• Launches with a 2.8-litre diesel
• Hybrid on the way
• Not very fast

Diesel engines

Though Toyota has kept the previous Land Cruiser’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, a selection of changes have been introduced that make it quieter, smoother and deliver better acceleration. This includes a new eight-speed automatic gearbox.

So while it produces the same 204hp and 500Nm of torque (pulling power) as before, it’s two whole seconds quicker from 0-62mph. Granted, 10.9 seconds is nothing to write home about in 2025, yet it feels adequate in most situations on the road and rarely needs to work hard. A Land Rover’s six-cylinder diesel is smoother and sounds less agricultural whilst deliver better performance, though.

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A new mild-hybrid version will be introduced in 2025, though it’s expected to be more about making the engine smoother rather than bringing radical fuel economy gains. That’s good, as while there isn’t a great deal of vibration through the steering wheel and the engine is quiet enough at a cruise, there’s a traditional diesel thrum that’s more pickup truck than luxury SUV.

What’s it like to drive?

This generation of Land Cruiser gets an all-new and more rigid ladder-frame chassis with the body bolted on top, and a lot more sound deadening to help with noise, vibration and harshness. However, you still get a big 2.8-litre four-cylinder engine shared with the Hilux pickup, and a live rear axle that’s great for off-road ability, but not so good on-road.

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A Mercedes G-Class has the same layout, albeit with smoother six- and eight-cylinder engines, with the Land Cruiser driving in a similar fashion. You’re aware of being perched high up in both, with plenty of body lean during relatively moderate cornering speeds. Steering precision is good, with weighting and response that feels appropriate for something so hefty.

The front suspension does a good job of smoothing over ruts and bumps, with the heavy rear axle less able to absorb sharp-edged obstacles like potholes, generating a fair old thud at times. A G-Class is slightly better here on account of its adaptive suspension, but the Land Cruiser is comfier than its predecessor and far more pleasant than a Jeep Wrangler or Ineos Grenadier.

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Not only are those cars more easily upset by churned-up road surfaces, they don’t steer anywhere near as precisely as the Land Cruiser. More road-biased SUVs like the Range Rover and BMW X7 are comfier still, and certainly handle better. They also have more responsive gearboxes.

That said, the Land Cruiser is certainly better than the old car thanks to surprisingly high levels of grip and steering that feels faster, but not overly so. This is still a big, heavy vehicle with lots of lean, slow responses and ultimately less grip than road-biased rivals, but it’s not unpleasant to pilot at all. Fun is a stretch, but it’s certainly satisfying to guide down the road.

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But none of this has come at the expense of the Land Cruiser’s off-roading ability, which is somehow even more impressive now. With loads of ground clearance and minimal overhangs meaning you’re unlikely to catch a bumper while off-roading, it’s one of the most capable 4x4s on the market.

New features include a front anti-roll bar that can be disconnected, allowing the wheels to have greater articulation on the toughest terrain. We took the Land Cruiser on a fairly challenging off-road course and there was not even a sign of a struggle. We felt we’d only scraped the surface of its talents.