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The new Land Cruiser 300 - how long have you been waiting for it. Toyota had to spend 14 years to release an updated model. During this period, so much happened in the world... That was not reversed by the epidemic and the boom in electric cars. And the Cruiser remained unchanged. But stable - you say. However, I do not want to buy a fourteen-year-old car in 2021 after paying a considerable amount for it.
But the wishes of those who wanted change were heard. Toyota generously gave us a lot of facts about the new model during the presentation:
- fresh platform;
- aluminum body;
- modern V6 engines;
- another suspension;
- improved steering;
- updated interior;
- other tailgate.
And much more... By the way, now the 300th Kruzak will be available in different versions. So far, we have been shown two of them, but the manufacturer said that others will appear over time.
So, now you can choose which Toyota LC 300 to buy - 70th Anniversary or Comfort+. The first has more pronounced "urban features" and an "expensive" design. Comes with 20-inch wheels and low bumpers. But the second will be equipped with a different bumper, 18-inch wheels and a more pronounced off-road protector for better grip on poor surfaces.
The dimensions have practically not changed. The length differs depending on the variant - in Comfort+ this indicator is 4865 millimeters, and in the "urban" version it will increase by 15 mm.
The width and wheelbase did not increase - 1,980 and 2,850 millimeters, respectively. Not much at all - the ground clearance was increased by 5 mm, which will be 235 millimeters.
The volume of the trunk has not changed and is 909 liters. The cover can be equipped with a non-contact opening sensor and an electric drive. But they decided to abandon the lower section, beloved by many. The manufacturer claims that thanks to the one-piece lid, it is now easier to load things.
If the exterior of these modifications is not very different, then you will definitely notice the difference in the internal equipment. In the Anniversary version, almost the maximum of what you can buy in your Land Cruiser 300 is installed. A 12.3-inch screen, all-round cameras, a frontal projection, a chic interior made of genuine leather, a good audio system from JBL and a whole mountain of various little things - all this is already in the model dedicated to the 70th anniversary.
Comfort+ is somewhat more ascetic. It has a 9-inch panel with physical buttons like the new Camry, a shelf instead of a CD-player and a single rear-view camera (with washer) versus the all-round view in the top version. It also has a radically different climate control unit and a slightly changed interior, already made of artificial leather.
In our opinion, the interior of the more "off-road" modification is implemented a little more conveniently, despite the many modern options in the Toyota LC300 70th Anniversary.
Let's move on to the technical equipment and tell some numbers. Let's start with the redesigned body - it now has aluminum hinged parts and a new frame. Due to the changes, it was possible to reduce the mass by 200 kg and increase the stiffness by 20 percent.
But at the same time, Land Cruiser in curb weight has practically not changed. All because of new electronics, equipment and improved noise insulation. And yes, it is now much quieter, especially at high speeds.
The new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is delivered now with new units. Unfortunately, the V8 was replaced by a bloated twin-turbo V6 with a volume of 3.5 liters and a capacity of 415 horsepower (650 Nm of torque). It is paired with an Aisin 10-speed automatic transmission. Now it accelerates to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. A little later, a diesel modification with 299 hp will be presented.
It is worth noting that the dynamics are impressive not only "on paper", but also during real operation. Just lightly touching the accelerator, the motor immediately picks up speed. The car drops several gears and begins to confidently accelerate. At such moments, it is hard to believe that a huge SUV, weighing under 3 tons, can behave so cheerfully.
Now a little about the possibilities of modifications. In the anniversary version, there is a Torsen inter-axle differential with locking, a reduced gear range and a self-locking inter-wheel differential on the rear axle.
The off-road version is equipped with two differentials with hard locks - front and back. Plus, it has an updated E-KDSS system with three anti-roll bars, which should combat the Cruiser's roll and sway. This system is not available for the anniversary modification.
From now on, E-KDSS is built according to a new scheme - two hydraulic cylinders on the front stabilizer and one in the left part of the rear. New electronics and software were installed, which independently controls the articulation on each wheel. It is worth noting that this system is really felt, especially on poor road surfaces.
A new hydraulic amplifier with an electric motor on the shaft made the steering wheel noticeably lighter, without impairing the informativeness. The response on a good surface is quite fast and clear, and on a bad one it copes well with bumps and other features.
The car reacts to the gas linearly and predictably, allowing precise control of traction. The new bloated V6 paired with a 10-speed automatic enthusiastically picks you up at virtually any speed. And thanks to excellent noise isolation, you practically don't notice the noises from picking up speed, increasing the feeling of "lightness".
Only under braking will you be able to notice that your SUV is really heavy. Braking system has never been a "strong point" of the Land Cruiser, and the new model is no exception. But still there are changes. It stops in about the same way as the old model - hard, but slows you down before an obstacle. It is worth noting that after three sharp stops, you should not count on their high efficiency, the brakes will "float" very soon.
Results:
Everything would be fine with the Land Cruiser 70th Anniversary if it weren't for the longitudinal rocking. On "waves" and speeds of more than 70 kilometers per hour, the Toyota has a rather strong swaying, which makes the ride not comfortable at all. The off-road situation is also controversial. On large stones and depressions, it confidently shakes and sways in all directions. And there is always a chance to tear off the bumper, which is installed low enough. To improve the situation with rocking, you can switch to the "Sport" mode. In it shock absorbers become stiffer and the ride becomes a little more pleasant.
Comfort+ is a completely different "beast". With E-KDSS, the car fights sway and roll much more successfully. At speeds it feels more composed. Off-road shaking is felt much less. And thanks to better geometry (due to bumpers) and various off-road modes, including off-road Crawl Control, which now works almost silently, you can afford more and go further.
Summing up, we can say that Comfort+ is the right heir to the Land Cruiser title. That's how he should be. And the anniversary and future versions, although they have the right to life, are by no means mandatory. Maybe new diesel versions and "sports" GR Sport will change our opinion, but nothing is known about them yet.
And to answer the question of whether the new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 will be a hit, the statistics of pre-orders can answer - in just one month in Japan, there are already more than 20 thousand of them. The queue for popular modifications has already stretched for more than 4 years.
The situation will be similar in our market. There will definitely be a shortage in the coming months. Whether you should buy the gasoline version now or wait for the diesel version is up to you, but we can definitely say that the 300th Kruzak turned out well.
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