When’s the last time you’ve heard an automaker claim its latest vehicle is “easy to maintain and repair?” That’s exactly what Toyota said about its revised 2018 Land Cruiser, which makes its debut at the 2017 Frankfort Motor Show. It makes sense, after all, since the Land Cruiser is one of the most prolific vehicles in the world today. It’s sold in 190 countries worldwide and has a reputation of reliability and go-anywhere capability. Here in the U.S., the Land Cruiser is more of a status symbol, regulated to a few thousand sales a year with a fat asking price. Elsewhere, the Land Cruiser is viewed as a utilitarian beast that doesn’t mind trekking through foreboding countryside.

The Land Cruiser’s updates are mostly cosmetic. The front clip is new, the rear end is reworked, and the dashboard has been rearranged for better functionality. Toyota kept utility and functionality at the forefront, too, with impressive approach, breakover, and departure angles, along with 8.4-inches of ground clearance. Even the headlights were redesigned to make them more impervious to trail damage. Inside, the 4WD controls are placed on the center stack within easy reach of the driver. The greasy bits carry over unchanged, including the turbodiesel and two gasoline options. Toyota is dropping the gasoline option for Australia, however. Nevertheless, let’s take a dive into what’s new for the 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser. Keep in mind, this isn’t the U.S.-spec version with its 5.7-liter V-8. We expect that to come later in the year with these same visual updates.

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The Revised 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota didn’t go overboard in reworking the Land Cruiser. After all, it’s not that old, having been refreshed in 2016. Its bones soldier on from the last major redesign for 2008. A 2013 refresh kept things interesting in that time in between.

As for the 2018 changes, the front end gets the lion’s share. The grille, bumper, and headlights are all new. Both the headlights and grille are repositioned to maximize protection and wading depth. The grille keeps the Land Cruiser’s iconic vertical bar and the headlights are more inboard to avoid getting hit by off-road obstacles like tree branches. The headlights come standard as halogen or can be upgraded to LED low beams and halogen high beams with LED daytime running lights.

The hood features a scallop in the center to help aid forward viewing, while (I assume) the twin bulges are left to give the Land Cruise a bolder front design. Further helping drivability, the top edges of the front fenders have been raised to help the driver see the width of the SUV. Wheel choices include 17-, 18-, and 19-inch alloy rollers. Toyota offers 10 exterior colors for the Land Cruiser, two of which are new. They are Midnight Emerald Blue and Avant-Garde Bronze Metallic.

The Land Cruiser isn’t just a poser trying to look tough. It boasts 8.4 inches of ground clearance, an approach angle of 31 degrees, a breakover angle of 22 degrees, and a departure angle of 25 degrees. That allows it to crawl over terrain that would otherwise stop a vehicle in its tracks. The Land Cruiser continues to use its full-time 4WD system with both high and low ranges. A Torsen limited-slip center differential splits torque 40/60 to the front and rear in normal conditions. When slip is detected, more power can be sent to either axle. Also included is Toyota’s Active Traction Control system and Multi-Terrain Select system. A-TRAC uses the throttle and individual brake applications to control wheelspin, while the driver-selectable Multi-Terrain Select system puts the Land Cruiser into various modes that suit different conditions. They include Mogul, Crawl, Downhill Assist, and Hill-Start Assist.

Inside, the dashboard has been rearranged with new aesthetics and improved functionality. Toyota says it’s grouped controls into three categories: drivetrain, driving, and comfort. It’s supposed to make finding and using the switches easier even when bouncing across rough terrain. The main 4WD controls take a prominent place on the center stack, just below the infotainment screen and HVAC controls.

And speaking of bouncing, the kneepads along the center console are thicker now, helping keep knees and legs happy. Eyeballs should be happy with the larger 8.0-inch infotainment screen, too, and it’s running Toyota Touch 2 with Go software. The gauge cluster is also new with four analog gauges and a full-color, 4.2-inch information display. Upgraded LED mood lighting helps make the Land Cruiser’s interior feel worthy of the premium asking price. Subjectively, the dash looks cleaner and better organized, especially since the HVAC vents are now atop the center stack.

Powering the updated Land Cruiser are three familiar engines: the 2.8-liter D-4D four-cylinder turbodiesel, the 2.7-liter gasoline four-cylinder, and the 4.0-liter gasoline V-6. However, not all 190 countries the Land Cruiser is sold in will have access to every engine and transmission pairing. In Western Europe and Australia, the 2.8-liter turbodiesel is the only choice. The 2.7-liter and 4.0-liter are available further east in Europe.

As for power outputs, the 2.8-liter makes 128 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque when paired with the six-speed automatic transmission. With the six-speed manual gearbox, torque is limited to 309 pound-feet. The 2.7-liter gasoline four-cylinder makes a measly 118 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, making it a dull choice. The venerable 4.0-liter V-6 is a bit healthier but not overwhelming with 180 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. It’s not surprising that most Land Cruisers come with the 2.8-liter turbodiesel. Australia’s Car Advice says 98.8-percent of all Land Cruisers in Australia come with the turbodiesel.

As for the U.S.-spec Land Cruiser, we can look for these same updates on the 2019 model. However, Toyota is sure to keep the 5.7-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic transmission. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but Toyota isn’t expected to tack on a huge increase. In Australia, the current 2017 Land Cruiser costs between $54,000 and $86,000 Australia dollars. Here in the U.S., the 2017 Land Cruiser starts at $83,665.

References

Toyota Land Cruiser

Read more about the previous Toyota Land Cruiser.