Used Toyota Land Cruiser (Mk4, 2009 - 2023) review and buyer's guide
A full used buyer’s guide on the Toyota Land Cruiser covering the Land Cruiser Mk4 (2009-2023)
Toyota is celebrating 70 years since it first introduced the original Land Cruiser to the world. Throughout these years, the boxy model has built and retained a reputation for ruggedness, reliability and sheer off-road capability. As the models have developed over time, so has the level of luxury and equipment on offer.
Although not quite as luxurious or refined as a Range Rover, the modern Toyota Land Cruisers are a very pleasant vehicle to sit in whilst you dominate the terrain ahead, no matter what it is. Running costs are inevitably high and insurance cover can be pricey, but routine maintenance isn’t exceptionally expensive for this class of car. There’s also the sense of exclusivity, too, as Land Cruisers aren’t overly common on the used market.
Models covered
- Toyota Land Cruiser Mk4 (2009-date) - Toyota's big 4x4 is practical, great off-road and very reliable – if you can find one.
Toyota Land Cruiser Mk4
History
The Land Cruiser was originally developed for military use, with a civilian version appearing just six years after World War Two.
By the mid-sixties, Toyota introduced the Station Wagon to appeal to a wider audience, especially those who needed a practical vehicle to cope with the toughest terrain.
Over time the Land Cruiser continued to get bigger and more luxurious, with a V8 variant arriving in 1998, almost a decade after Toyota split the range in two. Customers could choose from either a full-sized model known as the Amazon in the UK, or a smaller ‘light-duty’ edition initially sold as the Colorado. Here we focus on the latter, sold simply as the Land Cruiser.
Used - available now
2021 Toyota
Land Cruiser
52,488 milesAutomaticDiesel2.8L
Cash £27,900
2018 Toyota
Land Cruiser
88,974 milesAutomaticDiesel2.8L
Cash £37,295
2021 Toyota
Land Cruiser
23,878 milesAutomaticDiesel2.8L
Cash £43,699
2021 Toyota
Land Cruiser
23,706 milesAutomaticDiesel2.8L
Cash £42,386The fourth-generation Land Cruiser ‘Colorado’ (codenamed J150 by Toyota) reached UK showrooms in December 2009, with a 171bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine and a five-speed automatic transmission only.
Buyers could choose between LC3, LC4 and LC5 trim levels, with seven seats fitted as standard to the latter two, whereas the LC3 had five seats, with a third row optional.
A facelifted model arrived in December 2013 with recalibrated suspension and extra safety features, while the trim levels were renamed Active, Icon and Invincible. A 174bhp 2.8-litre diesel engine and a six-speed automatic transmission became standard fare in August 2015.
Further revisions in January 2018 brought a new entry-level Utility trim, a redesigned dash, an updated design and extra kit.
Which one should I buy?
Each successive update brought a higher-quality interior and more equipment; post-2013 Land Cruisers are far more luxurious than earlier cars, and the 2.8-litre engine is usefully more efficient than the 3.0-litre.
Basic LC3s are scarce, and come with 17-inch alloys, climate and cruise control, Bluetooth and keyless go. We’d go for a mid-spec LC4, as this adds three-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, powered folding third-row seats, leather trim, electrically adjustable heated front seats, automatic headlights, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rear camera, navigation and uprated audio.
If you’re planning on spending more time off the road than on it, the top-spec LC5 models get a suite of off-road tech, such as adaptive variable suspension with active height control, crawl control, multi-terrain monitor with steering angle display and multi-terrain select, plus a rear TV screen for DVDs and computer games.
Alternatives to the Toyota Land Cruiser
The Mitsubishi Shogun is the closest rival. It too puts towing and off-road ability ahead of luxury and refinement, but it is spacious (in rows one and two) and well equipped.
If off-roading ability is key, a Land Rover Defender might suit, but a better bet would be a Discovery or Discovery Sport. They have far better refinement and a much more luxurious interior. The Volkswagen Touareg is another desirable 4x4 that’s superb at towing, luxurious and comes with some excellent engines – but only five seats.
If seven seats are essential, also think about the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes GL/GLS-Class. All are costly to buy and run, but offer a more luxurious take on the large SUV format, and are excellent at towing.
What to look for
Towing
All Toyota Land Cruisers have a maximum towing capacity of 3,000kg with a braked trailer, or 750kg if unbraked.
Gearbox
Whereas three-door Land Cruiser models are fitted with a manual gearbox, five-door models are equipped with automatic transmissions.
Spare wheel
The spare wheel is kept below the boot floor. Its lowering mechanism has been known to seize up if neglected for a long period of time.
Manual ’box
Very few of these cars are fitted with a manual gearbox, which is just as well; the shift on such units can be quite poor.
Interior
This is a big car, but it’s not as roomy as you might expect. Rows two and three are surprisingly cramped, with the latter only really suitable for children, although there’s lots of headroom in the first two rows. The cabin is easy to use, very well equipped and extremely well put together. Boot space is excellent at 621 litres with the third row down, but falls to just 104 litres with all seven seats in use.
