Toyota Land Cruiser vs Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender vs Toyota Land Cruiser - header

The new Toyota Land Cruiser is cleaner than ever, but we get it dirty in a bruising test against legendary Land Rover off-roader

2016-01-15 13:00

Now that winter is upon us, what better time to test two of the best 4x4s in the business?

The Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender are steeped in history and have traded on their unstoppable off-road ability for decades. However, these cars have taken very different paths to where they are today. The Land Cruiser has moved from functional 4x4 to luxury off-roader over the years, and the most recent update means its 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel is cleaner than ever.

Best 4x4's and SUV's to buy

In contrast, the Defender has stuck to its utilitarian roots, but time is catching up with it and the end of production is looming. To see the 4x4 off in style, Land Rover has launched the Celebration Series - three models designed to showcase its versatility. The Autobiography is the upmarket version, the Heritage nods to the car's history, while the Adventure tested here highlights its off-road prowess.

So which of these cars delivers a superior driving experience on and off-road? We headed for the hills to find out.

Head to head

Off-road

Land Cruiser has a host of electronics to keep moving off-road, but while it's very capable, it does feel huge and has limited ground clearance compared to the Land Rover.

The narrower body and steeper approach and departure angles make the Defender truly unstoppable, yet the shorter wheelbase 90 is better still.

Rear access

Neither car is easy to get into, but the Land Cruiser has grab handles and running boards to boost access. You get to the rearmost seats in the Toyota by clambering past the second row. 

In the Defender, you need to get in via the back door, although there is a step to help you.

Running costs

While the Defender is cheaper than the Land Cruiser to buy, it costs more to run. Road tax is a hefty £505 a year (Toyota buyers face a £265 bill) while 23mpg economy on test was nearly 12mpg behind its rival. At least the Defender's insurance prices are lower.

Verdict

First place: Land Rover Defender

In every measurable way, the Defender 110 is outperformed by the Land Cruiser, yet what it lacks in performance, economy and running costs it more than makes up for with character. This Adventure model makes you feel like a survivalist even on a trip to the sops, and while its a physical car to drive, it's also immensely satisfying. Plus, it's likely to be an appreciating asset.

Second place: Toyota Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser is one of the few luxury SUVs that can still perform well off the beaten track. Its size means it's spacious for seven, and the level of standard kit is good enough to rival the best from Range Rover. But the cabin design looks and feels dated, while the on-road driving experience is soft and wallowy. Its diesel engine is more efficient than the Defender's, but it's still a slow car.

Coming soon

New Land Rover Defender

Due: 2018
Price: £25,000 (est)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 180bhp
Land Rover Defender DC100

Not so much coming soon than coming eventually is the Defender's replacement. Land Rover has revealed a number of interesting design studies, but the car will need to be very special to match the outgoing model's legendary status.

Figures

Land Rover Defender 110 Adventure Toyota Land Cruiser D-4D Invincible auto
On the road price/total as tested £43,495/£43,760 £54,895/£55,595
Residual value (after 3yrs/36,000) N/A £28,216/51.4%
Depreciation N/A £26,679
Annual tax liability std/higher rate £3,198/£6,396 £3,913/£7,826
Annual fuel cost (12k/20k miles) £2,540/£4,234 £1,632/£2,720
Ins. group/quote/road tax band/cost 12/£569/M/£505 41/£899/J/£265
Cost of 1st/2nd/3rd service £266/£411/£284 £199/£269/£199
Length/wheelbase 4,785/2,794mm 4,780/2,790mm
Height/width 2,182/1,790mm 1,880/1,885mm
Engine 4cyl in-line/2,198cc 4cyl in-line/2,755cc
Peak power/revs 120/3,500 bhp/rpm 174/3,400 bhp/rpm
Peak torque/revs 360/2,000 Nm/rpm 450/1,600 Nm/rpm
Transmission 6-spd man/4WD 6-spd auto/4WD
Fuel tank capacity/spare wheel 75 litres/full size 87 litres/full size
Boot capacity (seats up/down) 762/1,019 litres 621/1,151 litres
Kerbweight/payload/towing weight 2,064/986/3,500kg 2,425/565/3,000kg
Turning circle/drag coefficient 14.4 metres/N/A 11.6 metres/0.35Cd
Basic warranty (miles)/recovery 3yrs (unlimited)/3yrs 5yrs (100,000)/1yr
Service intervals/UK dealers 12,000 miles (1yr)/130 10,000 miles (1yr)/181
Driver Power manufacturer/dealer pos. 29th/24th 8th/2nd
0-60/30-70mph 17.7/22.1 secs 12.7/13.7 secs
30-50mph in 3rd/4th 6.2/7.4 secs 4.9 secs (kickdown)
50-70mph in 5th/6th 15.0/18.6 secs 8.8 secs (kickdown)
Top speed/rpm at 70mph 90mph/2,300rpm 109mph/2,100rpm
Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 72.1/43.1/14.1m 59.5/39.3/10.6m
Approach angle/departure angle 49/36 degrees 32/25 degrees
Breakover angle/wading depth 150 degrees/500mm 136 degrees/700mm
Minimum ground clearance 314mm 215mm
Auto Express econ (mpg/mpl)/range 23.0/5.1/379 miles 35.8/7.9/685 miles
Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 20.8/29.1/25.5mpg 30.7/44.8/38.2mpg
Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 4.6/6.4/5.6mpl 6.8/9.9/8.4mpl
Actual/claimed CO2/tax bracket 329/295g/km/37% 211/194g/km/36%
Airbags/Isofix/park sensors/camera No/no/no/no Seven/yes/yes/yes
Auto gearbox/stability/cruise control No/yes/no Yes/yes/yes
Climate control/leather/heated seats No/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes
Metallic paint/xenon lights/keyless go No/LED/no £700/yes/yes
Sat-nav/USB/DAB radio/Bluetooth No/yes/no/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes
Thank you for reading the article about Toyota Land Cruiser vs Land Rover Defender in blog station of gear If this article was helpful please bookmark this page in your web browser by pressing Ctrl + D on your keyboard keys.

Artikel terbaru :

  • Updated 2021 Citroen C4 SpaceTourer on sale now from £28,630
  • 'It’s a golden age for used cars that are just like new'
  • New 2021 Genesis GV60 pure-electric coupe-SUV unveiled - pictures
  • Range Rover Velar updated for 2021 with more technology
  • Range Rover Velar updated for 2021 with more technology - pictures
  • New Skoda Fabia 2021 review
  • New Skoda Fabia 2021 review - pictures
  • New Lamborghini Countach arrives with 803bhp hybrid V12 - pictures
  • Hyundai Group to launch new pure-electric city car in 2023
  • New Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI SE L review - pictures
  • Artikel terkait :