A no-nonsense go-anywhere, even if it is almost fifty years old – you can still buy a Toyota Land Cruiser J76 like new! – Garáž.cz

The off-road Land Cruiser of the J70 generation was launched by Toyota for the first time in 1984 and is still offered today. It has nothing to replace such a useful car, more modern cars of the same name are rather very luxurious five-door SUVs (capable off-road, of course, their tradition started already with the J50 model) and not work machines. But you can still have a 70 with a short or long wheelbase, as a semi-cabriolet, a pick-up or a chassis for the construction of some special superstructure. This wagon is designated J76 and was only introduced in 2007 along with an extensive facelift.

The original styling of the car was reminiscent of previous J40 models, but today it is significantly modernized. Toyota lost the raised fenders in 2007. Nevertheless, it’s still a very boxy box that doesn’t care about aerodynamics, and you have to climb a bit into the cabin. You slam the door behind you with a nice tinny click. Likewise, the position behind the wheel is so upright, and not quite car-like, but that’s what every off-road owner is used to. The interior is spacious and has a beautifully airy feel, even if it is a bit like a large greenhouse. But thanks to this, the view from the Toyota is sensational. However, the front windows are so large that they start to warp when opened while driving. In the car you will find two airbags, ABS and traction control and stabilization. Of course, it does not impress today, but the owners do not even desire a larger offer of these systems.

The equipment is luxurious by the standards of the 1970s series – a decorative badge on the hood, leather upholstery, air conditioning (very simple), a simple car radio with a Bluetooth connection and an extendable antenna, a USB connector, electric windows and mirrors and a central tunnel (yes, it is not in the basic cars). . That’s thanks to the off-road special 70th Anniversary edition, which celebrates the launch of the first Land Cruiser in 1951. Still, you’d be looking in vain for a giant touchscreen, it wouldn’t fit here anyway.

But thanks to the more comfortable seats, the Land Cruiser no longer offers a wider space for passengers, and you won’t even find folding benches in the trunk. At the back there is a wing door for access to the 590 liter luggage compartment. The left smaller ones open first and then the right big one. The trunk is really big and will please parents who don’t have to fold the stroller. Even the child car seat is easier to install on the higher rear seat.

Under the hood is a proper 1GR-FE six-cylinder petrol engine with a volume of 4 liters, which was introduced in 2009 and replaced the older in-line engines. It offers 228 hp (167 kW) at 5,200 rpm and a torque of 360 Nm at 3,800 rpm and meets the Euro 6 standard. The engine has enough power so you don’t have to worry about the left lane on the highway. On the contrary, you can stay there with ease. It’s just annoying how others don’t expect them to dodge you. Today, no one is used to the fact that such a box with the aerodynamics of a brick could drive faster than their low-cost but sophisticated hatchbacks. At the same time, the maximum speed is 208 km/h and acceleration to 100 takes only 9 seconds.

The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox with a reduction and stiffer clutch, although a four-speed automatic was also offered in some markets. Driving comfort reduces aerodynamic noise, greater lean in corners and also greater noise from the engine. Still, I enjoyed the ride from my high driver’s seat, looking at the roofs of the smaller vans with interest, and none of the passengers who rode with me during the test actually ever complained. Maybe it was because you don’t care about potholes, potholes or retarders and railroad crossings in a car like this. You can see them, but you don’t feel them much, not only thanks to the chassis tuning, but also thanks to the sixteen-inch wheels and high-profile tires. So a comfortable Land Cruiser really is.

Of course, this Land Cruiser has solid axles. While the front relies on coil springs, the rear is leaf springs. They are supported by a frame made of high-strength steel, so the whole car weighs over two tons. And it can still carry 1,290 kilos and allows a trailer with an additional weight of 3.5 tons to be hitched. However, consumption, which was slightly above 11 liters on average, is also connected with this. There is no problem with the weight, the power steering helps significantly. It’s just not very steep, so you might even be able to guarantee yourself in sharper turns.

The Land Cruiser drives the rear wheels as standard, but all you have to do is fiddle with the second, smaller lever next to the shifter and you’ll engage the front axle. Differential locks are available for an additional charge. The ground clearance is 230 mm, the approach angle is 38° at the front, 29° at the back, and the Toyota can wade up to 700 mm deep water. This one even more thanks to the snorkel. In the terrain, the Land Cruiser will not stop practically anything that would be a common off-road obstacle in our country. The limit will be the courage of the driver or the fear of scratching your car. Sure, a Land Rover Defender could do that, but the Toyota feels like a car to the crew, not an old truck. Here you don’t even have to follow a road, but you can actually create it anywhere (within the limits of the law).

So this generation is still in production, even though it will be 40 years next year and the car is sold in Africa, South America, Australia (where this variant is hugely popular) and the Middle East. To this day, Toyota has not been able to fully replace it.

You can buy it from us as an individual import, which is provided by the company Dajbych 4×4. And I probably don’t know a better work off-road that you could drive home with and not complain about the ride comfort. This great toyota has been in my dream garage for a long time and nothing has changed. I really want to need her. I realized this when I very sadly had to return it to her again, and since then I miss her a lot again. Such a robustly built car with a lot of character is rare, even though it is one of the oldest cars on the market.

Although it is not cheap, the prices of the Land Cruiser Wagon with this engine start at 1,502,000 crowns. But considering the popularity of the car, the price is not bad at all, and whoever knows why he has the car, probably does not regret any of the spent crowns.