By Otsile Kadiege

Toyota recently took the wraps off the facelifted Land Cruiser 70 Series which boasts refreshed styling inside and out, improved safety and more convenience features. Another major update is the adoption of a four-cylinder turbodiesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Performance

Straihght off the bat, lets unpack the new powertrain. Well, the engine is not an all new powertrain. In fact it’s the 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine sourced from the Hilux and Fortuner models. It generates a maximum power of 150kW at 3400rpm and peak torque of 500Nm between 1600rpm and 2800rpm, 70Nm greater than the existing V8 diesel engine. This engine will be mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The proven 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel is still available. It generates a maximum power of 151kW at 3400rpm and peak torque of 430Nm from 1200rpm to 3200rpm. This engine is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox.

Exterior and interior updates

From a visual perspective, the significantly upgraded Land Cruiser 70 Series maintains its rugged appearance with a redesigned front end that references the design of the iconic Land Cruiser 40 Series.

Likewise, the interior of the vehicle has undergone a styling refresh to enhance its appeal and accommodate a number of substantial feature upgrades. The instrument cluster and centre console have been redesigned for improved ergonomics, visual ease and practicality including the addition of a 4.2-inch multi information display (MID). The multimedia system has also been upgraded and now features a 6.7-inch touchscreen on all grades that is now compatible with wired Apple CarPlay1 and Android Auto2.

Upgraded safety

Toyota has also substantially improved the safety technology in the new Land Cruiser 70 Series with the addition of lane departure alert, road sign assist (speed signs only) and automatic high beam as part of the Toyota Safety Sense3 suite of advanced driver assistance features.

Local availability

Toyota South Africa Motors is yet to confirm local availability and specifications.