The previous king is useless, lengthy stay the king…

Toyota has introduced the discontinuation of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection V8, and has stopped taking orders for its iconic off-roader.

If you have already got one on order, Toyota is working to safe as many as it may possibly for native prospects between now and the tip of 2025 – manufacturing of V8-powered 70 Collection fashions will finish in September 2024, aside from 79 Collection GXL single- and double-cab utes.

Meaning this 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 76 GXL Wagon, with a V8 diesel and five-speed handbook, is on its technique to retirement by 12 months’s finish.

Worry not although, the 70 Collection will proceed to be out there with a reworked model of the two.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel shared with the likes of the HiLux and LandCruiser Prado. A brand new handbook model is on the best way too.

When you might not be capable to order one anymore, if you have already got one on the best way or should you’re a near-new instance (that hopefully isn’t being subjected to cost gouging), is it nonetheless price a glance?

Right here, we’ll give attention to the extra day by day duties one may use their LandCruiser 70 for – if you wish to see the way it fares off the overwhelmed observe, you may learn our devoted off-road assessment right here.

How does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 in opposition to equally sized autos.

Toyota

LandCruiser 70

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection price?

If you happen to wished the 76 Wagon with the V8 turbo-diesel, the GXL was your solely selection at $83,900 plus on-road prices.

To see how the LandCruiser 70 traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device.

What’s the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection like on the within?

If you happen to like a throwback, the inside of the 70 Collection is a correct step again in time.

The upright and bluff design parts, the velour fabric trim, in addition to the plastic gear knob and 4WD selector are suitably heavy obligation and from one other time.

Toyota has additionally preserved the retro HVAC controls, which embrace old-school sliders and rotary dials for temperature and fan speeds. No capacitive nonsense right here….

Some modifications have been utilized with the facelift to make the inside of the 70 Collection extra trendy, together with a brand new touchscreen head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to a revised instrument cluster with supervision show.

Multifunction steering wheel controls are additionally useful, bringing the 70 Collection into the fashionable age to cowl the fundamentals however nonetheless retaining that old-school and heavy-duty really feel inside.

But it surely’s all nonetheless very fundamental and old-school. For instance, the top unit might have smartphone mirroring however there’s actually no the place to truly retailer your cellphone when you will have it plugged in, and the infotainment system itself appears and appears like an affordable aftermarket unit from a decade in the past.

Whereas the soft entrance pews provide ample assist, there’s minimal bolstering so you could lean and slide a bit in bends.

The urethane steering wheel received’t be your pal within the sizzling Australian summer season, however the multifunction steering controls no less than mean you can alter quantity, reply calls and alter menus within the driver’s show in a manner you couldn’t within the previous automobile.

Not a lot else is trendy concerning the entrance row, with round air vents scattered all through and little in the best way of storage. You sit very excessive within the cabin, although there’s good visibility by way of the tall glasshouse – and the electrically adjusted mirrors on this spec are way more user-friendly than the previous handbook ones.

Whereas the five-door wagon may look like the sensible selection within the 70 Collection lineup, the second row isn’t precisely what I’d name capacious.

At 6’1 house within the rear behind a taller driver like myself is tight at finest, not helped by the excessive ground and minimal toe room to fit your ft below the seat in entrance of you.

Just like the entrance, there’s not a complete lot in the best way of rear seat facilities. There are map pockets behind the entrance seats, and you’ll recline the rear seat backs.

Apart from that, there are not any cupholders, no ISOFIX anchors, no high tethers. Actually, this can be a again bench for incidental use if you’ll want to take a few individuals with you on an journey or across the worksite – no infants or kiddies.

Toyota doesn’t quote a baggage capability for any 70 Collection mannequin, and whereas the boot space is deep, the ground may be very excessive and has fairly huge wheel arch intrusion which reduces the world width.

If you happen to want extra space you may tumble the rear seats proper ahead, which extends the load space additional. The complete-size spare wheel lives on the again of the handbook barn-door-style tailgate.

To see how the LandCruiser 70 traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device.

What’s below the bonnet?

The car on check has the enduring 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel below the bonnet.

To see how the LandCruiser 70 traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device.

How does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection drive?

Whereas there have been quite a lot of updates to the tech, in addition to the choice of a brand new four-cylinder diesel with computerized transmission, the V8’s on-road manners are extra of the identical.

From the turn-key ignition to the hefty shift motion, the LandCruiser 70 harks again to a motoring period of previous.

The diesel engine up entrance is a loud, gruff factor. It fires up noisily after which settles into this meaty, beast-like idle that is without doubt one of the key indicators that this isn’t operating only a HiLux motor up entrance.

A springy clutch and rubbery shift motion make it really feel extra like a truck, which might take a little bit of getting used to in stop-start visitors, but it surely has a lot torque that you just’ll wrestle to stall it, and it effortlessly will get off the road.

You’ll be able to realistically begin in second to keep away from short-shifting from first after setting off, and in any respect speeds there’s lots in reserve maintain it transferring.

Fitted with heavy-duty leaf springs on the rear with inflexible stay axles at each ends, the LandCruiser 70 is probably a key reference level to how far the LandCruiser nameplate has developed with context to the newest 300 Collection and Prado.

