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4X4
Quite simply, the Land Cruiser is a very big car, longer than a Mitsubishi Shogun and barely any shorter than a Land Rover Discovery. Like those rivals, it’s extremely impressive off-road, helped by optional features such as the hill-start and hill-descent control systems.
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The trouble is that almost everything that makes it so good off-road means it’s not so good on-road. Cars such as the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90, which are designed almost exclusively for road use, are better to drive, but even the Discovery shows up the Land Cruiser’s limitations. The Toyota suffers from too much body roll and slow steering, although we do like the smooth low-speed ride. Likewise, you can’t really fault the Land Cruiser’s cabin even the three-door has plenty of room for five, and the five-door will take eight– but the Discovery does it all a little better.
Running Costs
There’s no getting away from it the Land Cruiser is expensive to buy and run. It’s almost as dear as the latest Land Rover Discovery, and has running costs to match. That said, it’s no worse than its rivals. For example, insurance groups run from 12 to 15, which is almost exactly the same as the Discovery’s and slightly better than the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s. Likewise, the fact that the Land Cruiser returns barely 30mpg on the combined cycle may not look very attractive, but again it’s virtually identical to the Jeep’s and Land Rover’s. Where the Toyota is more impressive is in its regular servicing costs, which are lower than both the Grand Cherokee’s and Discovery’s. However, there is a risk that any unscheduled repairs could be dear. A leading warranty company tells us that repair costs on Toyotas (and on previous Land Cruisers in particular) are higher than average.
4X4 Amazon
The fact that Toyota used to sell this car in the States with a Lexus badge tells you all you need to know. Although it looks like a 4x4, it really wants to be a limousine. Certainly, it’s refined, if not quite as good as a Mercedes M-Class, and the petrol engine is every bit as smooth as the automatic gearbox it comes with. The diesel isn’t quite as refined, but it’s not bad. The driving position is commanding, to say the least, and there is masses of legroom for centre-row occupants. There are even two removable seats in the back. The Amazon drives pretty well, too, considering its impressive abilities off-road. The ride is smooth and the handling safe, if no match for a BMW X5. However, the biggest problem is its sheer size, especially combined with its huge turning circle.
Running Costs
A big car with big engines brings – you’ve guessed it – big bills, as the Amazon proves. Buy the petrol version and you’ll be dreaming of as much as 20mpg; even the diesel version does only 25.4mpg on the combined cycle. That may be much the same as a diesel Range Rover, but it’s a lot worse than a diesel BMW X5. At least insurance costs look a little better. Both models are in group 15, which again is on a par with the Range Rover. However, it’s better than its BMW and Mercedes rivals. The cost of routine servicing is certainly not what you’d call cheap, but it is at least no worse than on any of the Amazon’s rivals. However, unscheduled repairs could be quite dear. A leading warranty company tells us that repair costs on Toyotas are higher than average.