Toyota Land Cruiser review - Reliability and safety
A reputation for peerless reliability coupled with decent safety credentials should make the Land Cruiser a good bet
Euro NCAP hasn't crash tested the latest Land Cruiser, but it's reasonable to assume it would perform well due to its stiff body and the fact there are seven airbags fitted as standard.
The roster of safety kit also includes electronic stability control and hill start and downhill assist, plus a blind-spot monitor. There are specific off-road settings for the electronic stability control, too, as well as other electronics to display the car’s body angle, steering direction and power distribution to keep you on the right track. In addition, the Invincible has lane assist and a rear cross traffic monitor – handy when reversing such a large car.
In spite of numerous high-profile recalls in recent years, Toyota has an exemplary reliability record, and the Land Cruiser shouldn’t let you down in even the most extreme conditions. The car has been developed to take serious abuse in harsh environments around the world; this is the trade-off buyers make for refinement that can’t always match its more lifestyle-orientated rivals.
If something does go wrong, you can expect first-class service from your local Toyota garage – the network consistently does well in the Driver Power owner satisfaction survey (finishing in sixth place in 2020), with owners reporting excellent customer service.
Warranty
Toyota offers a generous five-year/100,000-mile warranty, which compares favourably to the three-year/60,000-mile packages provided by many rivals. On top of that, buyers can extend the cover for a small outlay.
Servicing
With such rugged build quality and a beefy drivetrain, the Land Cruiser shouldn’t cost a lot to maintain. Toyota has a basic fixed price menu for servicing, and it works out at around £200 for intermediate and around £275 for full check-ups, although these prices don’t necessarily include all the items like fluids, filters or belts required at any given mileage.
Which Is Best
Cheapest
- Name2.8 D-4D 204 Invincible 5dr Auto 7 Seats
- Gearbox typeSemi-auto
- RRP£75,595
Most Economical
- Name2.8 D-4D 204 First Edition 5dr Auto 7 Seats
- Gearbox typeSemi-auto
- RRP£80,595
Fastest
- Name2.8 D-4D 204 First Edition 5dr Auto 7 Seats
- Gearbox typeSemi-auto
- RRP£80,595