisely the era when this ute was first released. Toyota pulled out the file and turned this blunt instrument into something a little sharper in recent years, the latest changes working at improved safety, emissions and economy. Do these improvements make the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series GXL Double Cab-chassis a sweeter tow vehicle?

Long road

Back in 1985 when boxy LandCruiser goodness first arrived, Toyota only offered single-cab ute and Troop Carrier models.

The whole Toyota LandCruiser 70 series ute range has been given several huge pull-throughs since, with a 4.5-litre V8 and new nose sheetmetal arriving at the same time as a wagon variant in 2007. In 2009, dual front airbags and ABS brakes became standard and the dual-cab/chassis model arrived in 2012.

In 2016, all 70 Series variants got more standard safety features, including stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution.

Other major improvements to the LandCruiser 70 Series include taller second- and fifth-gear ratios, a DPF filter and piezo-electric injectors.

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However, the most recent 70 Series upgrade brought a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating only for the volume-selling single-cab variants, which were previously three-star, due in part to stronger chassis rails.

But these and other structural changes don't apply to any other 70 Series LandCruiser - including the LC76 wagon, LC78 Troopie and the LC79 Double Cab tested here, all of which remain 'unrated' by ANCAP.

Adding to this ute's already eye-watering $71,740 (plus on-road costs) price was the optional $2580 heavy-duty alloy tray and $887 towbar and wiring kit (prices include fitting). An aftermarket electric brake controller like the one fitted to the Toyota will add about another $700, including fitting.

Now that the Land Rover Defender dual-cab has gone, there are no direct competitors for the 79 Series Double Cab - the only ute that shares the Cruiser's old-school toughness is the even more expensive (and single-cab only) Mercedes-Benz G 300 CDI.

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Big on the inside

After climbing onto the LandCruiser's driver's seat (and it is a climb) you're faced with a fairly utilitarian workstation. You won't find heated seat controls or even side mirror electric adjustment because the LandCruiser doesn't offer either.

What it does have is a dash layout that has a very strong whiff of 1980s about it - even though the dash and the steering wheel have been updated this century. It might be basic, but it works well.

It would be nice though if there was more than just one cup-holder and if the door pockets were designed to fit more than a fold-up 1985 road map.

The front buckets won't give you a backache and there's plenty of room to stretch out in the front and the back.

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Not built for city work

Driving this dual-cab around town can be a chore. You have to allow for its huge turning circle (14.4 metres) and lack of any parking assist features. Back-and-filling becomes the norm, and you'll start paying particular attention to height warnings in car parks.

While Toyota reckons this ute is 1945mm tall, that's only to the top of the roof. After our Cruiser just clipped one of the height warning bars at the local shopping centre, I measured the ute's height at the tray's front stanchion... and it was exactly 2.2 metres.

At least the high seating position, low window sills and squared-off bonnet makes seeing out to the front and sides easier than most vehicles.

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The LandCruiser's truck-like demeanour when manoeuvring in the city is amplified by its ride quality. It's a bit abrupt, but then with the live axles front and rear and leaf-spring rear suspension designed for load-carrying, that shouldn't come as a surprise. It's ride is actually not as bad as some other dual-cab utes.

The turbo-diesel V8 has plenty of torque from the get-go and is really responsive around town. First gear still feels way too short (although because the torque is ladled on early, on all but hill starts you can start off in second gear) and gear shifts happen in the syncros' own time - they won't be rushed.

Even though peak power arrives at 3400rpm, the engine becomes strained and noisy beyond about 3000rpm. Redline begins at 4500rpm, but there is no point going anywhere near it.

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Bluff aerodynamics

Pushing a heavy 4WD with the aerodynamics of a house through the air quickly is going to be a tough job for any engine, and sure enough the LandCruiser's peppy low-speed response turned into something more lethargic once past about 80 km/h.

At least it's a quieter Cruiser: the taller fifth gear in this latest update sees revs drop from about 2200rpm in fifth gear at 100km/h to about 1900rpm.

While the engine might not be working as hard as before, wind noise around the driver's side A-pillar can be quite pronounced at 110km/h. The (standard) snorkel seemed to be creating most of the racket, although the relatively prominent rain gutters and huge side mirrors didn't help either.

