TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 4X4 READER REVIEWS

My car

This is my second review after driving the beast for some 10,000 miles since my last review. The previous reviewer is right - whilst its very smooth on Dual Carriageways and Motorways - gliding over any bumps in the process - thats not the case on 30/40 mph roads - you do indeed feel every bump - and having driven a Lexus 450 hybrid it seems you get the same ride....Toyota just seem to give a 'harsh' ride.

Having said that - i'm otherwise well pleased with the car....have no problem with the seating position or the steering. Clearly the previous review was a Prado owner with the spare wheel on the rear door, and probably a slightly different vehicle spec. for Australia/South Africa. As far as I am aware a rear door spare is not an option for UK vehicles...

A vehicle with a go anywhere pedigree that has some compromises on road but not enough to push me to buying anything without such a reliable history......

My car

Do yourself a favour and buy something else. I've driven one of these now for 10,000miles. It is nowhere near as good as the 2005 Discovery 3 I had before (I even prefer driving our 10 year old Mercedes ML320) except that it has been, a few minor electrical niggles aside, utterly reliable. The wheezing old 4 cylinder diesel can be heard and felt at all times as it lurches through the jerky 5 speed auto gearbox (compare with a V6 and 6 speed box in a Disco). The indirect over-assisted steering has zero feel, unlike the harsh suspension (why do all Toyotas ride so badly?) which lets you know just what all the bumps in the road are like but also reminds you of a sailing dinghy as it heaves-to around the corners. Inside, sitting on the vinyl-like leather seats with the too-short seat squabs, is little better. Minor controls of all different sizes are scattered randomly across the dashboard, some even tucked behind the steering wheel. I have yet to master the (very effective) climate control but fortunately have long enough arms to reach into the back seat to adjust the rear aircon from there. The shiny hard plastic surfaces and switchgear borrowed from a 1995 Corolla all feel cheap. And the reversing camera, while useful, needs peering at before you run over the small child hiding behind the spare wheel - still mounted on the heavy tailgate as in 4x4s of old. Which is what this is - an old school 4x4 dressed in new clothing and with an over-the-top price.

My car

Can't believe this 150 series LC4 has the same basic engine as my '53 LC4 (although looking under the bonnet - I did not recognise much of it at all) - its so much more quiet and feels much more refined and responsive - no pronounced diesel lag like the old model - its amazing how much has improved in the last 7 years - much more so than when changing from the Colorado to the new LC4 at the time. The ride is a little firmer, but none the worse for that and the steering lighter but good - and so many gizmos (to go wrong I hear you already saying), the satnav is a breeze to operate, put in the post code & your done! - & at last an average/current MPG thing,. eco mode and lots of other displays/information .. It even lights up the floor underneath the car. Its a beautiful black which I had supaguarded - and looks the business. 10 months old, owned by Toyota - and I reckon I got a right result on the price - and on the price for my old green LC4 - which I admit was looking very dated - especially in that colour!

I know its very early days - and undoubtedly problems will arise - but in the meantime I just can't get over how much better this car is - and according to UK / Australia and other reviews I've read (and I've read hundreds), much better off and on road than the old model (but one would expect that after seven or so years in the making!) - not that I will be doing too much off roading- but good to know its not sacrificed its ruggedness for good looks and road appeal.