From Towcar Awards 2008

List price: £56,100 (when tested)
Kerbweight: 2630kg
85% Match: 2172kg
Max towing weight: 3500kg
Towball limit: 140kg

EVEN BY 4X4 standards, the Land Cruiser is a big car. That’s great news for passengers, since there’s plenty of room for seven inside. It’s not so great if you’re driving, as the sheer bulk can be intimidating, especially around town.

On more open roads, though, you soon learn to appreciate the performance of the diesel V8. The 30-60mph sprint takes just 11.5 seconds. The engine can be a little noisy if worked hard, however.

Composed

In the lane-change test, the Toyota wasn’t in the same league as the Audi Q7 or BMW X5. Still, it was composed for such a huge car, yet it’s a shame the steering doesn’t have more feel.

The huge boot swallowed every item of our test load of luggage, and the well-written manual picked up more points, so as far as practicality goes, the V8 is impressive.

We say

Towing: 4/5
Solo: 3/5
Practicality: 4/5
Buying & owning: 4/5
Verdict: 4/5

A bit cumbersome, but roomy, comfortable and reliable.

Braking 30-0mph 12.34m