WATCH: Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series puts on a new face

It’s hard to explain the allure of the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series. You either get it or you don’t.

But if you take emotion out if the equation altogether and focus on the facts, the no-frills LC70 that was first rolled out in 1984 is as relevant as ever. On a good month, Toyota sells more of them locally than some pedigree manufacturers sell cars in total.

The 70 remains an integral part of the Japanese carmaker’s three-prong Land Cruiser nomenclature strategy.

Up on the top tier, Toyota offers a luxurious SUV off-roader in form of the Land Cruiser 300. Below that sits the Land Cruiser Prado, with the simple and sturdy Land Cruiser 70 rounding off the portfolio.

In cricket terminology, the LC70 is looking very good on 40 years not out. And after undergoing its biggest update since 2007, the smart money will be on it reaching a half-century.

ALSO READ: End confirmed for Toyota Land Cruiser 70’s diesel V8

GD-6 joins in

The addition of the GD-6 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine and automatic transmission, retro-modern exterior styling and a specification upgrade are the highlights of the refreshed 70 Series officially rolled out last week.

The tried-and-trusted 150kW/500Nm diesel mill which also serves on the Hilux, Fortuner, Prado and Quantum joins the line-up alongside the 4.0-litre petrol, 4.2-litre diesel and iconic 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel powertrains.

The new mill is only offered in combination with six-speed automatic transmission, with the other three mills exclusively mated to five-speed manual boxes.

As before, the vehicle is offered in 76 guise as both single and double-cab bakkie, in 78 guise as the “Troopie” and 79 station wagon body style.

New face

The new exterior frontal styling is quite a big change from the chrome heavy-duty design from before and pays homage to the rich Land Cruiser heritage.

The functional round headlights, Toyota lettering on the grille and hood cooling vent above the grille are all inspired by the iconic Land Cruiser 40, the LC70’s predecessor.

ALSO READ: Toyota Land Cruiser 79 solidified as an icon time cannot break

New 16-inch grey metallic alloy wheels are wrapped with bush-ready and chunky all-terrain 235/70 R16 rubberware.

As you would expect, the changes meanwhile make it more practical. Scraped bumper corners make it more resistant to off-road damage, an independent front bumper makes it more reparable and customisable and independent turn signals are easier to fix.

Old and new

With a number of enhancements, the cabin is a curious combination of new and old.

New additions include a steering wheel taken straight out of the Fortuner, albeit without any buttons, an automatic gear shifter from the Prado, an updated analogue instrument cluster, redesigned centre cluster panel, centre console box with lid and new rear seats.

The modern touches surprisingly blend in seamlessly with some serious old-school finishes. These include door handles reminiscent of a Corolla Conquest, vent setting sliders from an old Corolla and seat upholstery that would have been the bomb in my late grandfather’s Cressida.

Station wagon variants also get 60/40-split folding rear seats to maximise cargo space.

ALSO READ: WATCH: All-new Land Cruiser Prado makes dramatic Mzansi debut

Legendary toughness

The VX grade, which makes its debut on the LC70 only in station wagon guise, features rear-view camera, leather seat trim, Rockford Fosgate sound system and front steel bumper.

A centre console fridge is available as a dealer fitted option. While the fridge takes up a fair bit of space, it is kind of a no-brainer if you are going to be using the LC70 in the kind of conditions The Citizen Motoring got to experience on its launch drive around Lephalale, previously Ellisras. In a whopping 42 degrees Celsius, cool beverages are obviously a necessity.

A tough 4×4 track in the Waterberg did little to challenge the Land Cruiser 70’s legendary abilities. Once you move the sturdy low-range gear lever, bereft of any pesky electronics, into 4H or 4L, you feel undoubtedly equipped to climb out any mountain. On any continent. In any weather conditions.

And the best part of it is knowing it will basically withstand all the toughest conditions without ever breaking, hence the title the “Master of Africa”. It is just too uncomplicated to give any hassles. And that is exactly why the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series has stood the test of time.

Land Cruiser 70 Series pricing

Single cab
LC79 4.0 Petrol 5MT R765 500
LC79 4.2 Diesel 5MT R829 000
LC79 4.5 Diesel V8 5MT R956 200
LC79 2.8 GD-6 Diesel 6AT R917 100
Double cab
LC79 4.0 Petrol 5MT R864 600
LC79 4.2 Diesel 5MT R4920 800
LC79 4.5 Diesel V8 5MT R1 039 200
LC79 2.8 GD-6 Diesel 6AT R1 009 000
Station Wagon
LC78 4.2 Diesel 5MT R900 100
LC76 4.5 Diesel 5MT R1 076 800
LC76 2.8 GD-6 Diesel 6AT R999 900
LC 76 2.8 GD-6 VX Diesel 6AT – TBC

Land Cruiser 70 Series models comes standard with a three-year/100 000 km warranty and optional 100 000 km service plan.