The first thing you have to realise about the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series is that it has essentially been around since 2007. And since then, the only significant change came in 2013, when the so-called 76 and 79 series models received major engine and transmission upgrades.
How does the Land Cruiser 70 series differ from other Land Cruisers?
The Land Cruiser 76 and 79, the current models on sale in South Africa, are the so-called “hard-core” off-roaders in the Cruiser range. These are the Land Cruisers that have their roots way back in 1951 when the very first Land Cruiser was introduced to the world. The other Land Cruiser models, the Prado and the 200, are much more comfort-orientated vehicles with independent suspension systems designed for off-road acumen but with a refined on-road ride. Incidentally, the Land Cruiser has been on sale in South Africa since 1971.
Land Cruiser 76
The Land Cruiser 70 series is currently available as a single-cab-pick-up, double-cab pick-up and a station wagon. Both pick-up models are designated as “79” models. The station wagon version is the Toyota Land Cruiser 76, and it is currently available with just one engine and trim package.
What really separates the 76 from the other wagon-orientated Land Cruisers is that, like the Cruiser pick-ups, it still employs solid axles at the front and rear. In the eyes of serious off-roaders, this makes it much more rugged than most other modern 4X4 off-road vehicles which use more complex independent suspension systems.
The last big up-date was in 2013
Up until 2013 the Land Cruiser 76 came with a non-turbo, or normally-aspirated large-capacity 6-cylinder diesel engine. This 4,1-litre unit produced 96 kW and 285 Nm of torque. Considering it was a non-turbo diesel, performance was reasonable with a 0-100 km/h time in about 16 seconds and a top speed approaching 150 km/h. But it wasn’t very efficient on fuel, with a combined fuel consumption of 13,1 litres/100 km claimed.
In 2013 came the news that the Land Cruiser 76 would get an all-new turbo-diesel V8 engine, with huge upgrades in power and torque.
Top 5 changes between a new and a pre-2013 Land Cruiser 76
1. Engine
The 2013 and onwards Cruiser 76 uses a 4 461 cc V8 turbocharged diesel engine.
2. Power
The turbo-diesel engine gives the 76 Station Wagon a massive 55 kW power boost over the 96 kW produced by the previous six-cylinder non-turbo diesel. Total power in today’s model is a competitive 151 kW, which makes for much more pleasurable on-road cruising.
3. Torque
The torque gain is perhaps even more impressive. This rose to 430 Nm with the turbo-diesel V8, an increase of 145 Nm over the pre-2013 model. What is even more significant is the torque peak is reached at just 1 200 rpm and lasts until 3 200 rpm. This flat torque plateau has massive benefits in the Land Cruiser 76’s off-road capability, where smooth power delivery is so important.
4. New transmission
A new transmission was fitted along with the new engine. Importantly, however, the Toyota Land Cruiser 76 Station Wagon is still only available in 5-speed manual transmission form. And the 4-wheel-drive engagement is still very much a manual “hands-on” job for the driver.
5. Fuel consumption
improved in 2013 with the latest Land Cruiser 76 from 13,1 litres/100 km to 11,6 litres/100 km. Both of these are manufacturer-claimed figures.
6. Fuel tank size
The size of the fuel tank rose from 90 litres to 130 litres. This gives the post-2012 versions of the Land Cruiser 76 a theoretical fuel range just short of 1 000 km.
AutoTrader currently lists over 8 500 Toyota cars for sale, of which 16 of them are New and Used Toyota Land Cruiser 76 examples. Land Cruiser owners are amongst the most loyal of all Toyota owners.
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