Toyota gives 70 Series Landcruiser a shot in the arm

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Matt Wood, Trade Trucks AU  /  October 31, 2016

Toyota's updated 70 Series Landcruiser lineup has been improved but it comes at a price

Contrary to rumours of its impending demise, Toyota’s 70 Series Landcruiser work horse has just copped a significant update that sees improved emissions, safety and fuel economy.

Single cab focus

With 60 per cent of the 70’s sales going to business buyers, the bulk of the update focuses on the single cab LC79 while other improvements have trickled into the rest of the range.

The single cab-chassis now sits on a substantially bigger and stiffer frame with additional cross members, which has also seen a softer state of suspension tune for the fleet fourby.

The LC79 accounts for 8,000 Australia sales a year across the line up. Unsurprisingly the 70 Series also accounts for 20 per cent of the global take up of the hard-edged worker. To keep in sweet with mining fleets the single cab also now features 5 airbags and recently scored a 5 star ACCAP safety rating.

All LC79 Series variants benefit from the addition of Electronic Stability Control, which also features Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Automatic Traction Control. The addition of ATC has seen Toyota drop the limited slip diff from the range.

Other fleet friendly features are new 16-inch one piece steel rims which replace the split rims previously found on Workmate models, auto locking hub and a new fuse box to make the fitting of aftermarket accessories like telemetry easier and less invasive.

New injectors and an after burner

The much loved 4.5-litre 1VD turbo-diesel EGR V8 still provides power for the Cruiser at the same 151kW/430Nm (202hp/317lb/ft) ratings as before.

But to keep it in line new Euro 5 emissions a DPF with active regeneration has been added.

Keeping in mind concerns about an active afterburner underneath, the LC79 will not go into an automatic regeneration at low speeds off-road. The DPF itself is tucked up beside the transmission and protected by an addition cross member on the chassis.

New Piezo injectors have also been added to the V8. The local 100,000km testing regime of the LC also saw Toyota engineers test the injection system’s tolerance of varying quality Outback diesel.

Outside, the LC79 has a slightly new look with 12 new body panels. The bonnet has had a remodel with a larger, rounder intercooler bulge that is intended to be more pedestrian friendly.

Longer legs

A couple of the traditional 70 Series bug bears have been tackled, the main one being gearing.

The outgoing model 5-speed transmission was very low geared and saw the tacho needle dancing on 2,500rpm at 100km/h.

Expectations that the Cruiser may get a 6-speed didn’t come to fruition however, though the 5 slot ‘box has had the gear ratios for 2^nd and 5^th revised.

Now the big fourby sits on about 1,900rpm at 100km/h which sees Toyota now claim a combined fuel figure for the bent eight oiler of 10.7l/100km (22mpg) combined and 9.4l/100km (25mpg) for the highway.

Cruise control is now standard kit across the range but strangely air-con, a $2,700 dealer fit option, is not.

The LC79 revamp budget however, didn’t stretch to addressing the narrower wheel track of the rear axle. Which will no doubt keep the aftermarket happy.

The biggest selling model, the single cab-chassis has seen the bulk of development however, the range still consists of the dual cab-chassis, wagon and Troopy. Workmate and GXL are the only variants of each again excepting the single cab which now has a mid-range GX variant.

The Toyota’s unique status on the Aussie market as the only ute that can carry maximum load while towing maximum weight continues even though the truck has gotten a little heavier with the new kit on board.

This gives the single cab a payload of 1,200kg and a tow capacity of 3,500kg. Wading depth remains at 700mm.  

On and off the road

In today’s SUV-clogged market I find it comforting that the 70 Series still exists.

No doubt when presented with tightening emissions and safety demands it could well have gone the way of the Dodo or the Defender. Instead it now has the heavy 4x4 ute market all to itself with the departure of the Nissan Y61 Patrol cab-chassis.

As you’d expect, it’s still a no nonsense work truck from the driver’s seat. But the recent update is very apparent once you flick the key and get moving.

NVH has improved keeping the big 8 iron a little subdued but on the black top the changes in gearing make a huge difference.

Previously I’d been in the habit of skip shifting the old ‘box. Now it’s a smoother progression through the cogs.

