Australians have long had a love affair with big vehicles powered by big six or eight-cylinder engines, so when one of the biggest and toughest 4x4 models on the market suddenly switches to four-cylinder power, it understandably causes consternation among some buyers.

The LandCruiser 70 Series range holds a special place here, having proven itself over decades of service in some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain.

From cattle cockies to coal miners, beach fishermen to caravanners, the 70 Series has for decades been the go-to vehicle for anyone needing serious offroad, towing and heavy-duty capabilities.

Australia is the 70 Series’ spiritual home and its single biggest market worldwide, with one in five global sales being here.

At a time when new car buyers are increasingly focused on emissions and safety, the 70 Series is not being particularly good at either, yet is going from strength to strength.

Over the last six years – in its various cab chassis, dual cab, troop carrier and station wagon variants – the 70 Series has notched up average sales of 12,000 units a year, and five of its best years ever for deliveries.

Toyota said development of this new model took more than six years and included a visit in 2017 by a group of senior Toyota executives and engineers to some of the most far-flung corners of the country to see first-hand how our miners, graziers, park rangers and fishermen use the vehicle.

The company, by its own admission, takes an ultra-conservative approach to changing its golden goose with development of the new model focused on improving the 70’s three key brand pillars – no-road capability, heavy towing and payload, and the all-important ability to add accessories.

As such, you won’t find any significant changes to the chassis, suspension and brakes of this new model, with Toyota adopting an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ approach.

The suspension remains live axles front and rear with coil springs up front, and leaf springs at the rear, all attached to a rugged full ladder-frame chassis.

Traction continues to be taken care of by a part-time 4x4 system with low-range transfer case with front and rear diff locks standard on GXL and optional on the GX Single-Cab Chassis and Workmate Double-Cab Chassis variants.

Brakes are four-wheel discs, with GX and GXL grades riding on dark grey metallic 16-inch alloy wheels clad with 265/70 R16 rubber, while other variants get 16-inch steel wheels clad with narrower 225/95R16 tyres.

The big change in this update is behind the 70’s restyled grille and bonnet, with the former giving a respectful styling nod to its grandaddy the iconic 40 Series, and the latter cloaking a new 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, attached to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Since its launch in 2007, the current-generation 70 Series range has been available exclusively with a 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 engine and five-speed manual transmission.

The engine has developed a cult following for its barrel-chested grunt and a budding aftermarket industry dedicated to converting the five-speed manual model to an automatic transmission.

But it’s also known for its heavy thirst and high emissions, both of which Toyota says are addressed by the new four-cylinder engine, which attached as it is to a six-speed automatic also addresses driveability issues relating to the V8’s slow and heavy five-speed manual transmission.

The process of convincing 70 Series customers to embrace a smaller and more fuel-efficient engine is familiar to Toyota Australia which had to make a similar case for the LandCruiser 300 Series when it arrived in late 2021, packing a 3.3-litre twin-turbodiesel V6 in lieu of the twin turbocharged 4.5-litre V8 diesel that powered the 200 Series.

The difference this time around is that 70 Series will continue to be offered with the V8 engine and manual transmission, alongside the new four-cylinder auto combination.

But while it’s true the V8 is still technically part of the 70 Series range, in a Catch 22-like twist, you can’t order one due to Toyota Australia temporarily closing its V8 order books in late July 2022.

The rationale then was that extended production delays were causing customers to endure unacceptably long wait times, but the freeze remains in place and Toyota is still struggling to fill the backlog of orders, with delivery delays stretching out until mid-2025.

There are no guarantees of when, or even if the V8 order books will reopen.

What Toyota has confirmed is that existing customers who have an order in place for a 70 Series V8 will be preferentially offered the four-cylinder model as an alternative, with the carrot being they’ll get their vehicle sooner.

The company insists that no V8 customers will be forced to take a four-cylinder model and that all existing orders will be filled for those customers who choose not to switch.

With a year having elapsed since the last V8 orders were taken and Toyota indicating it’s still 18 months away from filling the order backlog, it’s possible that as more buyers take up the four-cylinder option it will become the drivetrain of choice and the V8 will be quietly dropped.

That’s mere speculation, though, with the facts as they stand now being that the expanded MY24 70 Series range continues to include a V8, alongside the new four-cylinder auto option.

Additionally, all variants in the range benefit from refreshed styling, new safety technology, and an updated multimedia system, along with new comfort and convenience features.

The new 2.8-litre four-cylinder engine and auto is offered in three LC79 Single Cab grades – Workmate, GX and GXL – plus the LC70 Dual Cab, LC78 Troop Carrier and LC76 Wagon variants in Workmate and GXL grades.

