New Toyota Land Cruiser double cab – What you get for R1 million

The Toyota Land Cruiser 79 has received a much-appreciated update, giving it a fresh look and new features that help keep it up to date without compromising on utility.

The range now comprises eight units with single and double-cab silhouettes, and those who are interested in picking up a four-door model can expect to pay anywhere from R864,600 up to R1,039,200, depending on the engine selected.

It’s certainly a high bar to pay for a new vehicle in South Africa, but the Land Cruiser badge has a well-earned reputation in the motoring world for practicality and reliability, so it’s an interesting process to go through the 79’s catalogue to see what exactly it offers customers in 2024.

What you get

Starting with the cheapest model, you can expect a 4.0-litre, V6, petrol plant with 170kW and 360Nm, which connects to a five-speed manual gearbox and consumes an average of 14.4l/100km, making it the thirstiest of the power units available.

This is followed by a R920,800 option with a 4.2-litre diesel block, which uses the same gearbox and produces 96kW and 285Nm while averaging 12.2l/100km.

The next drivetrain is a newcomer to the 79 line-up costing R1,009,000, and takes the form of the brand’s familiar 2.8-litre, GD-6, turbo-diesel mill producing 150kW and 500Nm.

This is the only option to pair with a six-speed automatic transmission and averages 9.7l/100km, making it the most economical choice in the long run.

Finally, the flagship is equipped with a 4.5-litre, V8, turbo-diesel that packs 151kW and 430Nm, uses a manual shifter, and consumes 11.9l/100km.

All versions of the bakkie are four-wheel drive and can carry 920kg in the back, and the two cheaper powertrains can tow a maximum of 1,500kg, while the others increase the cap to 3,500kg.

On the equipment front, all Land Cruiser 79 variants come standard with front and rear diff locks, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, fabric upholstery, manual air conditioning, electric windows, two speakers, a 12V socket, remote central locking, ABS, and two airbags.

Importantly, picking up the automatic model will also net you assistance functions such as hill-start and descent control, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, vehicle stability control, and braking assist.

Furthermore, the R1-million-plus units feature a leather steering wheel and a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, navigation, and USB input.

Each Toyota Land Cruiser 79 is sold with a 3-year/100,000km warranty with service plans available as an optional extra..