Toyota Land Cruiser – Review
By Liam Bird, July 2025
Despite the fact that Toyota have been making the Land Cruiser for over 70 years – during half of which I’ve held a full driving licence – up until very recently, the opportunity to drive the Japanese brand’s four-wheel-drive flagship had eluded me.
Besides which, Toyota aren’t exactly known for launching new-generation Land Cruisers on a regular basis. The now previous-generation J150 variant had been around for over 15 years, so surely what could be written about it had already been written? Not only that, but every time I asked Toyota if they’d be kind enough to lend me one from their press fleet, they never seemed to have one.
Nevertheless, the Land Cruiser always remained on my “to-do” list.
Now, at long last, there’s a new Land Cruiser, and I’ve been fortunate enough to drive not one, but two of them. I’ll explain why later. And even if it’s not – mechanically at least – a revolutionary departure from what went before (currently, there’s no hybrid version, and there’s certainly no all-electric offering), there’s still plenty to discuss about the new J250 Series (or Prado, as it’s known in some markets) Toyota Land Cruiser.
“Stiffer structure”
Let’s deal with those oily bits first, shall we?
Whereas elsewhere in the world Toyota offer a whole model range of Land Cruisers – including the 4.6m-long Land Cruiser 300 Series and the very retro Land Cruiser 70 Series, complete with 4.5-litre V8 diesel and manual gearbox – here in the UK we’re only going to get the 250 Series.
The chassis – by which I mean a separate, traditional ladder-frame chassis – is shared with the larger (some say posher) J300, and is altogether a much stiffer structure than what went before; torsional rigidity has been increased by 50%, thanks to 84 additional weld points. That extra stiffness helps improve ride, refinement and handling (all things being relative), whilst retaining a coil-sprung live rear axle and double wishbones up front.
The 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, on the other hand, is very familiar, having been carried over from the previous-generation Land Cruiser and the current Hi-Lux pick-up. Here, though, it benefits from a smaller turbocharger which delivers a broader spread of torque and helps – with the aid of Toyota’s new Direct Shift 8-speed gearbox – propel the Land Cruiser from 0–62mph in an adequate, if not exactly modern luxury SUV-like, 10.2 seconds. MPG is a claimed 26.4 combined (I got more). A 48V hybrid is said to be available at some point in the not-too-distant future.
Toyota currently offer two specifications: Invincible and First Edition. If you can find one still for sale, the limited-numbers First Edition – which I’m reliably informed is now all sold out – features a paint job in classic 1960s Land Cruiser 40 colours: either Smoky Blue or Land Sand, matched with a grey roof. First Edition cars also have round headlamps reminiscent of Land Cruisers of old. Invincible-spec Land Cruisers get square headlamps and… that’s the only difference.
“A tad industrial”
All Land Cruisers come as standard with black leather upholstery, dual-zone air conditioning, a 12.3in touchscreen and head-up display, a JBL stereo, a reversing camera, a digital driver’s display, 20in alloy wheels, a sunroof, and more chunky, proper buttons than you can point a gloved finger at. A third row of seating – so the Land Cruiser becomes a seven-seater – is an option, and boot space (with third-row seating not deployed, that is) is gargantuan. Towing capacity is 3,500kg; wading depth is 700mm.
As I said, I’ve driven both versions – one on-road, the other off-road – and in both cases the Land Cruiser does indeed feel invincible.
Once you’ve climbed up – and it is a climb – into the cabin, you become master of all you survey.
Visibility is excellent, that large square bonnet makes placing the Land Cruiser (despite its size) easy, and the new electric steering system has a tighter turning circle and more feel than first expected. Thumb the starter button, select Drive, and the Land Cruiser will go practically – and surprisingly accurately – to wherever, or over whatever, you choose to point it at.
Few owners, I suspect, will ever have to press the buttons to disconnect the front anti-roll bar (it allows you to tackle tougher terrain) or lock the diffs, as even in its simplest of settings, the permanent four-wheel-drive system seems more than capable – Millbrook’s usually challenging off-road course was shrugged off with almost dismissive ease.
Usually, such off-road prowess makes for compromised on-road characteristics – but not so here. Yes, the four-cylinder diesel does lack the smoothness of a certain rival’s six-pot, and can feel a tad industrial at times, but once up to speed, the Land Cruiser seems happy to, erm… cruise… at motorway speeds all day long. And yes, there is body roll if you attack a corner with too much gusto, plus the odd bounce from the coil-sprung rear.
“Enviable reputation”
Air suspension would no doubt have provided a much smoother ride, but it would also have added unnecessary complication – and thus been far more difficult to repair out in the field. The whole purpose of a Land Cruiser, let’s remember, is to not only enable you to go way off-road, but also to allow you to get back on-road whenever you have to. Fortunately, Toyota’s enviable reputation for reliability makes you believe it will do just that – and do it time after time after time.
There’s no question that the new Land Cruiser offers a very impressive range of capabilities. Nevertheless, the fact remains it offers neither the refinement nor the performance of some of its similarly priced rivals. What it does offer, however, is a sense that it’s been built to outlast its competition – it genuinely feels as if it’s been built to last forever.
If you’ve got a life that demands a proper 4×4 – rather than a lifestyle (or a school run, or social media account) that perhaps suggests you should drive one – the Land Cruiser should be at the top of your shopping list.
It took me years to get my hands on a Land Cruiser, in which time I’ve been lucky enough to drive all of its competition. Despite its foibles and failings, few cars have come along that I’ve felt so taken with. It’s as simple as this: I didn’t want to hand it back. That long wait was very much worth it.
Toyota Land Cruiser 2.8D 204hp Auto
Engine: 2,755cc 4-cylinder turbo diesel
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power: 204hp @ 3,000 rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,600-2,800 rpm
0-62mph: 9.9 sec (est.)
Max speed: TBC
CO2: TBC
MPG: TBC
Price: From approx. £74,000
Liam Bird first stepped into automotive journalism in 2009, and since then has gone on to write motoring-related content for numerous titles. A former approved driving instructor – he also holds a motorcycle, and a HGV licence – Liam is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and, despite being born on the other side of the border, is treasurer of The Welsh Motoring Writers. He lives in the South Shropshire Marches with his partner Rebecca, her VW Up!, and his ever increasing collection of cars both large and small. When he’s not writing, more often than not, Liam can be found test-driving something worryingly expensive.
@bird_liam