Prices
Check out the latest used prices for the Toyota Land Cruiser on our Find a Car service or use our free car valuation tool for prices on a specific car.
Running costs
The Land Cruiser service schedule alternates between minor and major, with a service due every 12 months or 10,000 miles. The engine has a timing belt rather than a chain, but this is no more costly to replace than in any similarly-sized car. It needs to be done once every 10 years or 100,000 miles.
The coolant also needs to be replaced after 10 years or 100,000 miles – and then every 60,000 miles after that – but the cost of this is included in the routine servicing. Also built in is fresh brake fluid, which is required every two years or 20,000 miles.
Recalls
This generation of Land Cruiser has been recalled just once. It happened in June 2017 and affected 589 cars built from June 2015 to January 2016, which could suffer from a damaged mount for the AdBlue injector on the exhaust pipe. If the flange and pipe separated, AdBlue was no longer injected. Toyota fixed the problem by replacing the forward section of the pipe.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
Predictably, the Land Cruiser is too niche to appear in our Driver Power surveys, but Toyota placed fifth in the 2021 brand survey. The firm’s standing was boosted by a particularly good showing for reliability and low running costs. Other high spots were for build and ride quality, and safety equipment.
Toyota Land Cruiser (2009-2023) review: What we said
Extracts from our 2021 in-depth review of the Mk4 Toyota Land Cruiser...
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a very capable and reliable 4x4, but in spite of its legendary strengths, most drivers will find it simply too agricultural compared to contemporary rivals like the Land Rover Discovery.
Wholesale revisions in 2018 don’t go far enough to help the Land Cruiser compete with the wide range of luxurious SUVs and crossover models now available. Almost without exception, those rivals offer a degree of refinement and on-road dynamism that the Land Cruiser was never intended to match. Further updates in 2020 included an engine power upgrade and extra standard kit.
If you need genuine off-road ability with a little added luxury, it’s still a great choice, and the latest updates make it better than ever. Put it this way: you wouldn’t pick any of the Land Cruiser's rivals over the Toyota for a trek through the African bush.
Few cars for sale are as capable off-road as the Toyota Land Cruiser. The big SUV has built a reputation over more than 60 years as an unstoppable 4x4 that's only equalled by one other car - the Toyota Hilux pickup.
The UK Land Cruiser isn't the biggest version in Toyota's global line-up. While other markets get larger V6 and V8 models, the UK car is the slightly smaller model known as the Land Cruiser Prado in other countries. However, it's still one of the biggest 4x4s for sale in the UK, with the range now spanning functional Commercial versions to luxury top-spec models.
There aren't many traditional 4x4s like the Land Cruiser for sale today, with the only other models to feature a similar body-on-frame set-up being the latest one-tonne pickup trucks. A price range from around £42,000 to £58,000 means the Land Cruiser rivals more modern SUVs such as the Volvo XC90, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7 and Mercedes GLE.
Where the Land Cruiser stands out is its availability in 3- or 5-door body styles, although the range has now been pared back to include just Active and luxury-spec Invincible models. It's worth remembering you can only specify a three-door model with the entry Active trim.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloys, a reversing camera and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, while top-of-the-range Invincible versions add bigger 19-inch wheels, a JBL audio system and Toyota's Multi-Terrain Select system.
The Land Cruiser Commercial (offered in Utility and Active spec), is based on the 5-door body, but only has two seats and a vast load area in the back.
The Land Cruiser Active has the option of either five or seven seats, while Invincible models are limited to just the seven-seat configuration. All cars are powered by a 2.8-litre diesel engine which produces 201bhp and 500Nm of torque, via a six-speed automatic transmission.
Engines, performance and drive
On the road, the Land Cruiser feels like the tall, heavy car that it is. There's a fair amount of lean through corners and the steering could do with being a bit sharper, although you soon get used to it – and frankly, this isn’t a car that was designed to be hurried. Comfort is generally good, but the car fidgets and thumps around on rough surfaces, and the steering kicks back lazily if you hit a pothole. The Land Cruiser doesn’t glide up the road in the same way a Land Rover Discovery does.
It's worth mentioning, though, that the Toyota comes into its own when you venture off the tarmac. It’s a genuinely hardcore off-roader in a category that has become a little confused by the arrival of lifestyle ‘crossover’ models such as the Mercedes GLE and the Audi Q7.
For improved traction over rugged terrain, the Land Cruiser benefits from a low-ratio gearbox and a lockable centre differential, plus, thanks to Toyota’s legendary reliability, you can depend on this 4x4 not only to take you into the wilderness, but also to get you back out of it.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
There's just one engine in the Land Cruiser line-up: a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel with 201bhp and 500Nm of torque.
The engine replaced the old 3.0-litre V6 in the middle of 2015, and originally developed 174bhp/450Nm. While it did a good job of lugging around the heavy 4x4, it never felt particularly brisk, so the power hike in 2020 was a welcome upgrade. The Land Cruiser is now able to complete 0-62mph in 9.3s, which is a useful improvement over its previous 12.1s time.