We didn't put the Toyota through its off-road paces but we know from experience that the 70 Series is a highly competent 4WD. It's one of the very few that can be driven straight off the showroom into the Outback with no dire need for modifications first.

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Putting a trailer on the back

The LandCruiser 79 Series has a 3500kg maximum braked towing capacity (with a maximum 350kg on the towball).

Toyota's official specs give the Cruiser's weight as 2316kg, including the optional tray fitted. We took the test vehicle to a public weigh bridge to find it weighed 2450kg (with a full tank of fuel).

If this vehicle is representative, then with its 3300kg GVM you'll only have a 850kg payload to play with, up to 350kg of which will go to towball download. That leaves just 500kg for payload, which of course includes the vehicle's occupants. That's not ideal, but then the Cruiser isn't the only ute with this problem

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At least Toyota's 6800kg GCM allows you to put a caravan weighing 3500kg behind it while the ute is loaded to its maximum GVM.

We grabbed a 2500kg (with a 213kg towball download) tandem-axle Nova Vita caravan from Sydney RV in Penrith NSW, and then later a 2480kg trailer boat (with a 240kg towball download) from GRE Marine in Prospect NSW to test out the LandCruiser's towing capabilities.

The Cruiser dropped just 15mm at the rear with the caravan and 20mm with the trailer boat (and with similar amounts of body lift at the front) so a weight distribution hitch won't be necessary for most trailers. With its huge side mirrors, towing mirrors weren't necessary either.

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Towing performance

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series GXL double cab-chassis towing performance appeared to mirror that of solo performance - that is, at lower speed it was quite responsive but out on the highway at 100km/h it wasn't nearly as eager to accelerate.

In fact, even on the slightest incline, the Cruiser began to struggle when in fifth. If you want to avoid gearbox damage when towing you shouldn't lug it along in the overdrive fifth gear anyway, but a shift back to fourth brings revs up to about 2500rpm - where the engine begins to sound pretty busy.

On our hillclimb (attempted in fourth gear), the LandCruiser dropped from the 90km/h start speed at the base of the hill to 75km/h at its peak. The Cruiser wasn't the first tow vehicle to drop speed that much hauling a van up this hill, but the better towing performers can hold 90km/h right to the top.

At least engine braking coming back down the hill was excellent; it tenaciously held the 70km/h set speed from the top of the hill to the bottom.

Fuel consumption towing over 180km averaged 15.9L/100km - which is pretty good for a heavy V8 diesel, and not all that much worse than its consumption when not towing (where it achieved average of 11.7L/100km over 400km of mostly highway work).

Allowing a 50km safety margin, you'll get a bit over 800km touring range with the towing average consumption.

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Towing stability

The LandCruiser didn't feel completely settled when towing, with a small amount of sway but no pitching. The fact that it was quite blustery on the day we headed out to the highway would not have helped.

We've become spoilt in recent years with most utes and wagons having a rear camera to make solo hitching up a cinch.

You'll need a helper to guide you with the LandCruiser, or be prepared to keep getting out and checking how close you're getting to the coupling if hitching up by yourself.

Pricing and Features
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When reversing a trailer with the Cruiser, you have to do more back-and-filling as the lack of steering lock (and the dual-cab's long wheelbase) makes it harder to correct angles.

In a market where the better 4WD utes offer car-like performance and comfort, the LandCruiser seems well off the pace. Yet there is still a lot to like about this basic, no frills 4WD tow hauler: in particular its torquey engine, big and comfortable cabin and relatively light fuel consumption.

'Toyota' and 'character' are words that rarely go together well, but the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series is an engaging, characterful ute that also succeeds as a solid, go-anywhere tow vehicle.

Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series GXL Double Cab-chassis:
Price: $71,740 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel
Output: 151kW/430Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 10.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 281g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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Written byPhilip Lord
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
71/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
15/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
14/20
Safety & Technology
12/20
Behind The Wheel
13/20
X-Factor
17/20
Pros
  • Low-rpm torque
  • Large standard side mirrors
  • Light on fuel when towing
Cons
  • Lacks hill climbing power when towing
  • Poor turning circle
  • Slow gearshift
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