Which Toyota Land Cruiser 79 double cab is better: diesel or petrol?

With a production span of 37 years, the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series has a long and illustrious history. During this near four-decade production there have been various body styles, engine derivatives and special editions. One thing that has remained constant though is this product’s legendary reputation for longevity and durability, which has ensured a cult-like following for the Cruiser in the local automotive sphere.

Since South Africans love their bakkies, the introduction of a double cab version of the 70 Series, badged the 79, in 2012 meant that enthusiasts had yet another Cruiser to lust after. For today’s comparison, we will be using the three Land Cruiser 79 double cab derivatives, all of which have their own unique engines to determine which is best, petrol or diesel.

	Toyota Land Cruiser 79 4.0 V6 double cab	Toyota Land Cruiser 79 4.2D double cab	Toyota Land Cruiser 79 4.5D-4D LX V8 double cab
Engine	4.0-litre, 6-cylinder, petrol	4.2-litre, 6-cylinder, diesel	4.5-litre. 8-cylinder, turbodiesel
Power/Torque	170kW/ 360Nm	96kW/ 285Nm	151kW/ 430Nm
Transmission Type	5-speed manual	5-speed manual	5-speed manual
Driven wheels	All	All	All
0-100km/h	12.6 sec	18.0 sec	13.7 sec
Fuel Consumption	13.6 L/100 km	13.0 L/100 km	11.9 L/100km
Kerb weight	2 195kg	2 280kg	2 205kg
Price	R729 200	R764 100	R856 700

 

The petrol model

The petrol engine powering the double cab 79 has been used in a variety of Toyota models for decades, and during that period it has a proven reliability record and has shown to be a good engine option for those heading off-road. The 4.0-litre naturally aspirated V6 produces a lovely soundtrack and solid performance thanks to a 170kW and 360Nm output.

The problem with this engine is its efficiency, which will only be made worse by the Cruiser’s 5-speed manual gearbox which could do with a sixth ratio, the car’s lack of aerodynamic efficiency and its near 2.2-ton weight.

The diesels

The two diesel offerings in the 79 line-up are very different. The 4.2-litre naturally aspirated straight-six diesel is nearly unbreakable, but its performance and fuel consumption leave a lot to be desired, with just 96kw and 285Nm of torque available, despite the large displacement. This is because the car lacks a common-rial injection system and a turbocharger, which makes it both sluggish and heavy on fuel, with a 0-100km/h time of 18.0 seconds and a consumption figure of 13.0L/100km

The second diesel engine is the one preferred by enthusiasts, the 4.5-litre turbodiesel, which is essentially a single-turbo version of the twin-turbo V8 fitted to the Land Cruiser 200 Series models. The addition of forced induction and a more modern fuel injection system means that there’s 151kW and 430Nm of torque on offer. This endows the 79 with better overtaking acceleration, a respectable fuel con Sumption figure relative to the other engines and a 0-100km/h that is close to its petrol sibling.

Analysis

Looking at the figures, all three models are hampered by the 5-speed manual gearbox, which would benefit from a sixth gear for highway use. While the petrol model offers the lowest list price and best acceleration, it will be very heavy on fuel, something also true of the 4.2-litre straight-six diesel, which is also very slow in terms of acceleration. The most expensive variant, the 4.5-litre diesel strikes a good balance of fuel consumption and performance but does need to run on more modern diesel than the 4.2-litre, which is still perfectly fine when 500ppm is used.

Verdict

Having looked at the numbers, the 4.5-litre turbodiesel engine in the Land Cruiser 79 double cab line-up offers the best blend of efficiency, performance and capability across a multitude of conditions.