By Otsile Kadiege

The long-awaited Toyota Land Cruiser 300 aka LC300 has officially landed in South Africa. The new LC300 boasts a bold new design, new petrol and diesel engines, a plethora of new technology as well as a an all-new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform designated as TNGA-F.

Exterior design and features

The new Toyota Land Cruiser bears a two-box look which resembles the much-loved 80-series of the ’90s. Up front, the façade features a large and prominent radiator grille with sculpted rectangular headlamps on each side that blend seamlessly into the grille. As standard, all Land Cruiser’s are fitted with LED headlamps with integrated DRLs and park distance control (PDC). The Land Cruiser ZX grade is fitted with unique 20-inch alloy wheels and has a rear-end which features large trapezoidal tail lamps with stylised light guides which are complemented by large Land Cruiser lettering and the Toyota Insignia.

The LC300 is available with a choice of 10 colours, namely Glacier White, Pearl White Metallic, Satin Silver Metallic, Graphite Grey Metallic, Raven Black, Attitude Black, Ruby Metallic, Avant-Garde Bronze, Moonlight Ocean and Classic White. Some colours, however, are exclusive to specific grades like Classic White which is exclusive to the ZX and GR-S grades.

Grades and interior specifications

Customers will have the option to choose between three different grades, namely GX-R, ZX and GR-S. All models include keyless entry with auto-door-lock, park distance control, an electric parking brake, climate control with rear zone, power driver-seat adjustment, Multi-Information Display (MID), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, built-in Navigation (with Tracks 4 Africa support on GX-R), multiple power outlets with charging port, Crawl Control, and Drive Mode Select.

The ZX and GR-S additionally feature power fold-down third-row seating, a power-operated tailgate with hands-free function, heated steering wheel with wood accents, JBL 14-speaker audio system with DVD playback and 12.3″ screen, Multi-Terrain Monitor with Panoramic View, seat heating and ventilation for first- and second-row passengers, a wireless charger and tyre pressure monitoring. The ZX model also features Wi-Fi enabled rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones.

The GR-S features bespoke exterior styling and trim, rugged 18-inch alloy wheels, while adopting an off-road-biased specification list – without sacrificing comfort or convenience – and Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which links the wheels via hydraulically-supported stabiliser bars – providing excellent wheel articulation and body-roll control.

Performance

The Land Cruiser is powered by efficient, powerful and refined petrol and diesel engines. Customers will have the option to choose between a 3.5-litre V6 Twin Turbo petrol engine or 3.3-litre V6 Turbodiesel. The former offers 305 kW @ 5200 rpm and 650 Nm available from 2000 rpm, while the new diesel delivers 225 kW @ 4000 rpm and 700 Nm available between 1600 and 2600 rpm. Both are paired to 10-speed automatic transmission and have a top speed of 210 km/h.

Toyota claims a fuel consumption of 12.1 l/100 km for the Petrol and 8.9 l/100 km for the diesel engine.

Safety and driver assistance systems

Toyota Safety Sense is fitted to both the ZX and GR-S grades and offers a full suite of active safety aids with autonomous driving technologies such as Lane Trace Assist and all-speed radar cruise control. The usual supporting functions such as Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Lane Departure Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) with braking, and Adaptive High Beam, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Active Traction Control (ATRC) and Hill Assist Control (HAC), join Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Downhill Assist Control (DAC) and the obligatory ABS, EBD and Brake Assist (BA) driver support systems.

Pricing, availability and warranty

All LC300 models are sold with a 9-services / 90,000 km service plan with service intervals set at 12-months or 10,000 km (whichever occurs first). A 3-year/100,000 km Warranty is included across the board. Customers can also purchase service, maintenance plan and warranty extensions from their nearest Toyota dealer.

Pricing for the new Land Cruiser is as follows:

Land Cruiser 300 GX-R 3.3D     – R 1,283,200

Land Cruiser 300 ZX 3.3D          – R 1,765,500

Land Cruiser 300 ZX 3.5T          – R 1,797,100

Land Cruiser 300 GR-S 3.3D     – R 1,811,900

Land Cruiser 300 GR-S 3.5T      – R 1,842,900

The Petrol ZX models will go on sale early August with the diesel and GR-S derivatives following shortly thereafter. The Land Cruiser 300 is set for an August debut in Mzansi.