LCV – AN OLD DOG WITH A LOT OF NEW TRICKS

YOU CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS, SAYS THE OLD MAXIM. HOWEVER TOYOTA’S AGEING 70 YEAR OLD WORKHORSE LANDCRUISER, IS PROOF THAT YOU CAN GIVE AN OLD DOG NEW LIFE AND MAKE IT WORK. IN AN ERA OF INCREASINGLY AUTOMATED MOTORING THERE ARE ONLY A FEW THINGS THAT ARE CERTAINTIES IN LIFE. AS THEY OFTEN QUOTE, IT’S USUALLY ONLY DEATH AND TAXES, BUT YOU CAN ADD ANOTHER - TOYOTA’S 70 SERIES LANDCRUISER.

Few things have changed less than the LandCruiser 70 Series in our automotive landscape over the past four decades, even longer if you consider the couple of earlier evolutions which weren’t all that different.

Sure engines have changed, technology has crept in, safety is better and the styling has gone through a gentle evolution, but the basic premise is still the same.

In fact the two ‘Cruisers we had the chance to test recently are both special 70th anniversary editions, celebrating the legendary status of this icon of off roading. The celebratory models are part of a run of just 600 commemorative ‘Cruisers to mark the year when the rugged workhorses first hit the road, with many of them cutting their teeth and earning a reputation for being bullet proof on the rugged worksites of the Snowy Mountains Scheme in the 1950s.

These special edition models are the same mechanically as other 70 Series, with the main changes being styling and badge changes to give Cruiser aficionados a standout from the other 70s.

None of this comes cheaply, despite the well-established design with the 70th Anniversary special-editions setting you back $78,500 plus on roads for the wagon and $80,050 for the single-cab cab chassis. There is also the dual-cab cab-chassis at $82,600 but we didn’t test this model.

Apart from the rugged and tough durability, you do get a reasonable level of equipment. The centre piece in the cabin is an updated 6.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system, with satnav and Bluetooth (but not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), Cruise Control, airconditioning, power windows, vehicle

stability control with hill-start assist, front and rear differential locks, a snorkel air intake, 16-inch alloy wheels and a whopping 130-litre fuel tank capacity.

These are tough trucks and it’s not surprising that a lot of heavy off road caravans are seen being hauled around the outback by 70 series Cruisers, given they boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity, while still maintaining a good load capacity on the tow vehicle,

You can have your 70th Anniversary model in any colour, as long as it is French Vanilla, Merlot Red or Sandy Taupe, pretty self-explanatory tones really which will identify them against other 70 Series

First up we loaded up the Wagon version for a long awaited and anticipated vacation on the NSW North Coast.

We covered almost 3000 km in the mighty wagon and while initially being a little astounded at how little these things have changed over the last few decades, the longer we drove it the more we loved it.

By comparison with other 4WD wagons on the market this is a raw and bare bones experience. It is noisier, less padded and just more real. Initially this can be a bit jarring but we got used to it and in the end enjoyed the immersive experience of it. You really feel like your inputs matter and you really are driving the vehicle, instead of being driven, which is often the feeling a lot of vehicles deliver these days.

Under the bonnet is the much revered and admired Toyota 4.5 litre turbo diesel V8, mated to a traditional five speed manual. You remember those don’t you? A manual box which requires you to grab that long whippy gearstick and row it through all five speeds. It is fun and a lovely box to use, slotting between gears with ease and precision, while the weighting on the clutch pedal is just right.

That V8 not only produces 151kW of power and 430Nm of torque but it delivers the most fantastic engine note and will rev easily up to just below it red line at around 4000rpm. There is a lot to be said for this engine in terms of driveability and operator enjoyment but economy is not one of its strong suits. It does tend to drink pretty heavily, but more of that latter.

The big V8 diesel is not only fun to drive but is well proven package delivering a long flat torque curve that again makes it ideal for towing heavy trailers, boats and caravans as well as for just heading up near impossible climbs and 4WD challenges.

