The Land Cruiser 300 is the first all-new Cruiser since 2007, how will Toyota’s off-roading icon see out the next 14 years? Here are the details of the new model, which will be available in Mzansi from August 2021.

That’s right, the current Land Cruiser flagship (the 200) debuted 14 years ago,so you can’t blame Toyota for making a big deal about the arrival of its replacement. 2021 is the 70th anniversary year of Toyota’s iconic nameplateand, fittingly, the Land Cruiser 300 incorporates all-new engines, a 10-speed transmissionand a freshplatform, whichbrings the flagship SUVbang up to date and improves its overall capability.

New TNGA platform

The Land Cruiser 300 is based on a new version of the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture), which the brand has named GA-F. Suffice to say it’s the first iteration of the TNGA to underpin a body-on-frame vehicle; GA-F not only makes the new model more rigid than the outgoing Land Cruiser 200, but lighter too (by200 kg, inthe case of the petrol version and by 100 kg in the case of the diesel).

The Land Cruiser also has a comparatively better weight distribution (front to rear) thanits predecessor; the engine is said to be positioned 28 mm lower and 70 mm rearwards to achieve a better centre of gravity.

Focus areas included tuning suspension performance to achieve optimum wheel articulation, keeping the tyres in contact with the ground on rough terrain, and improving road-holding with an Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) – the latter is also reported to allow the Land Cruiser 300’s front and rear anti-roll bars to be “disabled” for increased suspension articulation in the most demanding of off-road conditions.

Beefed-up drivetrain

The Land Cruiser 300 has permanent four-wheel drive(with high- and low-range, of course) and, according to reports, off-road-biased versions feature 3 locking differentials – front, centre and rear.

When the newcomer ventures off the beaten track, its Multi-Terrain Select system automatically judges the quality of the driving surface and adopts the most appropriate driving mode (Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud and Deep Snow), while an off-road crawl control system– with Low, Mid and High settings – allows the Land Cruiser to 300 Series to ascend and descend rough terrain at a fixed (low) speed without the need for the driver to touch the pedals.

As far as ride height, approach- and departure angles are concerned, the Land Cruiser 300 is largely the same as the outgoing model (230 mm of ground clearance, with 32- and 26.5-degree approach and departure angles).

The Land Cruiser 300 is also the first Toyota to adopt a Multi-Terrain Monitor, which gives the driver a real-time view of the road surface beneath- and immediately surrounding the vehicle, as well as the position of the wheels.

Land Cruiser engines

Two new twin-turbo V6 engines have been developed for the new Land Cruiser, one petrol and one diesel. The 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine is good for 305 kW and 650 Nm of torque. If it’s of interest to Land Cruiser enthusiasts, this derivative gets to 100 kph from standstill in just 6.7 seconds.

The turbodiesel variant makes use of a 3.3-litre V6 with 227 kW and 700 Nm of torque. Both engines use a 10-speed automatic transmissionand while claimed fuel-economy figures are unavailable, Toyota expects the new model to reduce CO2 emissions by around 10%. Toyota says the newcomer’s braked towratingremains 3 500 kg.

On tarred public roads, drivers can select from the regular drive modes– Eco, Normal, Comfort, Sports, Sports+ and Custom – which adapt the Toyota’s transmission programming, suspension behaviour, engine response etc.

Considerably updated interior

The Land Cruiser 300’s interior has been brought into the 2020s, but rather than making all systems accessible via touchscreens, Toyota has persistedwith big physical buttons for important functions around the cabin.

The newcomer’s instrument cluster features a 7.0-inch digital display positioned between two analogue dials and it can be complemented with a colour head-up display. The big update, however, is the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto for the infotainment system. A 9-inch screen will reportedly be standard, but there is a 12.3-inch version of it as well – it’s near-ideal for using the 360-degree high-res cameras to scopeout your surroundings!

Below the infotainment screen sits arrays of switches for the quad-zone climate control system (metallic finish) and off-road controls, including a Mode Select dial for toggling between the 6 drive- and 5 Multi-Terrain Select modes.

Other available features include electrically adjustable front seats, a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a wireless charging pad, half a dozen USB ports, a household power outlet in the load bay and a power-operated tailgate.

And, according to a report, there’s a fingerprint reader built into the start-stop button that stores up to 10 different driver profiles, each of which can be linked to a specific climate control-, seating position- and other preferences.

Meanwhile,Toyota’s latest Safety Sense package for the Land Cruiser 300 will include, inter alia,radar-guided adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, road sign recognition, a blind-spot monitor,lane departure warning andrear cross-traffic alert. In addition topre-collision detection, the newcomerfeatures pedestrian detection and parking support brake, which helps the driver avoid pesky low-speed impacts.

Land Cruiser GR Sport

In the official release, Toyota revealed pictures of the Land Cruiser GR Sport. No details have been released about the eye-catching derivative, but GR Sport versions usually feature suspension upgrades and design tweaks only.

The Land Cruiser 300 will be available locally from August 2021 in 3 grades – GX-R is a utility-based grade, ZX (which replaces the old VX-R) is a more city-friendly specification and GR Sport, which will be off-road focused.

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