And the Cruiser is much happier on the highway than it has been in the past with the rev counter showing 1,900rpm at 100km/h. The softer suspension tune of the single cab also makes it slightly less jittery when unladen on the open road.

The interior is still the same old familiar office but the view has changed slightly over the more imposing bonnet bulge.

The LC has a formidable reputation as bush transport and as such still powers down a dirt road happily. The main difference is the ESC cutting in if you try and flick the tail out on a corner. Spoilsports.

But, it’s the Landcruiser’s off-road cred that has set it apart from most. And it’s still got the goods in that department, in fact the addition of automatic traction control has improved it.

Walking the Cruiser up some pretty gnarly obstacles was quite a relaxed experience. The ATC cuts in and limits wheel spin and some feathering of the throttle keeps it climbing in a rather civilised fashion rather than roaring, clambering and spitting rocks along the way.

Some may say that the update softens the tough old bush bus. However, from the driver’s seat it still feels like the venerable workhorse of old.

Just with some smoother edges.

But it’s the pricing that private buyers may find hard to swallow. The single cab chassis now costs $5,500 more while the other variants have seen a price rise of $3,000 on what was already an expensive truck.

It’s become a better truck, but it’s also become serious financial proposition. But then again, now it’s also got the heavy 4x4 ute niche all to itself.

2017 Toyota Landcruiser LC79 Pricing (MRRP Quoted)

Workmate Wagon: AU$60,990  (US$46,401)

GXL Wagon: AU$64,990  (US$49,445)

Workmate Troop Carrier: AU$64,890  (US$49,369)

GXL Troop Carrier: AU$67,990  (US$51,727)

Workmate Dual Cab Chassis (less tray): AU$64,990  (US$49,444)

GXL Dual Cab Chassis (less tray): AU$68,990  (US$52,488)

Workmate Single Cab Chassis (less tray): AU$62,490  (US$47,543)

GX Single Cab Chassis (less tray): AU$64,490  (US$49,064)

GXL Single Cab Chassis (less tray): AU$66,490  (US$50,586)

Toyota AU website - http://www3.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70

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Cruising in the Cruiser

Matt Wood, Trade Trucks AU  /  February 1, 2017

Testing the work-focused fourby down the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to Sydney and back to see how it copes with a couple of long runs and a country interlude

There are some lessons that have to be learned the hard way.

For example, I recently learnt that it’s not really advisable to try and park a 70 Series Landcruiser anywhere near Sydney’s CBD. Especially the Rocks area.

However, after a couple of failed car park entries (too high) and multiple 43 point turns on back streets I finally found a spot I could legally occupy. I was sweating by the end.

Of course, nobody with a modicum of sense would use an LC79 as an inner city commuter.

The recently revamped workhorse fourby is the staple of mining companies, cockies and an aspirational get away truck for the masses. It ain’t no shopping trolley.

The latest update revised gearing in the 5-speed box but didn’t add another gear. Much to the annoyance of it’s loyal adherents.

However, the taller ratios for 2^nd gear and 5^th gear has led Toyota to claim much improved highway fuel economy as well as better driveability.  

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to play with the ‘Cruiser off-road, and in stock form it remains a formidable mudslinger. Especially when optioned with front and rear diff-locks.

The last update also included the addition of traction control and electronic stability, which may make the Toyota sound like it’s going soft.

The reality is that off-road the traction control actually helps the truck when crawling over rough obstacles rather hinder it.

If a wheel breaks traction power is directed to another wheel to keep you moving rather than roaring up a bushy hillside with the engine roaring and rocks flying.

But these things also do plenty of long distance highway kilometres.

So I took my LC79 single cab for a run down the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to Sydney and back to see how the work focused fourby coped with a couple of long runs and a country interlude along the way.

This single cab copped the bulk of changes and improvements from the update.

An all-important 5 star ANCAP crash rating was needed to keep the tough Tojo on the radar of mining and civil contractors.

So the single cab gets more airbags than it’s dual cab, wagon and troopy stable mates.