Although most of our time in the wagon was on the black top, we did take some back track deviations, including an old coastal sand mining road that over the past few years has deteriorated into a pothole riddled, sandy off road challenge, with a couple of deep water crossings. The Wagon handled them with absolute ease, powering through every challenge

without an issue, and in fact going bonnet deep in a couple of water crossings. The snorkel air inlet is clearly essential in these situations. The 235mm ground clearance and 700mm wading depth also comes in handy in these situations.

The 4WD system is a part time system, with the Cruiser running rear drive normally. The dual range 4WD system is selected with an old style stubby second gearstick along-side the five speed shifter between the seats. There is no fancy pants selector dial here. If the going gets slippery you just shift it back into 4WD high and when you select low range it will quite literally crawl along and over almost any obstacle or challenge.

This is a vehicle that is at home in the wide open spaces not in inner city lanes, and with a 14.4 metre turning circle that is understandable. However this does have a downside when you are trying to tackle a tight and slippery uphill track, where a back and fill operation often needs to be mounted.

As we said the Cruiser has a bit of a thirst for diesel and we recorded fuel consumption of an average 12.9L/ 100km, during our test which included a lot of highway running and a slab of off road driving some of which was in low-range 4WD.

Still with 130 litres of fuel capacity, at that rate you still have a range of just over 1000km or up to around 1200km if you are a bit more judicious and careful.

The Cruiser’s coil-sprung front live axle and its leaf-spring live rear axle, with its very solid and rigid ladder-frame chassis, ensures a degree of stability and control, whether tackling the outback or the Pacific Highway, and we have to say we were impressed with its road holding and handling no matter where we took it.

The steering is not the pin sharp style that we have become used to in many 4WDs but it is still good and really very appropriate for a vehicle designed to handle rough stuff. The wheel has a good balance and is a comfortable open-road cruiser.

With four wheel discs and ABS, the workhorse Cruisers have surprisingly impressive stopping power. The bite from the brakes is confidence inspiring and enhances the primary safety ensuring it helps you stay out of trouble.

The 70th anniversary model has some interior features of note, aimed at slightly softening that generally rugged cockpit, with black premium upholstery, woodgrain trim inserts across the dash and on the steering wheel, along with a leather trimmed steering wheel shifter knob. Of course there is also more of that 70th Anniversary badging throughout.

Storage in vehicles like the workhorse Cruiser was an afterthought in the old days, and even these days the lack of usable space means there is not a lot of secure stowage. There is the quite small glovebox, a pretty small console space between the seats, a couple of very small door pockets and two cup holders. You do find yourself cursing the lack of safe storage, but it is just what we have become used to.

In terms of exterior styling the 70th anniversary 70 Series has what Toyota calls a ‘black heritage grille’ with standout ‘TOYOTA’ lettering, along with a black front bumper (and rear on the wagon), black wheel-arch flares, and black 16-inch alloy wheels.

Along with that it also gets front foglamps and LED daytime running lights.

Toyota has a five star ANCAP rating for this LandCruiser, gaining that rating back in 2016. This is helped by the plethora of air bags and other features, including driver and front passenger airbags, curtain shield and driver’s knee airbags. Along with that it has brake assist, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist control, electronic brake-force distribution and active traction control. Some argue it needs more but we don’t. Including such things as AEB, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and other electronic aids would be out of character with the purpose of this machine and just makes drivers lazy and inattentive. Driving the Cruiser wakes you up and makes you pay attention. Let’s keep it that way.

The wagon and ute are very similar in driving characteristics and we loved our time in both. The V8 burble is so endearing and the entire experience just grows on you.

Yep the Cruiser 79 Series is a throwback, old school if you like, but it is designed with a purpose in life. This is an uncompromising, tough, rugged piece of kit that won’t let you down in the middle of the Simpson or halfway up Cape York. The fact that it does everything else you ask of it well enough to pass muster is more of a statement than the fact that it is so basic and raw.

It’s not for everyone, but then again it’s not meant to be. This a workhorse that is easy to love and we are very much in love with it.

“THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT IS AT HOME IN THE WIDE OPEN SPACES”