The refreshed Toyota Land Cruiser 200 is now available in South Africa and it’s equipped to make your 4×4 dreamsa reality.

The Land Cruiser has long been known for its tough, go-anywhere credentials among4×4 stalwarts and Toyota has now launched the refreshed Land Cruiser 200 with bold styling and a host of new features that not only make it more capable in the dirt, but more luxurious too. The launch of the Land Cruiser 200 took place in the scenic Golden Gate National Park in the Free State and we were there to give it a drive and to find out what this this brute has to offer.

Positive Change

From the front, the Land Cruiser 200 flaunts its power with a new, imposing chrome grille that’s flanked with integrated redesigned headlight clusters while the large sculpted bonnet adds a degree of machismo to the overall look. The headlights feature LED Daytime Running Lights and LED fog lamps are framed in chrome. The taillights are now larger and an integrated chrome garnish unifies the rear-end.

The Land Cruiser 200 is offered in two grades, namely GX and VX. The GX derivative is more of a rugged offering with an emphasis on simplicity while the VX derivative is equipped with a full suite of features with a focus on providing luxury and convenience. The GX rides on 17-inch alloy wheels while the top-spec VX benefits from 18-inch alloy wheels. The GX is distinguished with two rear opening ‘barn doors’ and is fitted with a snorkel. For the VX, the rear chrome tailgate is top-hinged and a rear roof spoiler further distinguishes this model.

The interior has been reworked too and the buttons and controls are now conveniently positioned to improve usability. The VX derivative is fitted with a 9-speaker audio system with a 9-inch display framed in Piano Black trim. The GX on the other hand is fitted with a touchscreen audio system and both models offer satellite navigation.

A full colour TFT multi-information display provides vehicle feedback to the driver including trip information, economy, tyre pressure, audio and Bluetooth settings, all navigable via mounted controls on the steering wheel. The GX is kitted out in grey fabric trim while the VX is offered with a choice of two leather outfits including a Flaxen hue or black.

4×4 Feature Fest

The Land Cruiser 200 is fitted with a new Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) system that offers six different modes to suite varying terrain conditions. The modes include Rock, Rock & Dirt, Mogul, Loose Rock, Mud & Sand and Auto. A Crawl Control function is also integrated into the system, adding a further level of control when the going gets tough.

To enhance 4×4 capability even further, the Land Cruiser 200 is also fitted with a useful Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM) that uses front, rear and side cameras to give the driver an all-round view of the terrain for safe navigation. An underfloor view is also particularly useful in that it records the ground surface prior to the vehicle passing over it, making it easy for the driver to pre-plan the positioning of the vehicle before tackling an obstacle.

Other useful features include Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitoring and Tyre Pressure Monitoring. The Land Cruiser 200 is also fitted with ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control, traction control, Pre-Crash Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control. In the GX model, a total of 8 airbags are fitted while the VX model gains rear side airbags taking the total airbag count up to 10.

How does the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Drive?

Under that large bonnet lies a 4.5-litre V8 diesel engine that offers 173 kW and 615 Nm of torque. For a car weighing 3350 kg, those numbers are just about enough to haul all that metal around sufficiently. Performance on the road is adequate and the Land Cruiser 200 gets up to speed using a 6-speed automatic transmission that seemed to be well matched and smooth in operation. The engine is quiet and refined with very little engine noise making its way into the cabin and ride quality is good too. The suspension does a fair job of cushioning over bumps in the road and the ride is smooth and composed.

We took the Land Cruiser 200 VX on a basic 4×4 route in the Golden Gate National Park where we had the chance to test its 4×4 ability and as expected, it dealt with obstacles with ease. The Land Cruiser 200 felt indestructible and completely un-phased as it clambered over the rocky terrain. Low range is easily selected using a rotary dial and the Multi-Terrain Monitor came into good use on some more challenging sections while the Crawl Control function makes light work of steep inclines and declines. The systems are relatively easy to use once you familiarise yourself with the functionality and they give the driver that extra bit of confidence in tricky situations.

We spent all our time in the top-spec VX derivative and apart from offering impressive off-road capability, it also has all the niceties to make your adventure a bit more comfortable. The large centre-armrest doubles up as a refrigerator and rear passengers have loads of head and legroom as well as rear climate control. The VX is a 7-seater while the GX seats five passengers comfortably and boot space is significantly large to cater for your luggage and adventure items.

Overall, we were impressed by the Land Cruiser 200’s bullish looks and no nonsense off-road ability. We will have the Land Cruiser 200 on test soon to give it a thorough evaluation.

Toyota Land Cruiser 200 – Price in South Africa

Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.5 GX – R850 000

Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.5 VX – R1141700

Prices include a 5-year/90 000 km service plan and a 3- year/100 000 km warranty.