Toyota’s costliest full-size SUV has smaller dimensions than the company’s newer Sequoia. The Land Cruiser has a heritage that dates back to the 1950s — Toyota’s early days in the U.S. market. In recent years, the Land Cruiser has been the slowest-selling member of the company’s sport utility vehicle lineup. A substantial face-lift for 2006 resulted in new headlamps and taillamps and a new grille. For 2007, Land Cruisers get standard side-impact airbags for the front seats, as well as side curtain airbags for the first two rows.
The Land Cruiser and the costlier Lexus LX 470 share the same basic design and major components, but the Lexus model has more standard features and additional luxurious furnishings. A third-row seat, automatic rear climate control and a HomeLink transmitter are standard in the Land Cruiser. Among the few options are a DVD-based touch-screen navigation system and a backseat entertainment system. A backup video camera is included with the navigation system.
Exterior
Built with a separate body and frame, the Land Cruiser stretches to 192.5 inches long overall, which makes it nearly a foot shorter than the Sequoia. Mounted on a 112.2-inch wheelbase, the Land Cruiser measures 76.4 inches wide and 73.2 inches tall. Access to the cargo area can be achieved through a flip-up window and drop-down tailgate. Steel skid plates protect the front suspension, transfer case and fuel tank. Running boards and a roof rack are optional.
Ground clearance is 9.8 inches, and a full-size spare tire is standard. The Land Cruiser’s separate chassis uses nine cross-members set into box-section side rails.
Interior
Standard seating for eight people includes two front bucket seats and three-place second- and third-row benches that split and fold to hold more cargo. Children will fit better than adults in the 50/50-split, removable third-row seat.
Cargo volume totals nearly 91 cubic feet when the center-row seat is folded down and the rear seat is removed. When all the seats are in place and upright, cargo space behind the third row totals 20.8 cubic feet.
Standard equipment includes leather-trimmed upholstery, a JBL 300-watt sound system with an in-dash six-CD changer, a powered glass moonroof, remote keyless entry and automatic climate control. Land Cruisers also have a power tilt/telescoping steering column, power front seats, heated power mirrors and power rear quarter windows.
Under the Hood
The Land Cruiser’s 4.7-liter V-8 produces 275 hp and 332 pounds-feet of torque and teams with a five-speed automatic transmission. Permanently engaged four-wheel drive is installed. All Land Cruisers have traction control, and pressing a console button can lock the limited-slip center differential.
Safety
Standard safety equipment includes antilock brakes and an electronic stability system, as well as seat-mounted side-impact airbags and two-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensors, which maintain inflation for several seconds during a rollover.
| Engine | 4.7-liter DOHC 32-valve EFI V8 with VVT-i 265 hp @ 5400 rpm; 310 lb.-ft. @ 3400 rpm |
| Ignition | Electronic, with Toyota Direct Ignition (TDI) |
| Transmission | 5-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive (ECT) with second-gear start mode and power mode |
| Body construction | Unitized steel body on 9-member ladder frame |
| Drivetrain | Full-time 4-wheel-drive system with locking center differential |
| Suspension | Independent double-wishbone front suspension with torsion bar springs and stabilizer bar; 4-link rear suspension with coil springs, stabilizer bar and semi-floating axle |
| Steering | Engine speed-sensing power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turning circle diameter — curb to curb (ft.) | 39.7 |
| Brakes | Power-assisted 4-piston front/2-piston rear ventilated disc brakes with hydraulic brake booster with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist; ABS operates in high and low ranges |
| Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) | Standard |
| Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) | Standard |
| Exterior Dimensions (in.) | |
| Overall height/Overall width | 73.2/76.4 |
| Overall length/Wheelbase | 192.5/112.2 |
| Track (front/rear) | 63.8/63.6 |
| Interior Dimensions | front/middle/rear (in.) |
| Head room | 39.2/39.1/36.4 |
| Shoulder room | 62.4/61.2/61.2 |
| Hip room | 58.6/57.9/56.3 |
| Leg room | 42.3/34.3/27.3 |
| Seating capacity | 8 |
| Off-Highway | |
| Skid plates | On front suspension, fuel tank and transfer case |
| Angle of approach/departure/breakover (degrees) | 31/24/24 |
| Minimum running ground clearance (in.) | 9.8 |
| Rear axle ratio | 4.10:1 |
| Transfer case ratios — 2-speed (high/low) | 1.0:1/2.488:1 |
| Curb weight (lb.) | 5425 |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — GVWR (lb.) | 6925 |
| Cargo volume (cu. ft.) behind front/middle/rear seats | 90.8/39.2/20.8 |
| Towing capacity (lb.) | 6500 |
| Fuel tank (gal.) | 25.4 |
| Size | P275/60R18 |
| Type | Mud-and-snow-rated steel-belted radial blackwall |
| Spare | Full-size with alloy wheel |
Mileage Estimates (mpg city/highway) 13/17
