Toyota Land Cruiser Invinsible : IRRESISTIBLE FORCE

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Sometimes theres just no substitute for dependability. For those drivers looking for a 4x4 that will always help them out of a tight spot but which is packed with equipment, Toyotas Land Cruiser Invincible is just the ticket. Andy Enright reports

Where Toyotas Land Cruiser may have been slightly off the pace was in offering the sort of luxury features family 4x4 buyers have come to expect. This proved to be an easy fix. The Land Cruiser Invincible answers that call, acting as the pinnacle of the current line up.

Its amazing to think that the Toyota Land Cruiser line has been with us for more than half a century. We have technical director Hanji Umehara to thank for the designation. "In England we had another competitor Land Rover. I had to come up with a name for our car that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors. That is why I decided to call it Land Cruiser." Depending on who you ask, there have been six or seven generations of Land Cruiser, culminating in this current model, introduced in 2003. Since then, its been treated to a facelift and has latterly had its 3.0-litre D4-D engine uprated to 171bhp and modified to meet stringent Euro IV emissions requirements. The diesel engine is a cracker and feels utterly bullet-proof with huge reserves of pulling power.

The 171bhp power output looks generous and the benefit of that 410Nm torque punch between 1,600 and 2,800rpm is very welcome, especially in sticky situations. The oil burner has also had its act cleaned up in recent times with noxious emissions reduced. The automatic gearbox fitted as standard to the Invincible generates no complaints. Acceleration isnt concussive, the Invincible hitting 60mph in just over 12 seconds and running on to a top speed of 103mph.

Theres also a 4.0-litre V6 petrol option with 248bhp but most buyers give it a wide berth on grounds of running costs. If youre at all serious about off-roading, the Land Cruiser will be your idea of heaven. With class-leading ground clearance and a whole raft of high tech electronic aids, youll need to be pretty determined or breathtakingly ham-fisted to get one of these stuck.

The Downhill Assist Control (DAC) is Toyotas take on Land Rovers Hill Descent Control, a system which ensures that when negotiating a tricky downhill slope, the vehicle never exceeds a brisk walking pace. Instead of leaving it at this, Toyota has reversed the thinking and became the first manufacturer to introduce Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). This detects when the vehicle is slipping backwards or wheel spinning when starting on a gradient and automatically feathers the brakes and throttle to maintain an easy getaway.

"The key feature of the interior is a sophisticated entertainment system that includes a DVD player"

Whereas many 4x4 manufacturers including Land Rover have found a way of mating a car-like monocoque chassis with proper 4x4 capability, Toyota keep faith with the separate ladder chassis. This gives the Land Cruiser huge wheel articulation when the going gets tough but the downside is on-road body control thats not quite as tight as the class best. As with any big 4x4, a number of compromises have been built into the Land Cruiser and for a vehicle geared towards the roughntough end of the scale it does a good job. Even if you want to give the mud plugging a wide berth, the Invincible is not without its appeal, being able to seat up to eight.

Whats more, the build quality is such that it feels as if it will never let you down. The styling is assured without being flashy or nouveau, a very important component for country buyers who dont want to look like Division Two footballers. Existing Land Cruiser owners will know that the standard models already afforded quite a decent standard of equipment but the Invincible model really gets the run of Toyotas options list. Its identifiable from the exterior by dint of its dark-tinted rear privacy glass.

The key feature of the interior is a sophisticated entertainment system that includes a DVD player with twin headrest-mounted screens for movies or computer gaming on the move. Thats on top of the stone coloured leather upholstery, the full-map satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control and electrically adjustable heated front seats. This generously stuffed Land Cruiser is priced from just £37,950. Big 4x4s traditionally come with big running costs but the Land Cruiser, especially when fitted with this 3.

0-litre D-4D engine isnt going to be ruinous to run. The fuel consumption is decent, helped by the fact that with an engine that generates this much torque, you wont need to rev it hard to make decent progress. In fact, the combined consumption figure of 31mpg is better than many smaller 4x4s. As indeed is the insurance rating.

The Land Cruiser Invincibles Group 14 rating is less than something like an Audi allroad and is only one group higher than the diesel RAV4 T180. Another area where the Land Cruiser traditionally scores very highly is residual value. Equipment-packed range-topping models perform a little worse than cheaper models in this regard but the Invincible is still expected to retain 47 per cent of its new value after three years. The key thing working against the Toyota in this particular instance are rumours that an all-new model isnt too far over the horizon.

The Toyota Land Cruiser is probably at its best when specified in a rather basic version thats likely to get up to its axles in mud on a frequent basis. By buying such a vehicle youre getting all the benefits of over half a centurys off-road development. The Invincible is a different kettle of fish and by goes up against a set of rivals that rather takes it out of its comfort zone. For £38,000 most people would see diesel versions of the Volkswagen Touareg or the Jeep Commander as offering a better blend of road and trail manners with punchier powerplants and a little more sophistication.

If you are looking for a true dual-use vehicle with an element of civility, the Invincible offers an intriguingly different proposition. Few vehicles with this level of off-road capability come this well equipped for this price. Its market niche might be small but it makes this Land Cruiser no less interesting.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible
PRICE: £37,950 - £39,150 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 243g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.7s / Max Speed 103mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 31mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD and Brake Assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4365/1790/1850mm