The engine does feel quite rough compared to the smoother six-cylinder diesels you get in off-roaders from Land Rover, Mercedes and BMW. They of course have been developed with more focus on the ‘lifestyle’ element of the SUV market, while the Land Cruiser is still primarily conceived as a luxurious and effective off-road workhorse for markets around the globe, and that torque figure means it'll be good for towing and off-roading. With only four cylinders that means there's less to go wrong, boosting reliability.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
Big cars come with big running costs, and the Toyota Land Cruiser is no exception. The downsized diesel is a big improvement on the 3.0-litre it replaced, although the latest WLTP tests don't show it in a very good light. Economy is quoted at around 27-30mpg, although there’s no escaping CO2 emissions ranging from 239-251g/km. They mean hefty road tax bills for company users.
A large off-roader is going to be expensive to run no matter what badge it’s wearing, and the Land Cruiser has the added advantage of being cheaper to drive out of the showroom than those from many of the premium brands.
The Land Cruiser comes reasonably well equipped in Active trim, so you won’t feel as though you’re missing out on luxury goodies. The top-of-the-range Invincible model includes keyless go and a 360-degree camera, as well as adaptive suspension and a terrain monitoring set-up. There’s also a 14-speaker JBL audio set-up.
Interior, design and technology
Few cars can match the Toyota Land Cruiser for road presence. It’s marginally shorter than the Land Rover Discovery, but it’s taller, and while the distinctive step in the Land Rover’s roofline is a neat design touch, the Land Cruiser is pure 4x4, thanks to its ‘two-box’ design and tall ride height.
Bulging wheelarches, chunky roof rails and running boards – essential to help smaller occupants get on board – only add to the rugged look, while the 2014 facelift added full LED lamps front and rear. These include super-bright daytime running lights, and when you combine them with the huge five-bar chrome grille, the Toyota looks imposing – although you’d struggle to call it pretty.
Come 2018, and the car was revised again, with its new grille and headlights set higher to improve the car’s off-road ability; and, Toyota added a dip in the centre of the bonnet to give the driver better visibility. In the UK, the Land Cruiser features a spare wheel under the boot floor, although in some markets it still comes with the spare hanging off the back door.
Inside, the Land Cruiser delivers the kind of old-school luxury you’d expect from a Lexus LS. Top-spec Invincible models get plush leather, while wood trim on the wheel and dash is designed to give an upmarket touch, although this looks a bit dated. At least the 2018 facelift brought in a new-look and a more ergonomic dashboard that incorporates Toyota's latest infotainment systems
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The Land Cruiser features Toyota's Touch 2 multimedia system, with an 8-inch touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Toyota updated the system in 2020 with new software and a customisable home screen, which allows owners to arrange their most frequently used functions in a similar way to a smartphone.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
Inside, the Land Cruiser isn’t quite as roomy as you might hope, as its old-school proportions and hefty 4x4 engineering restrict interior space a little.
Still, it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position, as there’s plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, plus visibility is good and you get lots of storage space for odds and ends around the cabin.
The Toyota is available as a three or five-door, and naturally the three-door is less family friendly; it’s more aimed at business users who need to carry equipment to locations off the beaten track and is only available in entry-level Active specification.
Active trim adds useful practical touches like Downhill and Hill Start Assist, all-round parking sensors and rain-sensing windscreen wipers, while the top-spec Invincible model is equipped with Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain driving modes, as well as blind spot monitoring.
Size
The five-door the Land Cruiser measures in at 4,970mm long and 2,000mm wide. For comparison, the Land Rover Discovery is 4,971mm long and 1,945mm, so there’s not a lot in it. However, the smaller three-door is just 4,395mm long and 1,885mm wide. In the UK, the five-door gets a spare wheel under the boot floor (it's not hanging on the back door like it does in some markets), while the three-door has a tyre repair kit to save space inside.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
The Land Cruiser comes with five or seven seats, and in higher-spec models, there’s an electric folding mechanism on the rearmost row. This means unfolding the seats for extra passengers or folding them away for additional boot space takes seconds and can be done at the press of a button, which is a nice touch. There is plenty of space in the middle row of seats thanks to a large footwell, impressive legroom and a high roof.
You can slide the middle row forward to free up extra space for passengers sitting behind. In fact, the two rearmost seats provide sufficient room for adults, for short journeys at least.
Boot
Boot capacity stands at 620 litres when the Land Cruiser is in five-seat mode, but with the rear seats in place the capacity is reduced to around that of a Fiat 500 – so while the big Toyota can carry seven people, it won’t be able to transport much of their luggage at the same time.
With all the rear seats folded down, the load space increases to a mighty maximum of 1,943 litres.
You need lots of space to swing open the side-hinged tailgate, which makes loading in tight car parks awkward, although the separate-opening glass can prove handy here. The rear suspension can be lowered to boost access, but there’s only a 5cm difference between its highest and lowest settings, meaning only a 2.5cm drop from normal.
Towing
The Toyota Land Cruiser has strong, but not class leading, towing capabilities. Across the board, all Land Cruisers can pull 3,000kg, irrespective of whether you opt for a five-seater or seven-seater, or auto or manual transmissions.
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