The What Van? Road Test: Toyota Land Cruiser Utility Commercial (2018)

Date: Friday, March 1, 2019   |   Author: Steve Banner

 

LC - Cab

Interior and equipment

It just goes to show how far light commercial vehicle design has come in recent years when you are disappointed because a dashboard does not come with a full-colour touchscreen.

The Utility Commercial is touchscreen-free, instead featuring a black, slab-like display that controls the radio/CD player. A USB port forms part of a rather basic Bluetooth-enabled package that includes an aux-in socket.

But we shouldn’t moan too much. That’s because the Utility Commercial boasts air-conditioning after all, plus LED front fog lights, cruise control, electric windows and electrically-adjustable and heated exterior mirrors that can be flipped inwards at the touch of a button.

Nor is there any shortage of storage space inside. For your hard-earned money you acquire a lidded and lockable glovebox, a lidded shelf in the middle of the dashboard, bins in each of the doors with mouldings to hold soft drink cans, and two cup-holders, plus a tray between the seats. The cupholders can be covered with a lid – to keep your espresso warm, perhaps?

Also between the seats along with a 12V power point is a deep, lidded bin with a tray just under the lid. There is plenty of room behind the seats for dirty boots, anoraks and other accoutrements. Both the driver’s seat and the steering wheel are height-adjustable.

The design of the interior also enables you to see clearly ahead and to either side.
Driver, driver’s knee, passenger and side curtain airbags are fitted but the onboard electronic safety systems installed should hopefully help ensure they are not required. They include ABS, vehicle stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, and active traction control along with tyre pressure warning system. Ventilated disc brakes are installed all round.

Turning to the suspension on the vehicle, a double-wishbone arrangement helps support the front while a four-link lateral rod set-up assists in underpinning the rear. Our Utility Commercial sat on 17-inch steel wheels that were shod with Bridgestone Dueller H/T 245/70 R17 tyres and graced with silver-coloured caps.



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