Summary
- The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series is a reliable, durable, and capable off-roader that is necessary for tackling harsh terrains in specific regions like Africa and Australia.
- Unlike newer and more luxurious Land Cruiser models, the 70 Series remains simple and true to its original roots, making it ideal for off-road adventures and commercial usage in mining and United Nations operations.
- The 70 Series lineup offers versatility with options like the wagon, troop carrier, and dual-cab pickup, ensuring that there is a model suited for various purposes and needs. Its tough design, solid axles, and powerful engines make it a top choice for off-road enthusiasts.
You know the old saying: If you want to go off-roading and come back home again, get a Toyota Land Cruiser. For decades, it has been known for being one of the most reliable and durable vehicles to ever exist. Organizations like the United Nations depend on Land Cruisers when patrolling borders in harsh terrain. In rural Africa, Land Cruisers are the vehicles most commonly seen, and the same can be said for Australia.
Of course, newer and modern models have gotten more complicated, luxurious, and expensive than ever. This is hurting their ability to be used for the above purposes. However, Toyota won’t let people in need of a rugged 4×4 without a choice; therefore, it has kept the 70 series model in production.
The 70 series is the pinnacle of simplicity. It is a vehicle that is stuck in the 1980s but can be bought brand new in 2023. Aside from being immensely cool, it is also absolutely necessary, and this article will explain why that is the case.
Yes, Toyota Sells Three Different Land Cruisers
So, Toyota now sells three different Land Cruisers. And they aren’t based on the same platform with different bodies. All three of them are unique. The first Land Cruiser model is the 300 Series, which is the luxurious wagon sold in pretty much every country other than America. The 300 Series has become extremely expensive, large, and luxurious. Therefore, it has been criticized for straying too far away from the routes of the Land Cruiser nameplate. This, of course, is true. The Land Cruiser never was and never should be an urban school-runner.
The second Land Cruiser is the all-new J250. In America, it marks the return of the Land Cruiser nameplate after a three-year pause. In the rest of the world, it is known as the smaller brother to the large 300 Series and bears the Land Cruiser Prado nameplate.
With the J250, Toyota has put great effort into steering the model back to its original roots. It is now far cheaper and simpler. Furthermore, its design harks back to much older Land Cruiser models like the 60 Series and the 40 Series. Of course, Toyota has also infused it with plenty of off-road gear to ensure it lives up to its legendary Land Cruiser heritage.
Finally, we have the 70 Series, which is the vehicle this article will focus on. The 70 Series is only sold in specific countries and is a bare-bones, fully old-school off-roader meant to tackle the harshest of terrains reliably. But why on earth does a 30-year-old design exist in 2023? Well, there are plenty of reasons behind this.
Regions Where The 70 Series Is Most Popular
- Australia
- Africa
- Middle East
Why The 70 Series Is Absolutely Necessary
Living in a large city can give the false impression that every corner of the earth is paved with easy access to food and supplies. Well, of course, this isn’t the case. In Africa for example, there are areas where people need to travel for days on extremely harsh roads to get help or supplies. This is a prime example of one of the 70’s main missions. The 70 is responsible for taking people in such areas to their required destinations, regardless of the terrain.
A 70 Series troup carrier (a specific version of the 70 with a lot of seating space in the rear) filled with people traveling through the African desert is not an uncommon sight. Also, in many instances, these vehicles rarely get maintained simply because there is nowhere to maintain them. Therefore, they don’t just need to handle harsh terrain; they also need to handle neglect.
The Second reason why 70 is absolutely necessary is commercial usage. In Australia, the 70 is incredibly popular in the mining industry, where cars need to be able to carry heavy loads through difficult terrain. Furthermore, the United Nations often utilizes the 70 for off-road ambulance vehicles or troop carriers.
So, as you can see, if Toyota stops producing the 70 people who depend on it will have issues. The same is true for strict emissions regulations regarding electric drivetrains. If Toyota is forced to make the Land Cruiser electric, how on earth is someone supposed to cross Africa in an EV?
What Makes The 70 So Tough?
The recipe here is simplicity. First and foremost, the interior of the 70 is stripped of everything unnecessary. Base-model vehicles have manual windows, and more expensive ones have electric units and a small infotainment screen. That’s about it. An automatic transmission wasn’t available until a few months ago. However, with the updated version of the vehicle, we now also get an automatic.
The engines available are either a big and under-stressed 4.5-liter V-8 turbo diesel or a more efficient 2.8-liter turbo diesel. However, the big party trick of the 70 is underneath its skin. Where most new off-roaders use weaker independent suspension, the 70 still utilizes solid axles. This essentially means that both wheels on each axle are connected to each other via a large piece of steel that houses all the axle components.
This is an old design, but it is incredibly simple, incredibly tough, and more capable off-road due to superior articulation. Up front, the 70 features coil springs that provide a more comfortable ride, but in the rear, it features a thick leaf spring pack that ensures the vehicle can carry incredibly heavy loads through tough terrain. All of this, combined, leads to a vehicle that is tough and capable.
2023 70 Series Land Cruiser Engine Specs
| Engine Specification | 4.5L V8 Turbo Diesel | 2.8L I4 Turbo Diesel |
| Horsepower | Approximately 202-205 hp | Approximately 174-177 hp |
| Torque | Approximately 317–325 lb-ft | Approximately 310-332 lb-ft |
| Displacement | 4.5 liters | 2.8 liters |
| Configuration | V8 | Inline-4 |
| Fuel System | Common Rail | Common Rail |
The 70 Series Lineup Is Incredibly Versatile
The 70 doesn’t come in just one form. Toyota offers the 70 Series wagon, which uses a normal SUV-like body; the troop carrier (meant to carry a lot of people); and the 79 Series dual-cab pickup. This ensures that a 70-series model exists regardless of your intended use. Ambulances for the United Nations are usually based on the pickup version; the troop-carrier version is used for carrying soldiers or citizens across continents, and the wagon is more consumer-oriented.
70 Series Land Cruiser General Information
| Category | Details |
| Production Years | 1984 – Present |
| Body Style | SUV, Pickup Truck |
| Drive Type | Part-time Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) |
| Safety Features | Includes ABS, Airbags, Stability Control (in later models) |
| Off-Road Capability | Renowned for off-road prowess, includes features like low range, tough solid axles, and locking front and differentials |
| Interior Features | Basic interior with few amenities like electric windows and a small infotainment screen (depending on trim level) |
| Notable Attributes | Iconic for reliability, durability, versatile design. It is a vehicle used extensively for both civilian and military use |
So, in simple words, the 70 is one of the most reliable, durable, and capable vehicles on the current market. It also happens to be one of the oldest. Is this a sign that old school is best when it comes to off-roading? Well, yes, it is.
Source
https://www.topspeed.com/the-oldest-new-truck-that-toyota-still-makes-and-why-it-exists/
