Is the Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series good for families? Here’s our verdict.
The way many cars are evolving, one could conclude that the modern family conveyance is nothing more than an extension of a smart phone. The back-to-basics Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series could facilitate the kind of family road trip where communication with nature and each other provides an unforgettable “reality check.”
It has to be said that when it comes to family transport, the Toyota Land Cruiser 70-series off-roaders are not the first vehicles that spring to mind, because its ruggedness comes at a premium. Comfort? Well, think along the lines of City Lodge rather than the Michelangelo or the Oyster Box.
Whether it is good for families is perhaps another question completely. If your family is adventure-minded, then a Toyota Land Cruiser 70 could be the best investment you could ever make.
A bit of Cruiser history
The Toyota Land Cruiser is the Japanese company’s longest-running model series. It was first produced in 1951, modeled along the lines of the off-road-orientated American Jeep, but with a twist: rather than design a military-spec chassis and drivetrain, Toyota simply took one of their heavy-duty commercial chassis, and fitted it with a powerful (for its era) 6-cylinder engine. A few years earlier, the Rover Car Company in England had introduced their famous Land Rover, and Toyota decided that they needed a similarly catchy name. The name they came up with, Land Cruiser, was actually first used on an American Studebaker between 1934 and 1954, but that didn't stop Toyota...
In South Africa, the first Toyota Land Cruisers were introduced in 1972 in pick-up form. Since then, the Land Cruiser has become synonymous with off-road reliability, a trait that has seen it become one of the most sought-after vehicles in Africa when journeys over extreme terrain are a primary objective.
Thanks to its long line of availability here, pre-owned Toyota Land Cruisers dating back to the earliest 70-series range are available on AutoTrader, and there's very good spares- and accessory support on the aftermarket.
Three Land Cruiser lines
It is remarkable that, in essence, the original rugged Land Cruiser formula has been retained. But it has also evolved to include alternate, extremely luxurious versions of the Land Cruiser. Today the Land Cruiser sub-brand comprises three main groupings. These are the 70-Series, which has its roots in the original bare-bones Land Cruiser; the Land Cruiser Prado, which is a mid-sized luxury off-road family vehicle; and the Land Cruiser 200, the largest and most luxurious of the Toyota Land Cruiser offerings.
Related: Toyota Land Cruiser 200 VX-R: Retro motoring in the modern era.
The 70-series Land Cruiser
This is the latest rendition of the original Land Cruiser and is the “hard-core” Cruiser for farmers, miners and forestry workers, as well as serious recreational off-roaders. It is available as a single- or double-cab pick-up and as a station wagon, and still uses a separate ladder-frame chassis and body construction (as do all current Land Cruisers).
Ruggedness remains the keynote of the Land Cruiser 70-series construction, and the design still employs a leaf-sprung rear axle and a solid axle in front. At least the current crop are equipped with coil springs for the front suspension, unlike earlier (pre-1999) workhorse Cruisers, which had leaf springs all round. The Land Cruiser 70-series has manually- selectable four-wheel-drive, a low range transfer case, and front and rear diff locks.
There are 3 engine offerings
The 70-series engine range includes a 4,0-litre V6 petrol producing 170 kW/360 Nm, a 4,2-litre naturally-aspirated straight-six diesel with 96 kW/280 Nm, and a 4,5-litre V8 turbodiesel with 151 kW/420 Nm.
The 79 Namib Special Edition
A few months ago the 79 Namib Special Edition was launched. Based on the LC 79 Double Cab V8 model, the Namib boasts an array of rugged off-road gear that includes a steel front bumper with integrated nudge bar, headlight protection, a tubular rear step to access the load bay (this includes a towbar), load bay protection, extra-rugged seat coverings and an overhead console. Pricing for the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 4.5 V8 Turbodiesel Double Cab is currently set at R893 600. (The least-expensive 79 Series Double Cab is the V6 petrol model at R660 800).
Safety and comfort
The utility bias of the Land Cruiser 70-series means that this Cruiser offering is not laden with electronic safety aids such as corner-assist, lane-departure warning, coffee-break warnings, and the like. However, it does come with airbags for the driver and front passenger, and ABS braking. Its inherent safety lies in its extremely rugged construction, along with judicious updates to its structure over the years.
As for comfort, air-conditioning is on tap, and there is an infotainment pod that includes audio and navigation. But if you are thinking that this is the vehicle where the adults get a lumbar massage up front while the kids watch DVDs as the scenery flashes by unseen, then a Land Cruiser 70 probably is not for you. The ruggedness of the suspension system will ensure that you and your family stay engaged with the realities of road conditions for each and every kilometer covered!
Is the Land Cruiser good for families?
If taking road trips to far-flung destinations off the beaten track is your thing, then yes, this is probably the best vehicle you can buy. The Land Cruiser 70-series is the off-roader of choice, to get to areas where reliability and outstanding off-road ability is of critical importance. It is the vehicle to buy if you want to introduce your family to the real wonders of the real world, to places where internet connectivity will be replaced by real communication with nature, and with each other.
The resulting road trip memories will be priceless.
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