The current Toyota Land Cruiser has added 2.4 inches of length and an extra inch of width and height. As ever, the Land Cruiser features a traditional body-on-frame design, though it's admirably difficult to discern this from the cabin's coddling confines. Motivation comes exclusively from a 5.7-liter V8 that churns out 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, rectifying the relative power shortage that plagued the new Cruiser's predecessor and more than offsetting the new SUV's 265-pound weight gain.
A six-speed automatic channels this output to all four wheels via the Land Cruiser's full-time 4WD system with selectable low-range gearing. "Crawl Control" further enhances the drivetrain's capability by maintaining a fixed ultra-slow velocity for hard-core trail-busting. A Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) is available for the first time, enabling the front and rear antiroll bars to stiffen or relax automatically as conditions change; the theoretical payoff is both flatter cornering and superior wheel articulation for off-road applications.
