It won hearts and minds when it launched in 1984, and it’s still beloved by tradies, farmers and other people who work for a living.
Toyota is still building tough 4WDs. Old school, boxy, gruff. Oh, and in a nod to modern times, the Land Cruiser 70 now has an automatic transmission.
Auto-dipping headlights, Apple/Android phone projection, autonomous braking, lane departure alert and road-sign recognition.
The new Cruiser is dropping the old V8 in favour of the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel used in the Hilux, with 150kW and 500Nm. It has (slightly) more torque than the V8. Toyota does still offer the updated 70 with the 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 as a cab-chassis and the four uses 10.6l/100km while the big V8 manages 12.0l.
The bonnet is bulged up to accommodate the more upright engine.
The 70 has a better approach angle than the Prado or 300, ground clearance as good as anything the brand offers and up to 1380kg payload.
A workhorse at heart, the 70 has a redesigned but still workmanlike interior. The automatic-equipped Cruiser 70 gets a cubby for phones and two cupholders, and GXL-spec models get twin USB-C power outlets on the dashboard.
There are mechanical-style air conditioning controls on the dashboard and updates to the infotainment system. Seating and ergonomics are the same.
The wagon version’s folding rear seats reveal a large cargo area.
The cab-chassis is 450mm longer than the wagon and ready for installation of a ‘service body’ or flat deck.
Sitting on a 3180mm wheelbase, the double-cab measures in at 5235mm long (cab chassis).
The range runs from the single cab-chassis at $73,490 to the wagon at $90,950.
Like the much-loved classic Land Rover, the 70 has a devoted following and always will. The faithful will follow their hearts to a 70 Series as the ultimate expression of a no-nonsense four-wheel-drive in a modern world that has mostly moved on. They don’t need one, but they want one.