Pricing for the four-cylinder powered range is pegged $4,100 below the equivalent V8 model, starting at $75,600 plus on-road costs for the Workmate 76 Series Wagon and rising through nine variants to $83,500 for the 79 Series Double Cab Chassis GXL.

The 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel and five-speed manual continues to be offered in the same grades and body styles as above, except for the Workmate 76 Series Wagon, which is only available with the four-cylinder engine.

Pricing for the V8 starts at $80,900 and rises though eight variants to $87,600 for the 79 Series Double Cab Chassis GXL.

Stylistically, all 70 Series variants features a redesigned front end distinguished by circular LED headlights that channels the iconic LandCruiser 40 Series from which the 70 is descended.

The lights feature manual levelling and automatic high meam and sit in a new square grille with a black mesh pattern and bold ‘TOYOTA’ lettering.

A small hood vent above the grille is also inspired by the 40 Series, with the gargantuan bonnet now redesigned due to the V8 moving form a top-mount to a front-mounted intercooler.

The interior continues to be dominated by hard, durable plastics, exposed metal sections on the dash and doors and only the barest concessions to comfort on GLX variants, which get carpets, fabric seats, power windows and twin USB plugs.

Workmate and GX variants soldier on with durable vinyl trim, while old-school quarter vents windows are a blast from the past on all models.

Other noteworthy interior changes include the addition of 60:40 split fold rear seats on Wagon variants, which can be folded forward to maximise cargo space.

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The instrument cluster has been redesigned for improved ergonomics, and there’s a new 4.2-inch multi-information display ahead of the driver with analogue speedo, tacho and warning lights, again in classic 40 Series style.

There’s also an upgraded multimedia touchscreen which has grown to 6.7 inches on all grades, with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus either two or four-speaker audio depending on model.

Four-cylinder auto-equipped models also now get a new centre console with a lidded centre storage box.

The touchscreen is a step towards modernisation but it’s a dinky aftermarket-looking unit and the graphics and resolution are low grade by modern passenger vehicle standards.

Wagon variants gain a new reversing camera with guidelines, which would be a useful addition elsewhere across the range.

On the safety front Toyota has added lane departure alert, road sign assist (speed signs only) and automatic high beam as part of new suite of advanced driver assistance features, which is bound to be attractive to fleet buyers.

This is in addition to the existing Toyota Safety Sense features including pre-collision system with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection and intersection assistance.

However, the 70 Series single-cab chassis pickup is the only model in the range to have a five-star ANCAP rating, with its 2016 date stamped rating set to expire at the end of December 2023.

It’s unlikely that other models will undergo ANCAP testing, given Toyota’s decision to increase the GVM of all 70 Series models to beyond 3,500kg in 2022 and reclassify the range from light-commercial to medium-goods vehicles.

This change was made in part to sidestep stricter side-impact regulations for passengers and light commercial vehicles that came into force in late 2022.

No doubt, questions will be asked about the smaller engine’s ability to handle the heavy towing and other duties 70 Series are usually tasked with.

Toyota Australia sought to put these questions to bed by providing journalists with access to both the updated V8 manual and the new four-cylinder auto, in the different body styles, during a rugged two-day drive program including off road and towing sections in and around Broken Hill in Outback NSW.

For some customers the move to a four-cylinder will no doubt be a bridge too far, but on paper at least the four cylinder’s 150kW is just 1kW less than the V8, while its 500Nm of torque between 1,600rpm and 2,800rpm, is 70Nm more than the V8’s 430Nm. The larger engine’s torque is, however, available from a lower and broader 1200rpm to 3200rpm.

On the fuel consumption front the four cylinder’s combined cycle figure of 9.6L/100km betters the V8’s 10.7L/100km, and while no extra urban figure was provided for the four-pot, it’s likely better again in stop-start driving.

The 1GDT 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel is well known here through its fitment to HiLux, Fortuner and Prado, although Toyota says multiple mechanical changes have been made to the engine specifically for the 70 Series to ensure optimal cooling and performance in tough conditions and under heavy towing loads.

The AC60 six-speed auto has also received enhancements over its application in other models including improved cooling for more stable oil pressure, raised breather hose to enable deep water crossing, and a new transmission guard to protect the gearbox when driving off road.

The gearbox includes a Power Haul mode for heavy towing, a second gear start mode, and a manual shift mode, with hill descent control also included with the auto.

Toyota claims the four-cylinder is every bit as capable as the revered V8 and that the auto’s ease of operation will open doors to new customers, promising that it makes driving activities including towing and off-roading significantly easier.

