The new-gen Toyota Land Cruiser will go up against the likes of Ford Explorer and Nissan Armada
On the occasion of its 70th Anniversary, Toyota has officially unveiled the next generation model of its flagship SUV- Land Cruiser. Internally codenamed J300, the new-gen Land Cruiser borrows certain styling cues from its younger sibling Prado. Toyota claims that the new SUV is “a vehicle that promises to take you anywhere and everywhere and come back alive and safe.”
The new Land Cruiser is underpinned by the TNGA-F platform which will be utilised for Toyota’s premium flagship models. While design ethos of the previous-gen model has been carried forward to the new J300 model, the new Land Cruiser gets significant updates both inside and outside as well as underneath.
Updated Exterior Design
For starters, the J300 retains its boxy silhouette attached to the Land Cruiser moniker. The premium appeal is amplified quite a few notches with the addition of chrome all around. Upfront, it flaunts a large and imposing horizontal 4-slot grille flanked by slimmer tri-beam projector LED headlamps.
The grille has been given a rich chrome and satin-silver treatment while a U-shaped vent neatly borders the entire grille. The headlight units also feature integrated LED DRLs.
The muscular and brawny appearance of the luxury SUV is further accentuated by a big bulge on the hood, a butch stance and a reprofiled aggressive front bumper. There are not many changes on the side profile with subtle creases neatly flowing from the front fender to the rear fender.
The noticeable boxy profile is thanks to a high and flat roofline. Unlike the outgoing model which received window-mounted ORVMs, the new model will feature door-mounted wing mirrors thus also enhancing aerodynamic properties.
The squared-off wheel arches and functional roof rails add the necessary dosage of ruggedness to the full-size SUV. It will be offered with a number of alloy wheel options ranging from 18- to 20-inch, depending upon trims. The SUV gets a traditional squared-off rear end featuring a flat tailgate and a new set of U-shaped wraparound LED taillights.
Plethora of Creature Comforts
As expected, the Land Cruiser brand brings a plethora of features complemented by a well-laid-out interior with the use of premium materials all over the cabin. The exhaustive list of features is expected to offer a new 12.3-inch floating touchscreen infotainment unit, a heated three-spoke steering wheel, multi-zone climate control, connected car tech, heated and ventilated seats, digital instrument console and much more.
The new Land Cruiser’s cabin still feels very robust with the presence of physical buttons for adaptive cruise control, lane support, various drive modes, differential locking and four-wheel-drive mode. Other innovations include an electronic parking brake and wireless phone charging.
However, the most impressive highlight is a push start/stop button which comes with a fingerprint scanner. This helps the car identify the driver and preset settings according to personal preferences.
Engine Specs
The most significant update is under the hood of the new Land Cruiser. Toyota has dropped the fuel-thirsty V8 gasoline and diesel engines from its lineup. The new Land Cruiser will be powered by a 3.5-litre turbo petrol V6 which returns an output of 409 hp and 650 Nm of peak torque.
A 3.3-litre turbo diesel motor has also been added to the lineup. The oil burner develops 304 hp and 700 Nm of peak torque. These powertrains will be offered with a 10-speed torque converter automatic gearbox as standard. A 4×4 drivetrain with a low-range transfer case has also been made available. It is expected to go on sale later this year and will land in India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU).
