Land Cruiser 76 review gets to the issue of age and value

The current Toyota Land Cruiser is officially the oldest ‘new’ vehicle currently on sale in SA. Ciro De Siena spent time with the Land Cruiser 76 2.8 LX derivative to find out if it’s a good buying proposition.

This generation of Toyota Land Cruiser went on sale locally more than 20 years ago but continues to be one of the best sellers in the market.

What makes the latest Land Cruiser so special? And, most importantly, what is the new powertrain like now that the 2.8-litre turbodiesel has been lifted from the Hilux into the new Land Cruiser? This inclusion also marks the first time an automatic gearbox has been used in the Land Cruiser 76!

For people who really use 4x4s for work, emergency field service support and adventure travel, the Land Cruiser 76 Series is legendary. These vehicles have incredibly outdated technology, with some design and engineering features that date back to the 1980s. But Toyota still has huge demand for these old-school-but-new 4x4s.

Drivers who need to go where no other SUV can, value these 76s’ robustness and ability to survive the roughest conditions, without check-engine lights or electronics failing. But the comfort is not a thing. And for urban driving, these Toyota 4x4s can be terrible, with migraine-inducing road, mechanical and wind noise.

And then there’s the manual gearbox issue. The clutch pressure action on these 76 Series five-speed manual gearboxes is more like that on a commercial truck than on a passenger vehicle. But that’s why we wanted to spend time with the latest 76 Series, which now offers a Hilux power- and drivetrain.

Does the trusty Hilux 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine, and its six-speed automatic transmission make the 76 Series better? Ciro’s done all the city driving you’d never ordinarily do with a 76 Series, to learn if an automatic transmission makes it that much better in town.

Watch the video to learn more about the latest Land Cruiser!

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