The Toyota Land Cruiser has hit its 13th generation globally, here’s what to know…
Toyota has taken veils off the all-new Land Cruiser. The SUV has hit its 13th generation globally, internally known as the J300 series. This is in fact the first full model change in the last 14 years and comes in at a time when Toyota is celebrating 70 years of the nameplate. The manufacturer claims the 2022 Land Cruiser to be “a vehicle that promises to take you anywhere and everywhere and come back alive and safe.”
Design
The 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser carries forward the family’s signature design ethos and has pronounced inclinations to its younger sibling, Prado, in terms of the overall styling. The vehicle looks butch and boxy and has redrawn projector LED headlamps, gigantic-yet-stylish grille, LED DRLs, reprofiled bumpers, and a set of different fenders, rendering an imposing stance. Unlike the outgoing model which has window-mounted ORVMs, the new LC gets them fixed on the doors for a slight aerodynamic upper hand. The vehicle will come with 18,19 and 20 inch wheels to choose from, depending on the trims..
Some Key Figures
The overall dimensions of the 13th generation Land Cruiser remain unchanged from its predecessor. It has the same length, breadth, height and wheelbase as the outgoing model despite being built on a new platform.
| Length | 4990 mm |
| Width | 1980 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2850 mm |
The approach and departure angles have improved giving the SUV’s overall capability a boost. The LC 300 has an approach angle of 32 degree and a departure angle of 24 degree, meaning it can realize the carmaker’s claim of ‘going anywhere’. The new Land Cruiser is also lighter by 200 kilograms, further upping its practical appeal.
Livable Interior
The Land Cruiser, in its latest generation, has become even more livable than before. The cabin is now more car-like and packed with creature comforts. There is every bit of equipment one would ever wish for, in a car of this kind. The LC300 gets a large 12.3 inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls, JBL audio, multi-zone climate control, heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, electronic parking brake, wireless charging bay etc.
The showstopper, however, would be the start/stop button with an integrated fingerprint scanner. This essentially means that the new Land Cruiser would scan and identify the driver via fingerprints, and automatically engage the cabin and driver settings previously saved by him. Plus, there are also things like adaptive cruise control, lane support, selectable drive modes, diff locks, and 4WD.
Platform
As mentioned earlier, the 2022 Land Cruiser is underpinned by an all-new platform- the GA-F, with its roots in the modern-day TNGA. As Toyota puts it, the J300 has evolved into a car while staying true to the Land Cruiser Series! The vehicle retains the ladder-on-frame layout, but the platform has undergone major reworks and now has the torsional rigidity hiked by 120%, despite shedding major chunks of weight.
The chassis has been designed to take the maximum possible abuse and tackle the harshest of terrains with ease. It now has a better weight distribution, lower center of gravity, and hence improved dynamics. The suspension has been reworked to offer more wheel articulation, envisioning remarkable rough road performance. The tweaks in suspension have also enhanced the road-holding abilities as well, indicating the carmaker’s focus on ensuring equally impressive highway usability as well.
The new Land Cruiser gets the ‘Multi-Terrain Select’ system for easier and more efficient off-roading, while the highway runs are complemented by the E-KDSS (Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), claimed to be a first in the world.
Engine And Transmission
The hungry V8s from the past are no more. The new LC gets a 409hp/650Nm, 3.5L twin-turbocharged petrol V6 and a 304hp/700Nm, 3.3L twin-turbo diesel as its hearts. A 10 speed torque converter automatic is the standard transmission on offer. Needless to say, the SUV gets a low range transfer case and 4WD.
Perfected By The Finest!
Does the new Land Cruiser seem desirable yet? Well, here’s some spice to it ! This vehicle, Toyota says, has been tested and perfected by its in-house drivers with ‘master-level’ technical skills and a bunch of Dakar drivers! Now you know they’re not bragging…
A Performance Spec Coming Soon!
Toyota seems to be working on a performance guise of the Land Cruiser, with the Gazoo Racing genes gone into it. The Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport will be unveiled later this year, with a bunch of major tweaks to its exterior design.
Expected Lauch And Rivals
The all-new Land Cruiser 300 is expected to go on sale globally later this year. In the global SUV sphere, it will have its key rivalry from Ford Explorer and Nissan Armada.
Toyota might launch this model in India as CBU units, as the previous generation had been quite popular here. Though we have had no official word on this yet, the recent hints by the carmaker about bringing in more global products, do add to the hope.
