Land Cruiser evokes a spirit of adventure

Expect a comfortable ride whether on country roads or something rougher, writes Tom Sharpe

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Scaling sand dunes or storming across the African Savannah would have provided a fitting test for the new Toyota Land Cruiser.

Squeezing down leafy country lanes in a location where Jeremy Clarkson once rolled a Reliant Robin across a cricket pitch for the Top Gear cameras, our Heritage Blue test car looked a little incongruous.

This is the fifth generation of an off-road icon, known for its bullet-proof dependability in the world's most hostile places, after all.

Wherever you are, though, that kind of reputation holds huge appeal.

Prices start at £77,845 for the Invincible trim and £82,845 for the First Edition, tested here, which is marked out by its round headlights - a celebration of the original Land Cruiser and contrasting roof.