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0–100 review TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 300 SERIES SAHARA
Toyota’s new LandCruiser 300 Series feels every bit the king of Aussie roads.
Story Harry Weller
IN THE STATES IT’S JEEP, in the UK it’s Land Rover, but here in Australia the undisputed king off-the-road is Toyota’s LandCruiser. The latest iteration of the off-road wagon, the 300 Series, launched late last year, some 14 years after its predecessor, the 200 Series. Over the course of its model life the 200 built a reputation as a highly capable off-roader, all-terrain tourer and tow rig, with the 300 adding more features, luxury, performance, and greater off-road ability. There’s familiarity to the look of the 300, including virtually identical dimensions to the 200 Series, although Toyota claims every nut, bolt and panel is new. Prices are up by an average of $9000 over the 200 Series depending on the model. The Sahara tested here sits in the middle of the range, its $131,190 RRP bringing with it a rich level of standard equipment that includes a driver’s head-up display, heated and cooled second-row seats, and more. Behind the grille is a newly developed 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel, which gives away a pair of cylinders and 2.2-litres in cubic capacity to its V8 predecessor yet summons a more muscular 227kW/700Nm. The twin turbo system ensures smooth, instant power delivery with drive channeled via a responsive 10-speed automatic. The combination delivers combined cycle fuel consumption of 8.9L/100km, a modest 0.6L/100km improvement over the V8, but with its 110-litre fuel tanks the 300 Series will still take you far from the madding crowd. Under the skin is a new body-on-frame structure that ensures a stoic 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity, while independent front and four-link rear suspension provide both a pleasant ride and impressive off-road wheel articulation. As before, the ’Cruiser features fulltime all-wheel-drive with a transfer case and a lockable center-differential, and there are six terrain modes to ensure optimal traction whatever the off-road conditions. The new V6 pulls effortlessly, with peak torque available from just 1600rpm, the second turbo kicking in at around 2600rpm to ensure strong acceleration despite the wagon’s 2560kg heft. The gearing range of the new 10-speed auto means the engine always feels to be sitting comfortably within its peak torque zone. Quieter, more powerful, and more capable than its predecessor, the 300 Series is an impressive evolution. THE SPECS
RETAIL PRICE: $139,624 (driveaway) BODY STYLE: Full-size 4x4 wagon SEATING: 7 FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined): 8.9L/100km ANCAP SAFETY RATING: 5 Star (2022) ENGINE: 3.3-litre twin turbocharged V6 diesel, 24-valve DOHC, chain drive TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic DRIVE TYPE: Permanent AWD with low-range transfer case and centre-differential lock MAX. POWER: 227kW @ 4000rpm MAX. TORQUE: 700Nm @ 1600-2600rpm 0-100KM/H: N/A For more visit toyota.com.au
ROAD
DOES THEperfect adventure car exist? After spending a day on (and off) the road with the Jeep Gladiator, Andrew Bain believes so.
Images Prime Perspectives
TEST
The Jeep Gladiator is a real-life Transformer. On Australia’s only convertible ute, the roof panels pull off in seconds, but that’s just the start of its potential metamorphosis, albeit with a catch. On this big beast, all the doors can also be removed. “But that’s illegal in Australia,” Launceston
Jeep’s sales dealer tells me with a smile. The windscreen, too, can fold down. “But that’s illegal in Australia,” he notes again. On this chilly winter morning, none of these options is a consideration anyway. A pall of fog sits heavy over kanamulaka/Tamar River, and the air temperature in Launceston is -1°C.
“Set the temperature to 22 degrees,” I tell the
Gladiator, relying on voice command, and it warms quickly, even as ice still coats the ute’s tailgate blanket and our mountain bikes. In a big ute market, the Gladiator is literally one of the biggest things. At nearly 5.6 metres in
In a big ute market, the Gladiator is literally one of the biggest things … one of the widest 4WDs on the market
length, it’s more than 25 centimetres longer than the Toyota Hilux and 15 centimetres longer than the Ford Ranger. It’s also one of the widest 4WDs on the market, with one of the highest cabins, providing a cockpit-like driving experience.
Released in Australia in 2020, the dual-cab, petrol-only Gladiator derives heavily from the Jeep Wrangler, at least from the back seat forward. But it’s the tub at the back that defines and distinguishes this vehicle.
Gladiator in name, and gladiatorial in appearance, it’s the first ute from Jeep in almost 30 years (since the Comanche was discontinued
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFTThe Gladiator's techy interior; A comfy ride both on and off the road; Two bikes fit comfortably in the tub; The Jeep handles a variety of terrains with ease; Interiors are durable so there's no need to worry about bringing in dirt; Riding with bikes in the back makes transporting them simple; This Gladiator is both sleek and tough.
… it’s the first ute from Jeep in almost 30 years … it’s a vehicle that has only playtime in mind
in 1992), and it’s a vehicle that has only playtime in mind – you’re unlikely to see tradies revving through town in a Gladiator. This is foremost a lifestyle ute, and what says lifestyle and playtime in Tasmania more than a road trip to Derby?
