2016 Toyota Land Cruiser First Test Review

Glaciers move slowly, but their enormous size and commensurate weight have massive erosional effects on the ground beneath them. In some cases, that slow scraping can polish the hardest rocks to a smooth finish. A similarly slow-and-steady approach to product development (and an allegorical curb weight) has allowed the unstoppable Toyota Land Cruiser to be polished into the rare gemstone we have today.

The 200 Series Land Cruiser (the only model imported to the U.S.) was last overhauled in 2008, and until this year, virtually nothing changed. Even this refresh doesn’t do much to the spec sheet. An eight-speed automatic transmission that has zero effect on the fuel economy, a new nose and tail, nicer leather, and a handful of electronic features introduced to minivans years ago are nothing to get breathless about. As always, the Land Cruiser is the embodiment of the “ain’t broke, don’t fix it” axiom, and it’s all the better for it.

Because we appreciate Toyota’s all-function, no-form ethos with regard to the Land Cruiser, we also appreciate the truck’s boxy, utilitarian appearance. It’s both anonymous and purposeful, ruggedly handsome like an old coal miner in a brand-new helmet. The updated schnoz looks like a modern interpretation of those truck-based, body-on-frame wonders from decades ago. It’s even wearing tires with real sidewalls, which look like balloons compared to the low-profile rubber bands you find on most everything these days.

The interior’s been toughened up a bit, as well, with a sharper, more purposeful dash. The more inspired design and genuine luxury car-worthy leather, along with an electronics suite that is finally up to date, give the impression this tank might actually be worth its eye-watering price tag. The side-folding third row still seems space inefficient, but it offers reasonably accommodating seating for adults as well as an under-floor full-size spare tire.

It’s not all lipstick on a pig, either. The Land Cruiser actually drives very nicely for an apartment building. If there’s one thing that can be said for weight, it’s that it makes a vehicle feel solid and planted on the road. The off-road-ready shocks and large tires make for a surprisingly smooth ride, amplified in your perception by the shocking quietness of the cabin at 80 mph. The steering is slow and smooth, good for avoiding jerky body motions both on-road and off. Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, which hydraulically adjusts the stiffness of the anti-roll bars in real time, keeps the big ship righted and surprising flat in all but the most extreme cornering situations.

The powertrain is likewise buttery smooth. The tried-and-true 5.7-liter V-8 remains and makes the exact same 381 hp and 401 lb-ft it has for the past eight years. It is neither over- or understressed, occasionally breathing hard but generally evenly matched with the truck carrying it. The new eight-speed automatic is as smooth as any on the market but disappointingly programmed for fuel economy, which seems rather silly given it makes no difference at all in that regard. Liberal use of the ECT Power button solves this issue nicely, although the button doesn’t do much for actual performance, just feel. This “new” Land Cruiser, despite being technically lighter (46 pounds!) than the last one we tested (an ’08, go figure), is actually a bit slower. Cresting 60 mph from a stop requires 6.8 seconds, three-tenths longer than before. Likewise, a standing quarter mile now takes 15.2 seconds at 91.2 mph, compared to a slightly less leisurely 14.9 seconds at 93.3 mph. On the upside, eight years of development in tire technology have scrubbed 6 feet of the 60-0 braking distance, knocking it down to a compact, carlike 121 feet.

Those advances in rubber compounds and tire construction have wrung a bit better grip out of the Land Cruiser, as well. It’ll now pull 0.75 average g on a skidpad, up from 0.72, and will trundle around our figure eight in a mere 27.8 seconds at 0.61 average g compared to 28.9 seconds at 0.58.

It will do all of this without sacrificing any of its legendary off-road capability. To be sure, we took a little road trip to the deserts of Moab, Utah, and the snow of the Rocky Mountains. You’ll read more about that soon, and we don’t want to give too much away. Suffice to say, the Land Cruiser did not disappoint. Oh, we had our doubts. The ground clearance isn’t anything special, the tires aren’t especially aggressive, it weighs as much as Rhode Island, the wheelbase is long, and the approach, breakover, and departure angles don’t look that great. And yet every time we said, “I don’t think it’s gonna make it,” the Land Cruiser crawled up a rock face, down a ravine, around a cliffside hairpin, and through the sand with nothing more than a little scraped paint on the bumpers. Out in the snow with a proper set of winter tires mounted, it was unstoppable in the best way. It had so much traction that a serious Scandinavian flick was required to get the rear end loose, and keeping it out there took work. It wasn’t just sure-footed on the loose and wet stuff. It was absolutely sure.

Although the mechanical grip is bafflingly high, some of this prowess is due in part to its many electronic off-road features. We pine for the days when the only thing you had to do before going wheeling was put the transfer case in the appropriate gear, but we can’t deny the additional capabilities the computers afford us. The various terrain modes were expertly programmed to the surfaces they claimed to be addressing, crawl control worked flawlessly, the 360-degree cameras were immensely useful in eliminating (big) blind spots, and the off-road turn assist worked precisely as advertised, dragging the inside rear tire to force the truck to pivot as it turned (once we figured out how to engage it).

Actually going off-road, though, will require some forethought. Its horrendous 13/18/15 mpg city/highway/combined ratings and average-size fuel tank won’t get you more than 300 miles on a highway—and many fewer when you’re working it hard. Various auxiliary fuel tanks are available in other markets, and any adventurous types Stateside would do well to import a few.

If you’re a fan of classic Land Cruisers or perhaps the utilitarian models offered elsewhere, it’s easy to chide the 200 Series for being too big, too heavy, too soft, too luxurious, and too far removed from its namesake. We can’t argue it’s a spitting image of the iconic 40 Series, but there is simply no denying its go-anywhere capability. That it can go so far from civilization while still swaddling you in heated and ventilated leather seats is simply astounding at a time when most SUVs and crossovers are offered with two-wheel drive and fuel-efficiency tires. Love it for what it is, hate it for what it is, we’re just happy it exists at all. That it’s this good is more than we could ask for, and we’re glad Toyota answered the call.

2016 Toyota Land Cruiser
BASE PRICE	$84,820
PRICE AS TESTED	$84,820
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, 4WD, 8-pass, 4-door SUV
ENGINE	5.7L/381-hp/401-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	5,874 lb (52/48%)
WHEELBASE	112.2 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	194.9 x 77.9 x 74.0 in
0-60 MPH	6.8 sec
QUARTER MILE	15.2 sec @ 91.2 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	121 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.75 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.8 sec @ 0.61 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	13/18/15 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	259/187 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	1.31 lb/mile

 

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