USED Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 (03 - 09)

My car

It drives extremely well on motorways with the sport setting on the suspension. It has plenty of power at all speeds and is reasonably economical.

On country roads it can lean more than a car driver is used to with comfort suspension setting. It's very comfortable with electrically adjustable seat. Good visibility - large wing mirrors are very helpful. Missing internal features are steering wheel controls for the audio system and auto-dipping rear-view mirror. A compensation is the superb sat-nav.

It needs the reversing assist fitting as standard! About to go to the dealer for a retro.

All in all ... loads of space, more rugged than our XC90, a real treat for a 4X4. Not as much wind noise as reports say (in my view)

The dealership has been great ...will buy another when the time comes!

My car

I purchased an LC4 in October 2003 as a replacement for a three-and-a-half-year-old Colorado.

It's a significant improvement on the old model. The ride is much smoother and it rides the bumps with aplomb.

There's much less wallow and a luxury car feel. The D4D engine takes a bit of getting used to. It's a lot more rattly than the outgoing model and you mustn't be afraid to put your foot down to get the auto to shift into a lower gear.

There's slightly more diesel lag than the older engine, which catches me out at times from a standing start.

Both inside and out are much more refined - climate control and sat nav are a real bonus. It tows my caravan with ease - as good if not better than the Colorado.

My car

An enormous vehicle that is above average when compared to its class contenders. Far better than a Grand Cherokee and the M-class.

Build quality is excellent as you would expect and the vehicle drives and handles well considering its size. The paradox is that, despite its size, it does not stand out from the crowd visually.

It's a lot of money for the LC5, despite the gadgets, and when you're in this market, you're better off going for the king, the X5, assuming you can wait for one.

My car

Although it can wallow around on corners, on a straight road it feels like it's on rails.

Wind noise if going over 100mph can be a bit intrusive. However, it is still perfectly acceptable and is very comfortable to drive. As soon as you venture off-road, the vehicle becomes a different beast. It feels like nothing can stop it and, to date, nothing has.

Consequently, with the comfort on-road and the amazing ability off-road - coupled with Toyota strength and reliability - I have had absolutely no regrets purchasing the Landcruiser and do not resent the slightly thrist nature of the 4-litre V6.