Southern View: April 04, 2017
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22<br />
22 Tuesday TUESDAY <strong>April</strong> APRIL 4 <strong>2017</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi<br />
Don’t expect Toyota’s big Land Cruiser 200<br />
to change much in the next few years.<br />
The reason being is that the platform on<br />
which it is based has already served the test<br />
of time in terms of how it has been<br />
engineered for purpose. It has also been<br />
constantly upgraded to earn the reputation as<br />
one of the industry’s best off-road drivelines.<br />
The ladder chassis, the four-wheel-drive<br />
mechanicals and the big engine all combine to<br />
provide a vehicle which is an off-road<br />
champion and a station wagon/sport utility<br />
vehicle with few competitors.<br />
The Land Cruiser 200 has just had another<br />
make-over, and I think that is all you can<br />
expect from Toyota and Land Cruiser at this<br />
stage. The changes Toyota has made to the<br />
Land Cruiser go a long way to keep the model<br />
fresh without compromising its ability.<br />
For 2016 the Land Cruiser gets new frontal<br />
treatment – bonnet, grille and bumper – while<br />
TOYOTA’S<br />
LAND CRUISER 200<br />
By Ross Kiddie<br />
the inside gets some new kit including a rear<br />
entertainment system with two<br />
individual screens. The latter kept a nine-yearold<br />
entertained during the time I travelled a<br />
long highway route.<br />
Little has changed under the bonnet. Sitting<br />
there is a 4.5-litre, twin-turbocharged diesel<br />
engine. It is rated with mammoth power<br />
outputs of 200kW and 650Nm, power is<br />
available all through the rev band, it is strong<br />
and energetic, taking into account that it does<br />
have to haul up to nearly three-tonne.<br />
The Cruiser in this form has a willingness<br />
beneath the throttle that is uncanny, and it<br />
does so with a characteristic V8 growl that is<br />
delightful to listen to.<br />
It also has reasonable fuel usage statistics.<br />
Toyota claims a combined cycle average of<br />
9.5-litres per 100km (30mpg), which is not<br />
that far distant to my 11.1l/100km (25mpg)<br />
which incorporated a long highway drive,<br />
achieving an 8l/100km (35mpg) instantaneous<br />
figure at 100km/h, the engine barely turning<br />
over at just 1800rpm.<br />
Drive is sent through a six-speed<br />
transmission and it is a beauty in terms of<br />
refinement and shift quality. How it harnesses<br />
that huge torque flow yet delivers with such<br />
sophistication amazes me.<br />
The Land Cruiser has ride quality to envy, it<br />
floats over bumps and ruts, yet has the<br />
rugged essentials so that off-road travel can<br />
be completed capably. And that is the secret<br />
of Land Cruiser, it is soft and sultry to drive in<br />
the everyday environment, yet it is technically<br />
superior when it comes to life off-the-beatentrack.<br />
I took the evaluation car on a riverbank<br />
route which follows the Ashley River, it was<br />
perfect for the role with huge grip and drive<br />
programs which can be dialled in depending<br />
on the surface likely to be encountered.<br />
The two main dials are for low and high<br />
range, but there is also a crawl control<br />
mechanism and multi-terrain select which<br />
regulates wheelspin depending on the type of<br />
ground encountered. The driver can dial up<br />
the appropriate setting within the choices.<br />
The Land Cruiser is complex, there’s no<br />
denying that, but the result is extraordinary<br />
off-road prowess, it is so capable the driver<br />
can glean confidence from the vehicle, and yet<br />
at the same time each occupant is cocooned<br />
in a lap of luxury.<br />
The test car was the range-topping VX<br />
Limited model which sits at $133,490, there is<br />
a lower spec model at $121, 900; however, if<br />
you are serious about off-roading the Limited<br />
would be the best pick with its kinetic<br />
dynamic suspension system which improves<br />
ride quality and performance off-road.<br />
Not only has the Land Cruiser been given<br />
a makeover, it is still the quintessential family<br />
wagon with eight seats, perfect for the school<br />
run or whatever the constraints are during<br />
city driving. Interior space and<br />
WESTERN SOUTHERN NEWS VIEW<br />
associated comfort is vast, and it has a high<br />
level of safety for all occupants.<br />
Convenience features are too numerous to<br />
mention but there are the usual high profile<br />
items such as satellite navigation, electric<br />
driver’s seat, four-zone climate control,<br />
sophisticated audio and complex trip<br />
computer, the latter displayed through two<br />
digital dash panel readouts.<br />
At almost 5m the Land Cruiser makes no<br />
apologies for its size, but it has ability in a<br />
corner which adds to the feeling of control, it<br />
sits solidly on the road, while steerage is<br />
relatively precise through huge tyres (285/60<br />
x 18in Yokohama Geolander).<br />
The Land Cruiser is most certainly an<br />
off-road champion, yet it also serves in the<br />
every day role. Thousands of buyers new and<br />
pre-owned from Japan will attest to that, there<br />
are many on our roads, and the facelift model<br />
builds heavily on that success.<br />
PRICE Toyota Land Cruiser VX,<br />
$133,490<br />
DIMENSIONS Length, 4990mm; width,<br />
1980mm; height, 1945mm<br />
CONFIGURATION V8, four-wheeldrive,<br />
4661cc, 200kW, 560Nm, sixspeed<br />
automatic.<br />
PERFORMANCE 0-100km/h, 9sec<br />
FUEL USAGE 9.5l/100km<br />
award winning<br />
techician SPeciaLiSt<br />
dodge | chrYSLer | jeeP<br />
avoid breakdownS<br />
with reguLar Servicing<br />
• Full servicing<br />
• WOFS<br />
• MTA assured<br />
• No job too big<br />
or too small<br />
• Honest, friendly, reliable<br />
and Personalised Service<br />
• Competitive prices<br />
$14,999<br />
2005 toyota<br />
harrier 240g<br />
2 to choose from, 17" alloys.<br />
DEAL WITH YOUR LOCAL DEALER<br />
No need to travel into town<br />
• Very experienced, importing since 1987<br />
• After sales workshop facility<br />
• Over 80 vehicles in stock and under cover<br />
• All vehicles fully complied and put through a<br />
164 point safely compliance check<br />
• From Sedans and People Movers to SUVs and<br />
Commercials we have a vehicle to suit your<br />
needs, and if not we are happy to source it for you<br />
Unit 6/37 Foremans Road, Hornby www.waynetimms.co.nz<br />
All stock inside a warehouse so viewings at weekends by simply a phone call. On road costs included in price.<br />
Ph Wayne - Bus (03) 349 2480 • Cell 027 432 3367<br />
Finance available<br />
AWAITING COPY<br />
Ad Number: AP23755<br />
Artwork: AP23755<br />
Size: 9x4<br />
Description: FERGUSON ROBERTSON LTD t/- MTF<br />
Account: changing face of hornby<br />
Colour: F<br />
Filename: AP23755<br />
Phone: 03 344 5565<br />
3/15 Anchorage Rd, Hornby<br />
aidan.cars@gmail.com<br />
37 Carmen Road Terms, conditions & lending criteria may apply.<br />
03 349 5921 | mtf.co.nz/hornby