Force PROJECTION

The mighty Land Cruiser in its latest 300 guise is anything but ordinary, but does the 2025 update on this top-spec GR Sport make it even better? We find out

- Anagh Bhaskar

Myth has a way of making one feel small, imagine Hercules and his impossible labors, they made mere mortals feel puny, and that is exactly how I felt standing in front of the Toyota Land Cruiser - tiny, as if the SUV itself is mythical in nature, not just due to its behemoth dimensions, but the reputation that precedes the name plate - absolutely legendary. And if my wide, almost maniacal laugh on the first spread doesn't tell you just how the Land Cruiser feels from behind the wheel, keep reading as this is going to be mostly about how Toyota has made one of the, if not the only car I would choose in a zombie apocalypse/nuclear winter. If the Hilux is the choice for mobile assault forces, the Land Cruiser serves as the more luxurious, but just, if not more capable vehicle of the dictator, and while I am absolute fan of the Hilux, nothing has ever come close to how the Land Cruiser feels - adds a few inches to the 'ego' for sure. No history book on automobiles can ever be complete without the mention of the Land Cruiser, and if one has to properly document its exploits, it would likely be the fattest section in the book. Since 1951, the Land Cruiser has set itself up as the most capable, reliable vehicle that one can buy.

Toyota launched the new Land Cruiser 300 in India a few years back, and then brought an updated version of the SUV here this year, along with the new top-spec variant - GR Sport that you see on these pages. The term GR refers to Gazoo Racing, often the suffix given to the hottest versions of Toyota's sportier models - GR Yaris, GR Corolla, GR Supra - and only the Supra is for speed on tarmac, the other two are rally cars for the road, and that same principle has been adopted for the LC. This is the off-road friendlier version of the Land Cruiser, quite an oxymoron.