It also got a heavier, stiffer chassis and an extra cross-member as well as softer tune on the rear leaf springs to make it ride better when unladen on crap roads.

The narrow rear wheel track remains unchanged from previous models yet from the outside some subtle and not so subtle panel changes have taken place.

This apparently keeps pedestrians safer (without a bull-bar of course) and a larger bonnet bulge helps with heat rejection from the 4.5 litre Euro 5 EGR V8.

On paper that bent eight turbo-diesel looks a little anemic in terms of output. 151kW and 430Nm seems pretty tame when compared to some ute engines half it’s size.

But, it’s such a delightfully un-stressed engine in stock form.

In fact the aftermarket has proved that the engine is easily capable of much more power without a great deal of intervention.

And torque is available from very low in the rev range, just 1200rpm in fact. Maximum power is at just 3400rpm.

You also get the feeling that the modest spec from this power plant will serve it well in the long run.

The move to Euro 5 saw the addition of an active regeneration Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) which will perform a burn off once the DPF get’s clogged with soot.

The 200 Series wagon with the twin-turbo version of the same donk also does this automatically however it doesn’t have the parked regen option like the 70 series does.

This is mainly because the 70 series won’t perform a regen at speeds of under 80km/h. If the DPF clogs up because the truck is just wandering around a mine site it needs the option of doing a parked burn off.

I would however, like to see a DPF status gauge (like that used on the Euro 5 HiAce van) on the LC79.

As it stands the first you know of it needing a burn off will be when a light comes up on the dash.

If you’re heading into a sensitive site it would be nice to be to check the DPF soot level and have the option of doing a parked burn before heading in. 

Unlike every other ute on the Aussie market (save imported American pick ups) it can legally carry a tonne on its back and tow 3,500kg.

The already expensive LC79 also saw a price hike of 5 grand which will no doubt raise the eyebrows of some. And air conditioning is still a 3K option!

But perhaps the LC79 is best seen in the context of being a commercial light truck rather than a ute.

It’s certainly engineered that way. From that point of view it’s priced pretty close to the mark when compared to car-licence 4x4 truck offerings from Isuzu, Fuso and IVECO.

And as I found out, it’s a damn sight more confortable on a long haul than any forward control light truck I’ve driven. And doubly so off-road.

The big diesel 8-iron makes a satisfying if subdued burble when hauling the highway and has plenty of legs for overtaking.

The tacho now sits on 2,000rpm at 100km/h for improved economy and it will comfortably cruise at 110km/h.

Our GXL was a little more cushy inside compared to the Spartan Workmate variants.

The seating provided good support for hours in the saddle as well. The tilt/telescope wheel was also a nice touch and oft overlooked in vocational rigs like this.

The revised ‘box ratios have improved driveability however, you still get the best results by skip shifting through the cogs like a truck. Very rarely did the revised 2^nd gear get a look in. 

The power, reception, sound and range of the radio was pretty disappointing and it struggled to hold onto FM stations for very long while traveling.

I realize that this is just a minor gripe but this truck is most often found out the back of beyond so it would be nice if it had a decent wireless (sorry just found an excuse to use an old man word).

Wind noise also makes the Bluetooth useless at highway speeds. This isn’t a wind tunnel styled wagon!

I stopped at a mate’s farm along the way to get a bit of off-road action in... and scare his horses.

The new auto locking hubs do make life easier on what is still an old-school fourby in many ways.

The dealer fit tray has a lot of space but in serious off-road situations it has a little too much overhang at the rear.

Inner-city Sydney antics aside it was a comfortable cruise in the ‘Cruiser. It plants itself on the road and steers well for an empty truck.

Twenty hours in the saddle over the two legs of the trip still saw me walking upright and able.

Toyota is claiming improved fuel economy for the LC79 of 10.7l/100km combined. My truck was still a little green with only 860km on the clock when I picked it up.

However over 2,134km my combined average was 13.5l/100km. Still not too shabby for a slab sided commercial vehicle.

It’s still a comfy truck for long-haul cruises and dirty detours. Just don’t try and join the latte set when parking it.

Photo gallery - https://www.tradetrucks.com.au/product-news/1702/cruising-in-the-cruiser

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