Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series cab chassis 2022review

I hope you’re sitting down, because this is not a cheap vehicle. Whereas a normal single-cab 79 Series LandCruiser GXL costs around $73,000 before on-road costs, this limited-edition model jacks that price up significantly to just a shade over $80,500.

In some ways, this is a moot point. Because Australians literally cannot get enough of this LandCruiser. In the face of overwhelming orders, growing wait lists and a stymied supply chain, Toyota has stopped taking orders for this simple, old-fashioned and expensive vehicle.

This limited-edition 70th Anniversary celebration model moved faster than a cat on a hot-tin roof despite the hefty markup.

What does the LandCruiser compete with these days? Not much, really. Nissan used to offer a single-cab variant of the old Y61 (or GU) Patrol, and Land Rover’s old-school Defender also came in a couple of single-cab formats. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class – eye-wateringly expensive – didn’t stick around particularly long.

The broader range of four-wheel-drive utes – HiLux, Ranger, D-Max and BT-50 and the rest – all offer a single-cab four-wheel-drive variant with a healthy payload. And these all are both cheaper, more comfortable, more modern and better specified. However, they aren’t seen to be as heavy-duty or as durable as this LandCruiser.

Although, perhaps the forthcoming Ineos Grenadier might offer some true competition to the LandCruiser 70 Series.

Old-fashioned four-wheel drives – with live front axles and other four-wheel-drive hardware – are thin on the ground in this modern age. However, the Suzuki Jimny cannot exactly be described as a workhorse. Nor the Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator.

In that sense, the LandCruiser 79 Series stands alone.

There’s not a whole lot to report on inside a single-cab LandCruiser because (a) the interior is quite basic, and (b) it ends quite abruptly, just behind your head.

While the dashboard of the 70 Series LandCruiser is relatively new (within the last 20 years, at least), the overall ergonomics are classic old-school four-wheel drive. If you’re into that thing, you might be overwhelmed with nostalgia-fuelled excitement. If not, this will just feel like a brand-new, very old car. Ergonomically, the 70 Series is not particularly good for long drives.

This 70th Anniversary model does get some flash mod-cons like cupholders and USB power outlets; something missing from a normal 70 Series (if you don’t count the single USB point in the infotainment display).

The interior is set apart further by some ‘premium’ seat upholstery, a new steering wheel and some faux wood on the dashboard with ’70th Anniversary’ inlaid decals. It’s also interesting to notice that Toyota has simply slipped the faux-leather lever boots over the top of the standard vinyl ones, which are easily found hiding (especially on the handbrake).

Otherwise, it’s all mostly the same story and experience that it has been since around the late 2000s. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You do get a small amount of raw storage space behind the seats, which could fit a small backpack or larger handbag.

The special-edition LandCruiser gets a relatively new (to the model) 6.1-inch infotainment display, which is something never seen in a 70 Series LandCruiser in previous years. It’s now standard across the range, but is lacking features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and digital radio. It does have native navigation, however, Bluetooth connectivity and a CD player.

Toyota went to the effort of getting a five-star ANCAP safety rating for the 79 Series LandCruiser back in 2016, which included additional safety equipment and technology, and some structural changes. However, this five-star rating doesn’t extend to the double-cab 79 Series, or any other variants for that matter.

That being said, the five-star ANCAP rating doesn’t mean the LandCruiser is at the top of the pile in terms of safety credentials. It’s missing advanced safety credentials like autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring.

Whereas other 70 Series LandCruisers only make do with dual front airbags, the single-cab 79 benefits from additional curtain and driver’s knee airbags.

With service intervals set at six months and 10,000km apart, the 70 Series LandCruiser requires twice the frequency of visits to the dealership in comparison to most other vehicles on the road.

This would be a pain for some because of the increase in cost and time spent at the dealership. However, for those who truly put their vehicle to work, they will likely appreciate the closer eye being kept on their workhorse.

Comprehensive insurance of the LandCruiser 79 Series is set at $2246.69 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

It’s also worth noting that the above quote is for a GXL specification, not the more expensive and limited-edition 70th Anniversary model.

While Toyota publishes a claim of 10.7 litres per hundred kilometres, buyers shouldn’t bank on seeing a figure anywhere near that in real-world usage. While the engine is no doubt torquey, low gearing in the five-speed gearbox means you need to feed this LandCruiser some healthy throttle to get moving with traffic.

