2009 Toyota Land Cruiser Review

Specifications

Some consumers may not want to believe it but the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s flagship at least in the 4-wheel drive market but arguably in their entire line up. Although not the top selling vehicle they sell, the Land Cruiser has always stood for quality, versatility and the ‘go anywhere’ attitude the name implies.

The foundation of the Land Cruiser developed in 1950 to rival the American built Jeep and the British built Land Rover. The BJ20 was tested in August 1951 when it became the first motorized vehicle to reach the sixth station on Mt. Fuji. From there, the reputation continued to climb with each passing year and new development within the line. In 1954, the BJ was renamed ‘Land Cruiser’ and the icon of the off-road world was official.

The Land Cruiser still holds true to its origins. In 2007, the icon was redesigned for the eighth time in almost seventy years and Chief Designer Sadayoshi Koyari was determined to retain the loyalty of Land Cruiser customers by ‘providing a vehicle that will not betray their trust’.

The eighth generation Land Cruiser sits on a completely redesigned platform, retaining the body-on-frame design that gives the vehicle its truck like strength and ride. Under the hood sits a 5.7 Liter DOHC 32-valve EFI V8 with dual independent Variable Valve Timing (VVT-i) that offers up 381 hp @ 5600 rpm and 401 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm. For a big, powerful engine, the 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway is decent - there is certainly worse in the luxury full-size sport utility class and it actually beats the smaller and less powerful Range Rover in city driving.

Still an off-road vehicle at heart, the Land Cruiser sports features such as a steel 10 rung ladder frame, 6 spd automatic transmission with ‘uphill/downhill logic’ built in, fulltime 4-wheel drive with a Torsen(r) center locking differential and independent double wishbone front suspension with coil springs that allow for any articulation that may required. Yet with all of this off-road equipment built in, the ride is particularly gentle and luxurious. Much like the Range Rover, the difference in comfort between cruising the freeways and rock crawling your way through Death Valley is minimal.

With the body-on-frame construction, the Land Cruiser has a substantial payload of 1585 lbs and a towing capacity of 8500 lbs. Truck tough but with the interior and comfortable ride of a luxury sedan. Interior of the 2009 Land Cruiser is exactly what you would expect from a high-end sport utility vehicle and a long ways from its origins. Leather seats, wood trim, JBL sound system with 14 speakers and optional navigation system and built in beverage cooler, all beautifully wrapped in rich tones and quality materials. Simple, classy, exceptional.

The revered secret of the 2009 Land Cruiser with its eight generational history is its ability to change to every environment. Need to tow your boat to lake up and over the mountain? No problem. Enjoy taking the road less traveled? The Land Cruiser will get you there. Have tickets to the opera for Saturday night? After a day of off-roading, drive your Land Cruiser through a car wash and you are ready for anything the city may throw at you. The Land Cruiser is the epitome of reliability, versatility and down to the frame sophistication.