Toyota Land Cruiser 2015 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

Almost 200 luxury cars are now exempt from Luxury Car Tax, so why do buyers of family cars pay millions for the tax-on-a-tax each year?

Toyota has unveiled a bold new look for its LandCruiser 200 Series before it arrives in showrooms here in October.As local sales of the LandCruiser pass 900,000 since 1958, the mid-life update to the model released in 2007 includes a raft of changes beyond the bigger grille, new bonnet and redesigned headlights.The 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel engine has been retuned to meet new, Euro 5 emissions standards, including the fitment of new injectors and a particulate filter.Power has increased by a modest 5kW to 200kW while peak torque remains 650Nm. Fuel use has dipped to 9.5L/100km (down from 10.3L/100km), according to the fuel rating label tests done in laboratory conditions. However, real world conditions will likely mean the 2.7-tonne heavy-duty 4WD will return higher consumption figures than the claim.The 4.6-litre petrol V8, which sells in modest numbers, is still available in three of the four LC200 models and has the same power output as before.The 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel engine has been retuned to meet Euro 5 emissions standardsTowing capacity remains unchanged at 3500kg.Pricing is yet to be announced, but the current model starts at $80,000 drive-away for the base GX diesel.The flagship Sahara, now $120,000 drive-away, gets safety and technology upgrades.Radar cruise control, lane departure warning, forward crash alert, and auto dipping high beam are standard on the flagship.However, autonomous emergency braking that can bring the vehicle to a complete stop and avoid a crash at low speeds is not yet available.Other creature comforts in the Sahara include air-conditioned seats and a wireless phone charger.The tailgate has a new panel between the restyled tail-lightsVX and Sahara grades gain a clearer information display panel between the instruments and a larger, nine-inch central touchscreen as part of the navigation unit.As before the basic GX is a five-seater, the GXL is an eight-seater while the VX and Sahara are seven-seaters.So you can spot the new one from behind, the tailgate has a new panel between the restyled tail-lights and a wider space for the registration plate.The updated LandCruiser heads an onslaught of new off-road vehicles from Toyota over the next few months, including the all-new HiLux ute, and its twin under the skin, the Fortuner seven-seater SUV. The Prado will get a new engine. However, despite the changes and new arrivals there is still no plan to introduce a diesel engine for the FJ Cruiser.The historical sales figures for LandCruiser include the original models imported into Australia to help build the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme in the late '50s and other more recent variants with the LandCruiser badge, including the LandCruiser wagon, Troop Carrier and ute, FJ Cruiser and Prado.

It costs $443.60 a week to keep the 5.6-litre Nissan Patrol ST-L on the road for five years, including its $90,000 purchase price, loan interest, fuel, new tyres, insurance and depreciation.According to the 2015 RACV's Driving Your Dollars study, the cheapest car to own is the Suzuki Celerio. With a drive-away price of $12,990, its weekly running costs total $97.65 over five years.Record low interest rates and falling fuel prices have made owning and driving a car more affordable in the past year, says the RACV. Its survey examined 111 popular vehicles across 13 categories, taking into account all expenses associated with ownership.RELATED: Australia's cheapest cars to own and run in 2014 This year's survey found the overall average cost of owning a car was $211.25 a week or 73.2c a kilometre - slightly down on the 2014 cost.The RACV's manager of vehicle engineering, Michael Case, yesterday advised car buyers to look beyond just the purchase price when shopping for a new car."Always be aware of the hidden costs - depreciation is the biggest single cost in owning a car, even if you don't see it until it's time to sell," Mr Case said.The survey also found that servicing costs have increased."It is important to know how much it costs to have your car serviced, to fill the tank, replace tyres, pay insurance, rego, stamp duty, spare parts and RACV membership," Mr Case said."Before you hit the showroom, do your homework... Ask yourself: 'Am I buying the car I want or the car I need?'."Nissan Patrol owner Ryan Mullins, from Bentleigh East, said he was happy with the costs he had to bear."I've never had a problem with my Nissan Patrol and the RACV survey wouldn't put me off from buying a new one," Mr Mullins said.Among the electric and hybrid cars, the Toyota Prius C had the lowest operating cost at $152.60 per week.RACV calculations were based on private ownership of a vehicle for five years, driving an average of 15,000km a year.For more complete information on the winners in each class, visit the RACV’s results here.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.