Evidence of this came with the opportunity to tow a 3,100kg off-road caravan behind both a V8 manual and a four-cylinder auto, with the latter giving away little if anything in highway performance, while proving significantly easier to live with when slowing down and accelerating out of the washouts that regularly cut across the gravel road we towed on.

The main advantage of the four-pot is the accessibility of its performance; it’s simply easier to drive, with more of a free-spinning and spirited feel, while also being lighter and more fuel efficient than the V8, with Toyota claiming approximately 10% improvement over the V8 manual.

Unsurprisingly, the auto needs to kick down a cog or even tow lower than the V8 to deliver similar acceleration, but it’s still the more relaxed driving position.

The V8 serves up its grunt in a lazier and more effortless style, with a more pronounced soundtrack, and so much low-end torque at hand that it could easily handle a sixth gear, with the tacho indicating 2000rpm at 100km/h.

Downshifting is rarely necessary as the engine pulls prodigiously off the bottom end and will accelerate smoothly from as low as 50km/h in top gear without any driveline snatch.

That’s a good thing, given that the long-throw stick shift is a slow old thing that can’t be rushed, so you tend to stick it in a gear and leave it there, wherever possible.

The four-cylinder easily maintains a highway cruising speed of 100km/h with enough in reserve for confident overtaking where permitted.

Out on the road the steering feels a touch lighter and more pleasant than the V8 but the ride remains stiff and uncompromising regardless of engine choice, due to the heavy-duty underpinnings.

Wind and engine noise fill the cabin at highway speeds, including a prominent sucking sound under throttle on models fitted with the optional snorkel.

The four-cylinder matches the V8’s 3,500kg braked towing capacity and, somewhat counter-intuitively, has a higher payload capacity thanks to a kerb weight that’s reduced by between 50-75kg which increases payload capacity by the equivalent amount.

Depending on model, the four-cylinder has a 1,380kg maximum payload versus 1,320kg for the V8.

We also spent enough time in a range of properly rugged off-road conditions – from sandy creek beds to rocky hill climbs and washed-out gullies – to reaffirm that the 70 Series has lost none of its impressive off-road ability, regardless of powertrain or body style.

Buyers can be confident that the new four-cylinder auto is every bit as capable in these conditions as the V8, and in fact it’s likely more so because of the auto’s more forgiving nature in conditions where gear selection in the manual is vital.

The fact the auto brings with it such additional features as hill descent control, second-gear start and a towing mode all add to its appeal.

One thing that is undeniably true is that Toyota hasn’t done a Land Rover Defender and taken its most ruggedly utilitarian model upmarket, by filling it with gee whiz electronic traction aids.

The 70 is still very much an analogue vehicle that remains committed to its working-class roots, as attested by the stubby manual shift lever for engaging high and low range.

Toyota is forecasting that around 30% of 70 Series sales will be of the four-cylinder model but its dealers are suggesting that could be as high as 50% within 12 months.

Having spent a convincing two days at the wheel of the new model we see that as entirely achievable, given the benefits the smaller engine and auto combo bring.

They include more torque than the V8 with the same towing capacity, a higher payload, more accessible performance, lighter steering, a lower price tag and around 10% better fuel efficiency.

It’s true that the four-pot doesn’t sound or feel like a V8, but it’s much easier to drive and generally more pleasant to operate.

The upgraded LandCruiser 70 Series is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, extended to seven years on engine and driveline, with capped-price servicing for the first five years/100,000km (whichever comes first) and each six-month/10,000km service costing $525.

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Toyota LandCruiser Single Cab Chassis Workmate GXL key info

• PRICE: $76,800 (MRLP)
• POWERTRAIN: 1GD-FTV turbocharged 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel, six-speed torque converter automatic transmission (150kW/500Nm).
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Not rated
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 9.6L/100km (254.4g/km CO2)
• FOR: Excellent off-road ability, sturdy construction, improved driveability and fuel consumption versus V8, high towing and payload capacities.
• AGAINST: No ANCAP rating, basic interior, firm ride, slow steering, large turning circle, poor NVH.

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series pricing

Model	1GD 2.8-litre auto	1VD 4.5-litre manual
76 Series WorkMate Wagon	$75,600	-
76 Series GXL Wagon	$79,800	$83,900
78 Series Troop Carrier WorkMate	$79,200	$83,300
78 Series Troop Carrier GXL	$82,500	$86,600
79 Series Single Cab Chassis WorkMate	$76,800	$80,900
79 Series Single Cab Chassis GX*	$78,800	$82,900
79 Series Single Cab Chassis GXL	$80,900	$85,000
79 Series Double Cab Chassis WorkMate*	$79,300	$83,400
79 Series Double Cab Chassis GXL	$83,500	$87,600