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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

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