Toyota Land Cruiser

Land Cruiser 200 at a glance

The 200 Series replaced the Land Cruiser 100 as Toyota's flagship off-roader. It was designed around a new, stronger frame, with larger brakes, a reinforced front suspension and underbody protection, to keep the Land Cruiser's reputation for durability in remote areas while offering luxury-car comfort. The brand's history is told in the history of Toyota, and its models, including the smaller Toyota RAV4, are in the Toyota catalogue.

V8 diesel and petrol engines

All Land Cruiser 200s have an automatic gearbox. The 4.7-litre petrol used a five-speed automatic and the diesel a six-speed; Japanese models moved to a six-speed in April 2009, and the 5.7-litre gained an eight-speed automatic with the facelift. In Europe, the diesel was the main engine: the old 1cars text describes it as a twin-turbo V8 with common-rail direct injection, and the 2016 update raised its output to 272 PS. The 4.6-litre petrol V8 has an aluminium block and a timing chain, according to the same source.

Timeline and trims

Trim names varied by market. In Australia and New Zealand the range ran from GX and GXL to VX and the top Sahara, while in Japan the ZX became the flagship from 2009.

Off-road technology

The Land Cruiser 200 offers a full set of off-road systems. KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) disconnects the anti-roll bars hydraulically to increase wheel articulation off-road and reconnects them for stability on the road. Crawl Control acts as off-road cruise control at very low speeds, Downhill Assist Control limits speed on steep descents, and multi-terrain ABS and Multi-Terrain Select adapt the braking and traction systems to the surface. The US 200 Series is rated to tow 3,700 kg.

Land Cruiser 200 size and weight

Cabin, seats and equipment

The cabin is spacious for five, with a third row for occasional use; the old 1cars text notes that the third-row seats are less comfortable than the rest. According to the same source, well-equipped versions in 2015 had ten airbags, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights, rain and light sensors, and higher trims added leather upholstery, four-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, parking sensors and a 9-inch multimedia screen.

Facelifts

• 2012 (2013 model year): a partial facelift was revealed in December 2011 and reached UK showrooms on 1 March 2012.
• 2015 (2016 model year): a second facelift was launched in Japan in August 2015 and shown in the US in September 2015, with revised styling for the 2016 model year.

The Land Cruiser 200 was withdrawn from the UK market in 2015, while it remained on sale in other markets until the J300 arrived in 2021.

Rivals: how the Land Cruiser 200 compares

The Land Cruiser 200 competes with the Nissan Patrol, the Volkswagen Touareg, the Range Rover Sport and the Cadillac Escalade. Its strengths are its ladder-frame durability, real off-road ability, powerful V8 engines and high towing capacity. Its weaknesses are its weight, high fuel consumption and a cramped third row.