Used Toyota Land Cruiser (Mk4, 2009-date) review

Toyota is celebrating 70 years since it first introduced the original Land Cruiser to the world.  Throughout these years, the boxy model has built and retained a reputation for ruggedness, reliability and sheer off-road capability. As the models have developed over time, so has the level of luxury and equipment on offer.

Although not quite as luxurious or refined as a Range Rover, the modern Toyota Land Cruisers are a very pleasant vehicle to sit in whilst you dominate the terrain ahead, no matter what it is. Running costs are inevitably high and insurance cover can be pricey, but routine maintenance isn’t exceptionally expensive for this class of car. There’s also the sense of exclusivity, too, as Land Cruisers aren’t overly common on the used market.

Models covered

• Toyota Land Cruiser Mk4 (2009-date) - Toyota's big 4x4 is practical, great off-road and very reliable – if you can find one.

Toyota Land Cruiser Mk4

8

History

The Land Cruiser was originally developed for military use, with a civilian version appearing just six years after World War Two.

By the mid-sixties, Toyota introduced the Station Wagon to appeal to a wider audience, especially those who needed a practical vehicle to cope with the toughest terrain.

Over time the Land Cruiser continued to get bigger and more luxurious, with a V8 variant arriving in 1998, almost a decade after Toyota split the range in two. Customers could choose from either a full-sized model known as the Amazon in the UK, or a smaller ‘light-duty’ edition initially sold as the Colorado. Here we focus on the latter, sold simply as the Land Cruiser.

The fourth-generation Land Cruiser ‘Colorado’ (codenamed J150 by Toyota) reached UK showrooms in December 2009, with a 171bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine and a five-speed automatic transmission only.

Buyers could choose between LC3, LC4 and LC5 trim levels, with seven seats fitted as standard to the latter two, whereas the LC3 had five seats, with a third row optional.

A facelifted model arrived in December 2013 with recalibrated suspension and extra safety features, while the trim levels were renamed Active, Icon and Invincible. A 174bhp 2.8-litre diesel engine and a six-speed automatic transmission became standard fare in August 2015.

Further revisions in January 2018 brought a new entry-level Utility trim, a redesigned dash, an updated design and extra kit.

Which one should I buy?

Each successive update brought a higher-quality interior and more equipment; post-2013 Land Cruisers are far more luxurious than earlier cars, and the 2.8-litre engine is usefully more efficient than the 3.0-litre.

8

Basic LC3s are scarce, and come with 17-inch alloys, climate and cruise control, Bluetooth and keyless go. We’d go for a mid-spec LC4, as this adds three-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, powered folding third-row seats, leather trim, electrically adjustable heated front seats, automatic headlights, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rear camera, navigation and uprated audio.

If you’re planning on spending more time off the road than on it, the top-spec LC5 models get a suite of off-road tech, such as adaptive variable suspension with active height control, crawl control, multi-terrain monitor with steering angle display and multi-terrain select, plus a rear TV screen for DVDs and computer games.

Alternatives to the Toyota Land Cruiser

The Mitsubishi Shogun is the closest rival. It too puts towing and off-road ability ahead of luxury and refinement, but it is spacious (in rows one and two) and well equipped.

If off-roading ability is key, a Land Rover Defender might suit, but a better bet would be a Discovery or Discovery Sport. They have far better refinement and a much more luxurious interior. The Volkswagen Touareg is another desirable 4x4 that’s superb at towing, luxurious and comes with some excellent engines – but only five seats.

If seven seats are essential, also think about the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes GL/GLS-Class. All are costly to buy and run, but offer a more luxurious take on the large SUV format, and are excellent at towing.

What to look for

Towing

All Toyota Land Cruisers have a maximum towing capacity of 3,000kg with a braked trailer, or 750kg if unbraked. 

Gearbox

Whereas three-door Land Cruiser models are fitted with a manual gearbox, five-door models are equipped with automatic transmissions.

Spare wheel

The spare wheel is kept below the boot floor. Its lowering mechanism has been known to seize up if neglected for a long period of time.

Manual ’box

Very few of these cars are fitted with a manual gearbox, which is just as well; the shift on such units can be quite poor.

8

Interior

This is a big car, but it’s not as roomy as you might expect. Rows two and three are surprisingly cramped, with the latter only really suitable for children, although there’s lots of headroom in the first two rows. The cabin is easy to use, very well equipped and extremely well put together. Boot space is excellent at 621 litres with the third row down, but falls to just 104 litres with all seven seats in use.

Prices

Check out the latest used prices for the Toyota Land Cruiser on our sister site Buyacar.

Running costs

The Land Cruiser service schedule alternates between minor and major, priced at £250 and £395 respectively, with a service due every 12 months or 10,000 miles. The engine has a timing belt rather than a chain, but this is no more costly to replace than in any similarly-sized car. It needs to be done once every 10 years or 100,000 miles.

The coolant also needs to be replaced after 10 years or 100,000 miles – and then every 60,000 miles after that – but the cost of this is included in the routine servicing. Also built in is fresh brake fluid, which is required every two years or 20,000 miles.

8

Recalls

This generation of Land Cruiser has been recalled just once. It happened in June 2017 and affected 589 cars built from June 2015 to January 2016, which could suffer from a damaged mount for the AdBlue injector on the exhaust pipe. If the flange and pipe separated, AdBlue was no longer injected. Toyota fixed the problem by replacing the forward section of the pipe.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

Predictably, the Land Cruiser is too niche to appear in our Driver Power surveys, but Toyota placed fifth in the 2021 brand survey. The firm’s standing was boosted by a particularly good showing for reliability and low running costs. Other high spots were for build and ride quality, and safety equipment.