For as long as we care to remember, Toyota’s LandCruiser has been commonly known as the king of 4WDs. The 2024 offering has a smaller engine, a Prado sibling with the same wheelbase, and ever improving competition from other makes.
We took the 5-seat 300 Series Sahara ZX, which now costs $145,791 plus on-roads, through city and sand, to see if it still sits atop the throne. Tested here in Eclipse Black, you can also opt for one of the other seven options, including Merlot Red or Dusty Bronze.
Building on previous iterations of its nameplate, without straying too far from its core DNA, the latest version answers a resounding yes to the question of whether it still commands in the road presence stakes.
The front end is unmistakably Toyota, with the large stacked grille and big emblem. The headlights flank that in a much more integrated way, with bi-LED headlights and LED DRLs. The trademark double scalloped bonnet is back too.
Around the sides, the soft wheel flare ‘bulges’ are finished with a tidy crease, adding refinement, with chunky chrome mirrors and door handles adding to the robust “tough around the edges” appeal.
Big illuminated sidesteps are on hand to help you climb in and out of the behemoth, with the sheer size of it even dwarfing the 20-inch alloy wheels. Their unique 12-spoke design is finished in black chrome, which perfectly balances with the paint scheme.
The back end is a similar story. Toyota have taken the same basics shapes of the tail lights and the lower bumper, and refined them to suit the more sleek, modern body lines. Gone is the split tailgate seen on previous models, in favour of single top hinged door.
The entire range is fitted with a wiring harness in case you want to add a tow bar, and haul all the way to its braked towing capacity of 3500kg. Inside, quality has taken a leap forward too, with materials and finishes setting Toyota up for more expensive rivals.
This is reflected in the price too, but it’s still nice too see where the extra money is going. The heated steering wheel has an advanced carbon look to match the centre console and door trims, which are set off nicely by chrome accents.
The balance between buttons and the infotainment screen here is also pleasant, and they’re well placed too. Behind the steering wheel are two analogue dials, separated by an information screen. It too is well thought out.
Heading up the dashboard is a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s been nicely integrated, as well as scoring an upgrade in processing power. Now faster and crisper than ever before, it supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Three USB-C charging ports (1x front, 2x rear) are also available, with the 300 Series Sahara ZX sporting a 14-speaker JBL premium audio system, as well as DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth, and even a CD player. The centre cubby is an odd design choice though.
It’s a very deep cooler box, which can keep drinks and snacks cool on long journeys. That’s the good bit. What’s less great is the fact that it opens either left or right. While that sounds convenient, we find it unnecessarily awkward.
In one positive, it can be opened from the second row. Opening the rear doors opens you up to what can best be described as a lounge room on wheels. Toyota could have used the extra space from the lack of a third row to push back the second, but haven’t done so.
Ultimately, it’s not needed because there’s room aplenty for the head, shoulders, knees and toes. The seats are soft and supportive, with a fold-down arm rest in the middle. There are even rear LED reading lamps, should you fancy curling up with a book.
Big dual rear seat entertainment screens complete the look, ensuring passengers in the back are kept occupied on long journeys. Keeping this a 5-seater means a whopping 1,131-litres of luggage space as standard. Drop row two and that grows to 2,052-litres.
The LandCruiser 300 Sahara ZX has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to Toyota’s Safety Sense platform that provides pre-collision, pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection systems. Active cruise control, road sign assist and lane departure alert are all standard.
The latter automatically applies the brakes on one side of the car to pull you back into the lane. It’s a neat party trick but it does feel unnatural, and unpleasant when the camera system gets confused by multiple lane markings.
Surround view cameras make parking a breeze, while blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alerts are helpful when its time to get moving. There are ten airbags and two ISOFIX anchor points.
The smaller engine – a 3.3-litre V6 twin turbo diesel in our example – is, in fact, an upgrade over the previous 4.5-litre V8 offering. Maximum outputs are higher at 227kW and 700Nm. The numbers don’t lie either, and it feels that way on the road.
Not once did the big body ever feel sluggish, instead it was always sharp, punchy and capable, regardless of the conditions we subjected it to. Its 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive work a treat.
It always feels like it’s in the right gear, whether readying for freeway overtaking, circling for a car park, or mowing through soft sand. Off-roading is made easy thanks to the adaptive variable suspension and a rear torque-sensing limited slip diff.
While we do admit this isn’t the first choice for a committed off roader (being the luxury option), we had to at least try it out. It handled basic trails easily and when it couldn’t, we were able to drag ourselves out of bogged situations without external assistance.
The engine has a nice note too, and while quieter than the previous offering, it’s certainly more refined. There are multiple drive modes, including Comfort, which absorbs all the bumps you can find.
Things get gradually more detailed as you scroll through Normal, Sport and Sport+, with precise steering a real feature. Considered the range topping non-performance variant, the 2024 LandCruiser 300 Series Sahara ZX has potentially outgrown its traditional buyers.
With a drive away price north of $155,000, it has further widened the gap to its traditional nemesis, the Nissan Patrol. Offering a niche blend of luxury and off road prowess, time will tell in regard to attracting buyers from premium brands.
You can find out more on the Toyota Australia website, or by talking to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Toyota Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle.
