How is the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series performance?
Discover more about the renowned Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series offerings and find out which one of the four engines offered in the range performs the best. Find out how they accelerate, what their top speed is, and what you can expect from the fuel consumption.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is the quintessential go-anywhere, do-anything solution for those who need a rugged, dependable workhorse on the farm, site, conservancy, or reserve. Revered by the hard-working individuals who have come to rely on them, the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series shows no sign of letting up any time soon. Four engine options are available to local customers, along with two gearbox options, a new selection since 2023.
Related: Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series (2024) Colour and Price Guide
The Land Cruiser is certainly not designed to win races, but you may still be wondering how they perform. Take a look at the different engine configurations and see which one suits your needs best.
Land Cruiser 70 Series Engines
4.0 V6
The singular petrol offering, the 4.0-litre V6, is only available in the Land Cruiser 79 in both single and double cab variants. This unit, the 1GR-FE, is without forced induction and produces 170 kW and 360 Nm torque. It sends power to the wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox only.
Performance-wise, the 4.0 V6 will do the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 12.6 seconds and go on to a top speed of 165 km/h. The claimed fuel consumption is 14.4 l/100km.
Related: Is the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series expensive to maintain?
4.2D
The first engine in the diesel offerings is the straight-six 4.2-litre unit that can be found in both the 78 Series wagon, and 79 Series pickup in both single and double cab configurations. The 1HZ engine is an older unit devoid of forced induction (no turbocharger or supercharger) and typically only available in countries, like ours, with relaxed emissions regulations. It produces 96 kW and 285 Nm torque and sends power to the wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox.
It takes a leisurely 18 seconds for the 4.2D to reach 100 km/h, and it will top out at a moderate 140 km/h, making this the slowest of the Land Cruiser 70 Series engine offerings. Expect this one to return a combined cycle fuel consumption of 12.2 l/100km.
2.8GD-6
The latest addition to the 70 Series is the small, but potent, 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel engine, the 1GD-FTV. Benefitting from forced induction, this 4-cylinder unit produces an impressive 150 kW and stout 500 Nm, making it the engine with the most torque. It is paired solely with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and can be found in the 79 Series in both single and double cab, and in the 76 Series Station Wagon in LX and VX trim.
We were unable to source official acceleration figures for this engine but the top speed is rated to be 150 km/h. Claimed fuel consumption is said to be a more agreeable 9.7 l/100km on the combined cycle.
4.5D-4D V8
Crowd favourite, the 4.5-litre V8 is a beefy steward of the Land Cruiser lineup. The 1VD-FTV engine is a 4.5-litre V8 turbocharged diesel unit that makes 151 kW and 430 Nm. You'll find this engine in both the single and double cab 79 Series as well as the 76 Series in LX trim. It is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Again, no official acceleration figures are supplied, but Toyota has the top speed listed as being 160 km/h with a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 11.6 l/100km
