The Toyota Land Cruiser is a living legend, and for 2016 that legend continues. Land Cruiser has been sold in the U.S. market for nearly 60 years now and this year it sees some significant upgrades including new interior and exterior design features, as well as getting some of Toyota’s newest safety technology.
2016 Toyota Land Cruiser/Images courtesy Toyota
Land Cruiser is a name synonymous with adventure and there are still places in this country where the big, luxurious Toyota can take you on a great adventure, and it will do it in grand style. Land Cruiser only comes one way from the dealership and that is fully loaded. It seats up to eight thanks to fold-down third row seats but for the five that will occupy the front and second rows the trip is such a pleasure.
The 2016 Land Cruiser is all-new from the A-pillar forward and gets new front and rear fascia designs. There is also new chrome body side molding and new-design 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside Land Cruiser gets a tech upgrade with the new Entune infotainment center and app suite along with Siri Eyes Free mode and Qi wireless phone charging. New driver assist technologies include Toyota Safety Sense-P system that brings frontal collision avoidance, frontal collision mitigation, lane departure alert (for the times you are driving on pavement), auto high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. There is also blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert and backup camera is standard.
Drivers may no longer find themselves plowing their Land Cruiser through waste-deep muck and mud but the new model is still very capable and can even tow quite a hefty load (up to 8,100 lbs.). All new Land Cruisers are powered by a beefy 381hp 5.7-liter V-8 engine that is now backed by a new eight-speed automatic gearbox and all feature fulltime 4WD with TORSEN limited-slip locking center differential as well as A-TRAC active traction control for optimum grip when the going gets tough.
Other off-road goodies in the Land Cruiser include two-speed electronic transfer case as well as the Multi-Terrain Select system to dial in system controls to match the surface and driving conditions. Drivers also get the CRAWL Control for operating the vehicle in low range when the going gets even tougher and Off-Road Turn Assist can help with the really tight maneuvering by applying slight brake pressure to the inside rear wheel when turning thereby creating a pivot effect.
Creature comforts include all leather interior, four-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front bucket seats, heated steering wheel, smart key keyless entry with push-button start, power moonroof, and a very useful center console cooler box. The second row seats slide fore and aft 4.1 inches and when folded forwarded there is 81.7 cu. ft. of cargo space behind the first row of seats. Audio system duties are handled quite well by the JBL Synthesis premium audio gear and rear seat passengers can be entertained via the 11.6-inch display monitor that is mounted on the rear of each of the front seats.
Land Cruiser is the most expensive vehicle in the Toyota stable. Base MSRP is $83,825 and as I said earlier it arrives only one way – fully loaded. Fuel economy is 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway but when you are purchasing a vehicle such as this EPA ratings don’t really matter that much.
So what do you get for all that dinero? The 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser is a very stable, comfortable, and quiet ride. It commands a presence on and off the road and brings drivers a very confident experience behind the wheel no matter what the road or trail ahead brings at you. The Land Cruiser heritage may be living the lifestyle of the rich and famous in 2016, but it delivers fully on comfort and capability!