In Launceston, we load our bikes into the Gladiator’s tub, which is millimetres shorter than those in the Hilux, Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, but still ample, and set out for the bornagain mountain-biking town.
It would be rude to leave Launceston and not spend time at kanamaluka/Tamar River. With the Gladiator’s remote start, the engine is running before we’re even in the car, and we head immediately north, flirting with the riverbank through Rosevears.
In the river mist, yachts hover like ghost ships, and the sun only breaks through as we cross Batman Bridge, the Gladiator’s engine humming its pleasure as we pick up speed past the skeletal winter vines through Pipers River.
Recent surf reports entice us to detour to Tam O’Shanter Bay, but Bass Strait has calmed and flattened. We head on for coffee at the Bridport Cafe, arriving like a barge out front, and then it’s time to test the Gladiator in what should be its natural arena.
On the headland beyond Bridport, dirt roads deviate into the Waterhouse Conservation Area, climbing through the dunes towards Waterhouse
THE SPECS
PRICING • From $80,094 (driveaway) BODY STYLE • 4-door dual-cab ute SEATING • 5 FUEL CONSUMPTION • 12.4 L/100km (combined) ENGINE TYPE • 3.6L Pentastar V6 with ESS TRANSMISSION • 8-Speed Automatic DRIVE TYPE • Selec-Trac Active OnDemand 4x4 MAX. POWER •209kW MAX. TORQUE • 347Nm
Point, where farmland turns to bush and then scrub. For such a large vehicle, the Gladiator rolls smoothly along the tracks – it feels more car than truck – with the vehicle’s long wheelbase holding it steady and comfortable as we head out to Waterhouse Point. Here we stop for a while, staring across Bass Strait to the mountainous silhouette of Flinders Island, with only sea eagles for company.
As the drive continues east, across one of Tasmania’s emptiest corners, it’s a chance to settle into cruise control, of which the Gladiator has three modes, including adaptive, which allows us to maintain a pre-selected distance from any vehicle ahead.
Multi-zone climate control means that we remain a warm bubble inside a cold world. The playfulness of the Gladiator is reflected in the interior, with its polished dash and retro dials framing the centrally mounted, 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen, which features crystalclear front and rear cameras, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a range of apps. Most fun of all is a detachable wireless Bluetooth speaker fitted into the rear seatback, providing mobile music in and even out of the car – Jeep jives wherever you are.
The slot-like windscreen provides a narrow window on the world, though the high driving position negates any feeling of restricted view.
The wind turbines at Poonerluttener/Musselroe Bay and the bald peaks of Mt Cameron rise into view over paddocks brushed green by recent rain, and in Gladstone we turn south to make a final stop at Little Blue Lake, the dazzling former mine pit turned beauty spot.
The descent into Derby provides a final chance to enjoy the gentle growl of this benign beast, which feels as grippy and at home on the sealed stuff as it does on the dirt.
There’s a sense of the ostentatious, pulling up in the colossal Gladiator at the Derby trailheads, where our driving day ends and our riding begins. The bikes lift easily from the tailgate, and the trails beckon. We have reached our mountain-biking Colosseum.
LEFT TO RIGHT The Evoc Tailgate Pad (available from Roll Cycles in Launceston) protects your car and your bike in transit; Derby has become a mountain biking haven.
Test drive the Jeep Gladiator at Launceston Jeep. Learn more at jeeplaunceston.com.au
SEE RED AND BLUE, KNOW WHAT TO DO – NOW IT’S YELLOW TOO!
When you see red and blue in front of you, you should already know what to do: you must slow down to 40 km/h.
Tasmanian motorists are required to slow down to 40km/h when passing stationary or slow-moving emergency service vehicles with flashing red, blue or magenta lights or a siren, making sure emergency service workers like police and paramedics are safe when attending roadside emergencies.
Since this rule was introduced, emergency service personnel have reported that near misses are down and that they feel safer when attending emergencies. From 1 August 2022 there will be two major changes to this rule.
The first change is that this road rule will also apply when you see yellow lights in front of you.
Now, motorists will also be required to safely slow down to 40 km/h when passing stationary or slow-moving roadside assistance vehicles displaying flashing yellow lights.
This change will apply to RACT and providers of roadside assistance services such as call-out or breakdown assistance, towing, battery replacement and other on-road support services, offering roadside assistance workers the same protection as emergency services.
This will reduce their exposure to fast-moving passing vehicles and ensure their safety while they assist at roadside incidents.
The second change is to make sure people can comply safely on high-speed roads. On roads over 80 km/h, if it’s not safe to slow to 40 km/h, you must slow down as safely as possible.
For example, if you are driving on a highway at 110 km/h and a heavy vehicle is behind you, it may not be safe to suddenly brake to 40 km/h as heavy vehicles take longer to slow down. In this case, you must simply slow down as safely as you can. Make sure you are aware of your surroundings before slamming on your brakes.
Everyone deserves to be safe at work. Emergency services and roadside assistance workers are there for us when things go wrong and it’s important we all slow down to protect those who protect and assist us and whose workplace is the road.
