It is extremely dry and the off-road polygon, where there is water and mud at other times, is just a pretty boring dirt road. It’s no challenge for an off-roader, and certainly not for a new old Toyota Land Cruiser. It just drove through a large crossing of axles without the need for a reduction or differential locks, and literally with an imaginary finger in the nose, it also managed a steep descent, which was helped by the new automatic transmission with assistant, which has been tested for decades. The Land Cruiser just does it on its own.
When Toyota officially introduced the brand new generation of the popular offroad Land Cruiser at the end of last summer, along with the expected novelty, it also introduced a decent facelift for the legendary Land Cruiser 70 series. a more practical choice than the most modern models. And as they say in Australia: “If you want to go to the Outback, get a Land Rover. But if you want to go back, you’d better drive a Land Cruiser.”
The official Czech representative office of Toyota exclusively imports the most modern continuation of this globally successful offroad to the Czech Republic, but thanks to the Pilsen specialists from Dajby 4×4, you can even today go and buy a new Toyota Land Cruiser series 70 and surprise everyone with its year of manufacture, until they will be surprised that it is still being produced . And as I found out during a few test kilometers, automotive development is moving faster and faster towards the times when an old concept from the 1980s suddenly makes sense.
Fads of the modern era
The latest Toyota Land Cruiser series 70 is finally presented with the modern equipment that is already standard in the most modern cars. The new face of the old Land Cruiser boasts front headlights with LED technology for the first time, but otherwise the design innovations are only modest. The taillights have been moved into the bumper, and when you swing up into the cabin, you’ll also notice the new 70th Anniversary Special Edition steering wheel.
At the same time, Toyota equipped the technologically outdated Land Cruiser with a new instrument panel with a 4.2″ information display on the instrument panel and touch infotainment with a 6.7″ screen and even sci-fi elements such as the cable connection of mobile services Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via USB-C . And a raised armrest with a cooler box appears between the seats. So you can cool down in hot corners of the world without having to step outside.
In the Czech Republic only with a four-liter six-cylinder
When modernizing the old Land Cruiser, the Japanese also introduced a new 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel 1GD-FTV, known from the European specifications of the Land Cruiser and Hilux, but the unofficial Czech importer is still investigating availability for the Czech Republic and the rest of Europe. The main reason is, of course, emission limits, so the only motorization available in our country is the traditional atmospheric four-liter 1GR-FE gasoline six-cylinder with variable valve timing VVT-i with 167 kW (227 hp) and 360 newton meters.
However, the fundamental novelty of the model improvement is the new six-speed Aisin automatic transmission, which complements the existing five-speed manual in the menu. Potential buyers have been clamoring for it for decades because it is more practical for business customers and travelers on longer journeys, and it also significantly simplifies the passage of difficult terrain. The Land Cruiser then retains the unchanged all-wheel drive system, i.e. the classic concept with rear-wheel drive and a mechanically connected front axle. A reduction gearbox and differential axle locks are also standard.
| Toyota Land Cruiser 76: Technical data | |
| Engine | 4.0 VVT-i |
| Displacement volume [cm3] | 3956 |
| The greatest performance [kW/min] | 167/5200 |
| Torque [N.m/min] | 360/3800 |
| Cylinders/valves | 4/4 |
| Bore x stroke [mm] | 94×95 |
| A compression ratio | 10.0:1 |
| Transmission | Aisin 6-speed automatic |
| Max. speed [km/h] | – |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h [s] | – |
| Combo consumption [l/100 km] | 13.8 |
| CO2 emissions [g/km] | – |
| Fuel tank capacity [l] | 130 |
| Standby weight [kg] | 2150 |
| total weight [kg] | 3500 |
| Volume of the luggage compartment [l] | – |
| Dimensions lxwxh [mm] | 4730 x 1955 x 1770 |
| Wheelbase [mm] | 2730 |
A certain technical obsolescence is the biggest advantage of the Land Cruiser 70 series next to all of today’s competitors. In today’s market, bona fide off-roaders are rather rare, and even the nearest rival Ineos Grenadier, the spiritual successor of the iconic Defender, is a significantly more technically sophisticated model. Even the people from Dajby 4×4 say that their service is perhaps not even needed – you can repair a Land Cruiser using basic tools anywhere in the world.
Return to the eighties
And so I found myself behind the wheel of a new Land Cruiser that traveled back in time from the eighties. I switched to it from a modern SUV and everything is different from the first moment. In my hands is a five-door “station wagon” with the trade name Land Cruiser 76, and from the driver’s seat there is an incredible view in all directions. The roof is only supported by vertical thin posts, the doors are literally only a few centimeters thick, and the bottom of the windows is below shoulder level.
The new automatic transmission is handled with honest mechanical selector and throttle response, and when you finally hit the road, it all happens without emissions lag. At the same time, even the old Land Cruiser meets the European emission standard Euro 6, and in the Czech Republic it will simply enter road traffic thanks to the homologation taking place in Germany. Unfortunately, I have no experience with the standard manual transmission, but the dealer’s experience says that the Land Cruiser is less dynamic with the automatic.
In reality, however, it can still go faster than the classic rigid axles at both ends, and especially off-road tires, allow it in corners. Unstoppable off-road driving skills are of course paid for by slightly worse driving characteristics on ordinary asphalt, but it’s nothing you wouldn’t get used to with some experience in a few tens of minutes and kilometers.
The naturally aspirated six-cylinder is willing to go to higher revs, the six-speed automatic with hydrodynamic converter works with typical finesse, and the long-geared steering makes you unlearn slacking behind the wheel. With the Land Cruiser based on the concept of the 1980s, you will quickly get used to it so much that it will be difficult for you to part with it. The terror of safety assistants is a distant future in it, and with its clear angular body and reverse camera, it is easy to park.
The already somewhat historic construction with a chassis frame and rigid axles means that it is not as comfortable as modern successors, but you can drive it through retarders and other pitfalls of Czech cities at higher speeds. In addition, technicians from Dajby 4×4 equipped this particular piece with more advanced shock absorbers, which smooth out otherwise typical shaking and vibrations from hard surfaces. And as I mentioned in the introduction, it simply won’t get lost in the field. The unpaved surface becomes a real challenge for him only when it gets wet and floods or freezes and snows on it.
How much does it cost?
The Toyota Land Cruiser series 70 is imported to the Czech Republic by order, for which an individual price offer is created. The largest source for European imports is the United Arab Emirates, and the resulting price is calculated from the current exchange rate, market availability and other factors. The facelifted version of the 76 with an automatic transmission is sold here for 1.5 to 1.7 million crowns without VAT, depending on the equipment specification.
Tags: vintage Toyota Land Cruiser impress today drove latest facelift
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