It actually does experience like an previous ute, thudding over tram tracks and highway joins, and bouncing occupants round even if you’re going over pimply tarmac at decrease speeds.

There’s loads of engine noise and there’s a little bit of wind whistle at greater speeds given this has the aerodynamic properties of a brick wall. For some, that’s precisely what 70 Collection possession is all about.

Regardless of being constructed as a heavy obligation adventurer and hauler, the 70 Collection isn’t essentially at house on the open highway. With simply 5 gears the V8 engine is spinning at round 2500rpm at 110km/h, the place its presence is at all times felt within the cabin.

The sunshine and imprecise steering blended with a scarcity of any lane conserving help additionally makes for fixed corrections on the open highway. Lane departure warning helps considerably, however by the point it sounds it’s usually too late.

Value noting is the LandCruiser 70’s part-time 4WD system, a stark distinction to the fixed AWD setups used within the LandCruiser Prado and 300 Collection.

This implies it’s primarily 2WD (RWD) till you choose 4H which it is best to solely use on unsealed surfaces. This retains the identical drive ratio however engages the entrance hubs and redirects 50 per cent of energy and torque to the entrance axle.

Having 430Nm of torque from principally idle means there’s at all times pulling energy, and there’s low-range if you actually need it. GXL variations additionally rating entrance and rear locking differentials for much more traction.

Right here’s what we needed to say concerning the 70’s off-road means in our off-road assessment:

“The entrance coils are a pleasant contact, offering a softer experience up entrance, however they don’t appear to supply any actual enchancment in suspension articulation. The 70 Collection are famend for being stiff and the dearth of flex can actually solely be compensated by the activation of each entrance and rear diff locks.

“With out these although, the 76 is arguably extra comfy, but no extra succesful than a 60-, 55- or perhaps a 40 Collection LandCruiser.

“On the filth it trundles alongside reliably however affords nothing to impress past the torque of the diesel V8. In low vary it crawls with confidence and management, however there’s nothing excellent, groundbreaking or noteworthy. It merely will get the job completed with no frills (or thrills).

“What extra can we are saying, while the LandCruiser 70 Collection driveline stays pretty much like that of the unique 40 Collection from the late ’70s and early ’80s, and the entrance coils do provide some concessions and advantages, you might be principally nonetheless driving what’s affectionately known as a ‘brick on wheels’.

“It’s fundamental, purely purposeful, nothing fancy.”

To see how the LandCruiser 70 traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device.

What do you get?

The GXL on check is the best grade out there.

LandCruiser 70 Workmate commonplace tools:

• LED headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• Black mesh grille
• Heritage-inspired bonnet
• Heritage-inspired flip alerts
• Metal facet steps
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster display
• 6.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Voice recognition
• Two-speaker sound system
• Centre storage field (6AT)
• Vinyl upholstery

LandCruiser 70 GX Single-Cab provides:

• Darkish alloy wheels
• Overfenders

LandCruiser 70 GXL provides:

• LED entrance fog lights
• Chrome and painted entrance bumper (79 Collection)
• Moulded black entrance, rear bumpers (Wagon, Troop Service)
• Aluminium facet steps
• Chrome roof drip rails
• 4-speaker sound system (N/A Single-Cab)
• 2 x USB-C ports
• Driver, entrance passenger map pockets
• Fabric upholstery

Is the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection secure?

The LandCruiser 70 Collection was examined by ANCAP again in 2016 and acquired 5 stars, nevertheless this was for the Single-Cab Cab-Chassis variant in opposition to older standards.

It acquired a entrance offset rating of 14.75 out of 16, a facet affect rating of 16 out of 16, a pole rating of two out of two, and a seat belt reminder rating of three out of three.

Normal security options embrace:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane depature alert
• Visitors signal recognition

The 76 Collection Wagon positive aspects a reversing digital camera.

How a lot does the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection price to run?

As with the broader Toyota lineup, the 70 Collection is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

To see how the LandCruiser 70 traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection

The LandCruiser 70 is an icon, there’s no shying away from that…

However even the greats have their stars fade, and it appears as time goes on the LandCruiser 70’s shine is beginning to wane an increasing number of.

The V8 diesel is on dying row, and whereas the reworked 2.8-litre four-cylinder affords extra energy and is extra environment friendly, it takes away one of many 70’s key factors of distinction; the opposite being its heavy-duty payload and towing talents which the brand new mannequin retains.

It truly is a specialised product as of late, so you probably have the precise wants the LC70 actually caters for, it’s nonetheless a worthwhile purchase and there’s nothing else actually prefer it in 2024 for comparable cash.

However for most individuals, the one cause you’d purchase a LandCruiser 70 over one thing like a Prado or 300 Collection is kind of since you need the look and the fame.

Different automobiles will tow and go off-road simply as effectively, even when they don’t fairly have the unbreakable branding the LC70 does. There’s a allure that comes with that although, and it’s clear why this car stays so enduringly common.

Whereas it doesn’t essentially stack up effectively throughout our vary of scoring metrics, there’s little question that for patrons buying solely on match for function the LandCruiser 70 may effectively be a ten out of 10.

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