On the highway, our LandCruiser 79 Series used plenty more than the claim. It was around 18L/100km at its worst because of the high RPM you see when pumping along at highway speeds. Having to shift down to fourth to really wring its neck on overtakes – pedal welded to the firewall for what felt like minutes – certainly didn’t help.

On the flip-side, and somewhat hilariously, the 79 Series managed to use less fuel off-road while plugging through the red sand of the Simpson Desert. It’s a good indication of this engine’s happy place: low-rev cruising using the ample torque on offer saw around 15L/100km in the desert.

And with 130L of fuel available, the LandCruiser 79 Series made its way across the Simpson Desert with plenty of fuel left over.

Sliding into the somewhat cramped cabin of the 79 Series is like a time machine. This has a lot in common with LandCruisers from the 1980s, and ergonomically reminds me of my own Land Rover Defender a bit.

Once you twist that key and wake the 1VD-FTV 4.5-litre diesel V8 from its slumber – ticking noisily with a lazy rumble – you start the process of forgiving this vehicle for its multitude of faults and shortcomings. The engine is big, with a crowd-pleasing bent-eight format, and it also makes some nice noises in its standard form.

When other utes are pulling more torque from an engine less than half the size, you can be forgiven for feeling that sense of disappointment when reading the specifications of this much-loved engine. Its 151kW at 3400rpm isn’t much, and the 430Nm feels like a misprint. Surely it’s meant to be more?

Nope. This is an engine that is delivered in an utterly unstressed and laid-back format. While there isn’t a whole lot of torque available, you can access all of it everywhere in the rev range: 1200–3200rpm. Off idle, the engine capacity (and low gearing) gives a strong sense of natural torque on tap that nothing else can match.

And through the first couple of gears – which are dispatched of very quickly – the LandCruiser feels eager and responsive. However, that feeling slowly fades away until at highway speeds it feels quite lethargic.

Toyota did fiddle with the gearing of the five-speed gearbox some years ago for some benefit, but the engine still revs high and unhappily on the highway, feeling like it has little more to give. Fuel economy isn’t great, and you really need to nail the throttle for extended periods in order to execute highway overtakes.

It could probably use another ratio, but some additional high-rev pep to match that off-idle muscle would also be appreciated.

The ride quality – firm and truck-like with its heavy-duty suspension set-up – did soften off slightly with the load on board. And while our on-board weight of camping gear, extra spare wheels and fluids for our desert crossing was decent, I was still surprised by how far the rear suspension sunk down.

Off-road, it’s a different story. Not only does the suspension handle heavy off-road work without raising a sweat, but that V8 goes from feeling merely perfunctory to plumb perfect. With low gearing, locking differentials and ample doses of torque available just everywhere in the rev range, you’ve got a wonderful companion for the desert’s low-speed cruising and occasional punch of the throttle.

The sagging rear suspension did get noticed in the desert, with some lower-hanging parts of the tray feeling a bit too close to the ground at times. The numberplate holder in particular was in the firing line and copped a battering of sand without enough clearance. But underbody clearance was good, and the stock LandCruiser was able to drag itself across all of the dunes and claypans of the Simpson Desert without any issue.

Much of the appeal that comes with this LandCruiser isn’t to do with what it is like on the showroom floor. More so, it’s about the potential for improved performance through modifications and accessories. Even the milder path of some better tyres, a suspension lift and some additional protection would go a long way to improve the already capable standard offering.

How far can you go? The sky (and your budget) really is the limit in this case. There is scope for extensive engine modifications for increased power outputs, chassis stretches, and coil conversions just for a start.

There’s no getting around the fact that this LandCruiser 79 Series will score poorly against the broader range of vehicles on sale in Australia. It’s crude, antiquated, and miles behind other vehicles in important metrics like safety, refinement, performance and features.

While the rating numbers aren’t exactly complimentary, it doesn’t matter. Because this vehicle competes with nothing else on the Australian market. It’s a blunt-force instrument in a world of sharp edges, doing its job with an uncompromising aim that leaves it utterly compromised.

Most people who buy this car don’t need it. They could save money and buy something better in many respects. But you could also say that about any number of sports, luxury and performance cars, along with the tsunami of SUVs.

It’s an icon. And in Australia, it’s about as iconic as it gets.