Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Land Cruiser

Recommended. Excellent off-road and surprisingly well-mannered on it, the Land Cruiser reaffirms its reputation as a very dependable 4x4.

The Toyota Land Cruiser isn't your typical 'Chelsea Tractor'. Unlike the favoured 4x4s of the well-heeled denizens of west London, the Land Cruiser is generally bought by drivers who actually have a need for a large and capable off-roader. It's therefore highly likely that this latest version will be greeted with high expectations for its 'go-anywhere' abilities.

The latest iteration has been beefed up, its slightly chunkier look accentuated by more aggressive wheel arches, a deeper bumper and a more emphasised chrome grin. It's longer than the outgoing model by 45mm, despite retaining the same wheelbase. Only one engine is available in the UK - a large 3.0-litre turbo diesel sending 171bhp and 302lb-ft of torque through a full-time all-wheel-drive system and five-speed automatic gearbox.

If the previous Land Cruiser was good in the wild, this latest one is superb. It's been kitted out with a raft of off-roading tech - however, the serious stuff is only available on the top-spec LC5 model, which gets multi-terrain select, locking rear diff and active height control for the rear suspension. It also gets a new Crawl Control system with a choice of five different 'crawling' speeds to keep the car at a suitable pace, depending on the terrain. It does so in an altogether smoother and steadier way than anyone's right-foot would hope to achieve, allowing the driver to concentrate on the steering. Unlike basic hill descent control systems, it will also work uphill and even in reverse.

Another new feature is a Steering Angle display that helps to show which direction the wheels are pointing via a screen on the dash. A camera on the front of the vehicle shows the path ahead with perfect clarity and, if you get lost in a field, the sat nav map also shows a Hansel and Gretel-type trail of where you've been, so you'll always be able to find the way home.

On the road, the Land Cruiser is very capable and its adaptive damping system does help to keep most of that SUV-style 'bounce' under control. However, it isn't as refined or a luxurious in the cabin as some competitors: this car has been designed to be a workhorse, and it shows.