With the launch of its new Land Cruiser Commercial 4×4 Toyota says it has completed its LCV line-up, which it claims is now the most comprehensive in the UK market.
This is quite an achievement for a brand that prior to 2016 was represented solely by the Hilux pick-up truck in the LCV sector following the withdrawal of the Hiace panel van back in 2011.
A product-sharing partnership with Stellantis has resulted in Toyota bringing to market the Proace City, Proace and Proace Max vans and now the Land Cruiser Commercial joins the range as the halo model, complementing the brand’s existing car-derived van, the Corolla Commercial.
Toyota describes the Land Cruiser Commercial as a niche 4×4 product that is suited for customers as an alternative to the Hilux pick-up because they do not require a 1.0t payload but do appreciate increased comfort levels.
Toyota says UK sales will be restricted to an allocation of 500 units a year. It sold 1,300 examples of the first-generation Land Cruiser Commercial, which was launched in 2017. While that model was introduced as a ‘no frills’ working vehicle, although a higher ‘Active’ grade was added in 2018 in response to demand for specification, the new version is targeted further upmarket from the get-go.
A 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine powers the Land Cruiser Commercial from launch with Toyota promising the powertrain will be upgraded to incorporate its forthcoming Hybrid 48V mild hybrid system before the end of the year.
The engine produces 205hp and 500Nm torque and is married to eight-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the patchier six-speed auto system in the previous Land Cruiser.
The new Land Cruiser Commercial is offered as a single model; a five-door, long wheelbase version, and in just the one specification grade, which Toyota claims more closely resembles the passenger-carrying derivative than its predecessor.
Features include 18in alloy wheels, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and cooled front seats, a power back door with opening window hatch, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, electronic parking brake and automatic dual-zone air conditioning. The multimedia system includes a 9in touchscreen and wireless smartphone integration with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The provision of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) is generous and includes Toyota Safety Sense with pre-collision system, intelligent adaptive cruise control, road sign assist and lane departure alert. Blind spot alert, auto flashing rear hazard lights and trailer sway control are also part of the package.
The vehicle’s workhorse credentials include a 3.5t towing capacity, a useful payload of up to 820kg and a 2.0m3 load space. The conversion from car to commercial is undertaken at Toyota’s plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire. It consists of removing the rear seats, making the rear windows opaque with interior steel panel inserts and installing a full-height metal bulkhead with a mesh upper section. The load floor is lined with a protective, edge to edge tray.
Performance and drive
The Land Cruiser is a rugged off-roader capable of handling extreme conditions and terrains. The powertrain has permanent all-wheel drive with high and low gear ranges and selectable off-road drive modes, including Crawl Control, Hill Start Assist Control and Downhill Assist Control to suit a variety of challenges. We tested it on Toyota’s own off-road course at Burnaston, which was created to put the Hilux Hydrogen through its paces but is now a useful resource for all its off-roaders. The Land Cruiser coped without fuss with everything thrown at it, including sharp inclines, steep descents and uneven, boulder strewn tracks.
Although it is a big unit to manoeuvre along Derbyshire’s narrow country roads, we were equally impressed by the vehicle on the tarmac.
Three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – offer a range of performance levels with Eco the one to choose to save fuel when unladen, Normal the versatile all-rounder and Sport to enhance acceleration and show off the smoothness of the auto ‘box to its best effect. It combines well with the responsive new electronic power steering that has replaced the hydraulic power steering system in the old Land Cruiser. Toyota has improved handling and stability with upgrades to the suspension and a reinforced frame has boosted rigidity to reduce vibrations and contribute to a comfortable interior environment.
The driver can select the modes from a large dial within easy reach and it is a characteristic of the cabin that all the controls are well positioned and simple to use.
This contrasts starkly with one of the 4×4 LCVs Toyota names as a competitor to the Land Cruiser Commercial; the Ineos Grenadier Commercial, which has a complicated dashboard layout designed to resemble the cockpit of a Spitfire fighter plane. The Land Cruiser is also far better to drive on-road than the Grenadier, which could be described as a tribute act to the original version of another model Toyota cites as a rival; the Land Rover Defender Hard Top. Toyota also says the Land Cruiser Commercial will vie for business with the Defender’s stable mate, the Discovery Commercial.
It’s debatable whether the Land Cruiser is a match for the Ineos or Land Rover models off road, but reliability, durability and price may sway customers towards the Toyota.
Excluding VAT, the single-model Land Cruiser Commercial costs just under £52,000, which compares to the Grenadier Commercial, which starts at £52,000 and goes up to £61,000. The Defender Hard Top comes in at about £43,000 and the Discovery starts at around £62,000.
When combined with Toyota’s comprehensive warranty package, the Land Cruiser Commercial can be seen as a strong package in a marginal segment of the market.
| Model | Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial 2.8D Auto |
| Price (ex VAT) | £51,729 |
| Price range (ex VAT) | £51,729 |
| Warranty | 3yrs/60,000mls extendable to 10yrs/100,000mls |
| Service intervals | 1yr/10,000mls |
| Load length | 1,685mm |
| Load width | 1,286mm |
| Load bay height | 1,090mm |
| Gross payload | 820kg |
| Load volume | 2.0m3 |
| Engine size/power | 2,755cc/205hp |
| Combined fuel economy | 26.6mpg |
| CO2 | 278g/km |
| On sale | August 2025 |
| Key rival | Ineos Grenadier Commercial |
| Verdict | Accomplished both on- and off-road, the new Land Cruiser Commercial is the class leader in a niche 4×4 sector of the LCV market. |
| Score | 9/10 |
