New Land Cruiser more in your face

Published Aug 18, 2015

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By: Dave Abrahams

Aichi Prefecture, Japan - Toyota's Land Cruiser 200 Series has been comprehensively updated for 2016, with revised petrol and twin-turbodiesel V8s, new front and rear styling - plus, inevitably, a host of new gizmotronics.

The 4.5-litre biturbo diesel gets new injectors, revised mapping and new diesel particulate filter with its own bash-plate to protect it on rough terrain.

All of which has upped power by 5kW to 200kW, while peak torque is unchanged at 650Nm, and nominal fuel-consumption in the combined cycle drops to 9.5 litres per 100km.

The air-injection system of the 4.6-litre petrol V8 has been adapted to push secondary air through the exhaust ports; this warms up the catalyst faster after a cold start, reducing fuel consumption during the warm-up phase and enabling the engine to achieve Euro 5 compliance for the first time. Outputs are unaffected at 227kW and 439Nm.

MORE IN YOUR FACE

The new front end is distinctly more chunky, with a lot more three-dimensional detail, including a more prominent chromed grille, a more sculpted bonnet, a wider lower air-intake and more deeply-set headlight clusters and fog-light - which also helps protect them during serious bundu-bashing.

The rear also has a new tailgate panel, bumpers and light clusters.

Inside, almost every surface that comes into contact with the occupants now has soft padding, with thicker materials and more rounded edges, while the flagship model now boasts air-conditioned seats.

The switches and displays for driving functions, audio and aircon have been reshaped for a more positive feel and laid out in logical groupings. Upmarket variants also get a new instrument cluster centred on a 4.2 inch colour trip data display, as well as a nine-inch centre-stack display for navigation and rear camera, to replace the previous eight inch screen.

THE INEVITABLE GIZMOTRONICS

The top model now comes with a pre-collision system that warns you of impending doom and then automatically hits the brakes if you don't, lane-keeping assist (just a warning, it doesn't actually steer the car), and adaptive cruise control that not only keeps a safe distance from the car in front but also monitors other cars merging into the lane from on-ramps and lane-changing manoeuvres, and smoothly makes room for them.

A new auto high beam system detects tail-lights ahead of you as well as oncoming headlights and automatically dips the lights

The 2016 Land Cruiser 200 Series are scheduled for release in South Africa around the end of 2015. Prices, as usual, when they get here.

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