1980 Toyota Landcruiser Reviews

As Lord Acton told us way back in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” But Lord Acton never drove the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid. Remarkably, despite the company’s litany of sports cars over the years - Supra, MR-2, Celica, etc - this new off-road SUV can lay claim to the title of ‘the most powerful Toyota production car’ ever offered in Australia.That’s thanks to its new powertrain, which is lifted from the US-built Tundra ‘pick-up’ (aka super-sized ute), combining a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with an electric motor mounted between it and the 10-speed automatic transmission.But unlike the rest of Toyota’s hybrid range that focuses on efficiency, this 'i-Force Max' powertrain (as it is known in the Tundra) is biased towards performance - and a lot of it. The new LandCruiser makes 341kW of power and 790Nm of torque, which is an extra 114kW and 90Nm on top of the already very capable 3.3-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine in the LC300.It’s obviously a lot of performance, but the LandCruiser is a lot of SUV, so while Toyota calls it a ‘performance’ vehicle, don’t expect to be blowing the doors of a Porsche Cayenne or Ferrari Purosangue. Instead, it offers a punchy amount of torque that helps get the big beast moving with relative ease. But during on- and off-road drives there weren’t any moments where this new powertrain stood out as hugely different and better than the already impressive turbo-diesel option. Officially, Toyota says this new engine helps to tow more easily but we weren’t able to test that, so we’ll reserve judgement. They also said the addition of the electric motor improved low-speed behaviour off-road - and this we did get to test.In news that will shock nobody, the Toyota LandCruiser performed well off-road, with the addition of a new, more powerful engine not suddenly turning it into a tarmac-only soft-roader. But to say the electric motor makes it dramatically different, and indeed superior, off-road is a hard call to make without back-to-back testing on more challenging off-road terrain.The catch with this potential improved off-road and towing performance is the performance hybrid powertrain comes with a not-insignificantly smaller fuel tank than its diesel sibling - a 98-litre tank, instead of the 110L one in the diesel.Combined with higher fuel economy - 10.0L/100km vs 8.9L/100km - it means the theoretical range of the performance hybrid is 980km compared to over 1235km from the diesel. For those looking at an LC300 for a long-distance adventure vehicle, losing a potential 255km of range on each tank is not a small matter and swings the needle in favour of the diesel.You’re also paying upfront for the extra performance, with this new model more expensive than its diesel alternatives. For starters, the performance hybrid powertrain is only available with the high-spec Sahara ZX and GR Sport variants, which start at $156,740 and $155,990 (before on-road costs) respectively, a more than $8000 premium over the diesel.Obviously both are well equipped with alloy wheels (18-inch on the GR Sport and 20s on the Sahara ZX), leather-accented seats, heated and ventilated front seats, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen paired with a 14-speaker JBL sound system. The only major specification difference for the Sahara ZX (aside from wheels and some styling) is the inclusion of a dual rear-seat entertainment system. For comparison, Denza B8 plug-in hybrid starts at $91,000, and offers 425kW and 760Nm from its plug-in hybrid powertrain. Like the LC300 it can tow up to 3500kg but unlike the Toyota, the Denza’s bigger battery allows for up to 115km of electric-only driving and has better on-paper fuel economy. It’s certainly a vehicle worth cross-shopping if you’re looking at an LC300, but ultimately there are some major differences between the pair.In terms of design and practicality there isn’t a lot to say about the new performance hybrid variants compared to the rest of the LC300 line-up, as it’s still a relatively new vehicle by Toyota standards, having only launched in 2021.The only design difference between the petrol and diesel models is the lower bumper treatments (front and rear) on the Sahara ZX, but the GR Sport is visually identical regardless of which engine you choose.Inside the new options look the same, with a fantastic array of physical buttons, dials and knobs (as well as the 12.3-inch touchscreen) to easily adjust things even on bumpy, tricky roads - and very much in keeping with the practical ethos of the LandCruiser.However, the biggest difference between the diesel and petrol is the boot. Thankfully there is no repeat of the hybrid Prado’s high boot floor and plastic riser solution to housing the hybrid’s battery under the rear floor. Neither of the petrol models are available with a seven-seat option and the floor is slightly higher than the diesel model, but not dramatically so.But despite Toyota’s best efforts to package the battery up tightly space is still lost, 216 litres to be precise, with the hybrid boot measuring 910L compared to 1126L in the diesel.

Aussies love diesel-powered four-wheel drives but Toyota is set to mix things up with its petrol-electric LandCruiser Hybrid. Is the classic formula still intact?

Most of the 2025 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series line-up has undergone a recent comprehensive update - along with price increases to match - but while the third-from-top Sahara gets a $1119 price rise, it has received no updates this time around.Can the 300 Series stay viable in an increasingly competitive 4WD market? More importantly, is this Toyota 4WD wagon still an off-road champ?

The LandCruiser 300 GR Sport has long been a fan favourite but the 2024 model doesn't see any updates; so, how does it stay competitive in the land where SUVs are king?

The Sahara used to be top of the table in the LandCruiser line-up - but that's no longer the case.But that doesn't mean you sacrifice anything substantial when you opt for the Sahara over either of the two top higher-spec Cruisers.In fact, if you're looking for luxury and refinement, as well as real off-road ability, this loaded LandCruiser sets the bar very high.

In updating from the 200 to 300 Series LandCruiser, Toyota had to be mindful of the hardcore 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' off-road brigade. So, how have safety, engineering and tech upgrades been blended with the outgoing's model's undoubted strengths. We've tested the mid-spec VX model on and off the highway to find out.

The new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series variant, the GR Sport, has a whopping price-tag.This near-top spec LC300 is being hyped as the most off-road capable of the new 300 Series line-up, which range-wide have new engines, more power and torque, better fuel efficiency and greater comfort than the 200.But is the GR Sport actually an all-out beast off-road?

The new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is one of the most anticipated 4x4 models in Australia, so we thought we'd see how it stacks up against a couple of like-minded competitor four-wheel drives. Here we have the 300 GX up against the Nissan Patrol Ti-L and the Land Rover Defender 110 D250. All three close on price, performance, practicality - we drove them off-road and included a towing test!

The Landcruiser Sahara ZX is a feat of luxury and power, with 4WD capability. It's certainly a player in the luxury SUV market with the performance to match.

What better way to celebrate a 4WDing icon's 70th anniversary than sell 600 special-edition versions of it? And that's exactly what Toyota is doing with its much-loved 70 Series.Commemorative styling tweaks have been made to single cab, dual cab and wagon variants of the model, but these jazzed-up versions cost a chunk more than standard versions. Is it worth buying one?