Performance and economy gains from upgraded LandCruiser 200

The mid-life upgrade for Toyota's 200 Series LandCruiser has arrived in Australia, as anticipated. First reported by motoring.com.au from the Detroit motor show in January, the revamped model for the local market gets more of a makeover than we initially expected however.

A new 4.6-litre petrol V8 replaces the pre-upgrade 4.7-litre engine, bringing improved performance with lower emissions and reduced fuel consumption. The slightly smaller 1UR-FE engine adopts variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust valves. A single-pump air injection system increases the flow of warm air from the exhaust ports to the catalytic converters, thus shortening the warm-up period and reducing cold-start emissions. Peak power and torque have risen as a consequence of the changes, with the new engine developing 228kW (up 12.9 per cent) and 439Nm (up 7.1 per cent), despite its slightly smaller displacement than the engine it replaces.

Combined-cycle fuel consumption is 6.2 per cent lower, (now 13.6L/100km), and CO2 emissions are reduced 8.2 per cent to 313g/km. Fuel efficiency gains also derive from the new six-speed automatic transmission replacing the 4.7-litre's five-speed box. This new six-speed unit is shared with the diesel variants, but the petrol versions come with a higher ratio final drive of 3.909:1 (versus 4.3:1). Fuel tank capacity is now 138 litres, comprising a 93-litre main tank and a 45-litre reserve. LandCruiser GX remains exclusively powered by the 4.5-litre turbodiesel V8 carried over.

Both the mid-range grades, the GXL and VX, plus the Sahara flagship can be ordered with either petrol or diesel power. All variants can be identified by a subtle facelift, involving revised front apron, bumper and grilles. In the case of the entry-level LandCruiser GX, wheel caps are adopted for the 17-inch steel wheels; the new grille is finished in black; and tail lights now feature large dual LED clusters.

Also featuring a new, black grille — but with a chrome surround — the LandCruiser GXL gains restyled headlights, side indicators integrated with the exterior mirrors, dual-LED tail lights and a rear spoiler. VX and Sahara variants are distinguished by a chrome grille shell with a metallic grey-painted insert and chrome bezels for the fog lights. As for the other grades, VX and Sahara gain dual-LED tail lights and the flagship is now fitted with body side mouldings featuring chrome inserts.

The GX level of trim now comes with five-setting CRAWL facility in place of the three-setting system previously. In addition, the driving aid now incorporates an Offroad Turn Assist feature that nips an inside rear brake to help the vehicle turn tighter on unsealed tracks. Multi-terrain ABS now runs new software that allows the system to adapt to different driving conditions, monitoring engine operation, acceleration and wheel speed. The one notable change to the interior is the addition of an economy meter in the instrument cluster.

Satellite navigation, an alarm system, a 220-Volt auxiliary power outlet in the rear and a new touchscreen CD audio system with USB input are the significant extras added to the equipment list for the upgraded LandCruiser GXL. VX and Sahara grades gain a new offroad driving aid, Multi-Terrain Select, which Toyota describes as "the next step beyond active traction control and all-terrain ABS". The system regulates wheel-spin (power on) and lock-up (under brakes) for best-case scenario traction on different low-friction surfaces.

Other features new to the specification of the VX and Sahara variants include rain-sensing wipers, restyled 18-inch alloy wheels, power fold-in mirrors, revised multi-media infotainment display with colour graphics. LandCruiser Sahara's new Multi-Terrain Monitor employs four wide-angle cameras to check blind spots during offroad work. The navigation system for the Sahara has been upgraded with a hard disc drive also, and other changes include seat-heating for the second-row seats and revised graphics and visual data (steering wheel angle, digital speed, turn-by-turn) for the multimedia display.

A palette comprising nine exterior for the LandCruiser 200 range now includes 'Shimmer' (metallic silver) and black mica.

Prices are $77,990 for the LandCruiser GX, $83,990 (petrol) and $88,990 (diesel) for the LandCruiser GXL, $94,990 (petrol) and $99,990 (diesel) for the VX, $113,990 (petrol) and $118,990 (diesel) for the Sahara.

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