Toyota Land Cruiser

Latest iteration of this 4x4 gets chunky new looks and a modern interior but mostly sticks with a proven formula On sale Now Price from £74,995

- DOUG REVOLTA

NEED AN SUV that can cross a mountain range, a desert or a battlefield? If so, the Toyota Land Cruiser will almost certainly end up on your shortlist. Over a period of more than seven decades, the Land Cruiser has built a reputation as an unstoppable off-roader, often found providing transport in the most challenging environments in the world.

This new, fifth-generation model promises to carry on that tradition, but with a greater focus on on-road comfort and refinement. Previous Land Cruisers have felt pretty agricultural and uncomfortable in everyday use compared with most other similar-priced SUVs.

Some other markets get the option of a bigger Land Cruiser 300 with a choice of engines, but in the UK we get only this 'mid-size' Land Cruiser 250 with one engine option: a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel that produces 202bhp and 369lb ft of torque. It's essentially the same engine as in the previous Land Cruiser, but it has a smaller, more responsive turbocharger and a new eight-speed automatic gearbox. Despite these modifications, the engine remains gruff and grumbly, and performance is rather lethargic on the road. In fact, the new Land Cruiser is half a second slower from 0-62mph than its lighter predecessor. Still, there's plenty of grunt for towing; the Land Cruiser can handle loads of up to 3500kg.

It's a shame there isn't a more cultured six-cylinder engine option, as you find in the rival Land Rover Defender. The six-cylinder Ineos Grenadier is quicker, too.