Toyota’s new LandCruiser 300-Series will be the most expensive LandCruiser ever, priced from $89,990 plus on-road costs – or about $100K drive-away.
The six-model range includes two new model variants – GR Sport and Sahara ZX – and a price that tops $138,790 plus on-roads, or about $150,000 drive-away.
All models get a new 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel matched to a 10-speed automatic.
READ MORE: Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series revealed: 227kW/700Nm V6 replaces V8
The new prices represent increases of between 6 and 11 percent, as well as the addition of two permanent new top-of-the-range models to stretch the LandCruiser love further.
LC300 major changes
The LandCruiser 300 gets a smaller fuel tank than the model it replaces, at 110 litres (80 litres for the main tank and 30L for a sub-tank).
Claimed average fuel consumption has been reduced to 8.9 litres per 100km, giving a theoretical range between refills of 1235km (yep, we know most people are highly unlikely to get anywhere near that, but 1000km-plus driving ranges should be achievable).
The outgoing 200-Series it replaces had a 138-litre fuel tank and used 9.5L/100km using the same government standard that is typically not representative of everyday driving. Using the same calculations, the range of a 200-Series LandCruiser was 1452km.
Clearly sand and mud driving and any sort of off-roading seriously increases fuel use.
So there’s a good chance the LandCruiser 300-Series will need to be refuelled more often than the 200-Series.
Depending on the model there are additional features such as wireless phone charging and a head-up display.
Plus the new LandCruiser 300-Series – or LC300 – has 235mm of ground clearance (in the official government documentation the figure is 245mm and it’s unclear why Toyota is claiming 235mm in releasing more details about the car).
LandCruiser GX: $89,990 plus on-road costs
As before, the LandCruiser GX is the most affordable model although it does away with the barn doors that once distinguished the base model.
Those doors were aimed at the target market, which included mining companies, farmers and adventurers. One of their advantages was being able to easily mount things such as spare wheels on the back.
Instead, the GX now gets the same lift-up tailgate of other LandCruiser 300s.
The GX comes standard with 17-inch wheels and 245/75 tyres, the skinniest in the LandCruiser family.
As before, the GX comes with a snorkel and seats five people.
Like all 300-Series LandCruisers the GX has a 3280kg gross vehicle mass.
However, with only five seats and a basic list of equipment the GX is by far the lightest model, at 2470kg. That gives it the biggest payload, at 810kg.
The GX gets a new 9.0-inch infotainment screen and autonomous emergency braking (AEB). Plus there is dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, smart key entry, LED headlights and a reversing camera.
There’s also a trailer wiring harness to make use of the 3500kg tow capacity.
LandCruiser GXL: $101,790 plus on-road costs
The first of the family-focused models is the GXL, which will set you back somewhere around $110,000 once you drive it out of the dealership.
That’s around $10K more than before and almost $20K more than a GXL set you back in 2019.
Over the GX the GXL gets a third row of seats to take seating capacity to seven, one less than the model it replaces.
It also picks up 18-inch alloy wheels with 265/65 tyres.
Plus there’s a wireless phone charger, rear cross traffic alert, bling spot monitoring and an auto dimming rear vision mirror.
And like all models above it, the GXL gets a multi-terrain select system to tailer the traction control and other systems to six different settings: Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow or Rock.
All that kit increases the weight to 2505kg, in turn reducing the payload to 775kg.
LandCruiser VX: $113,990 plus on-road costs
The first of the luxury models, the VX maintains the seven-seat layout of the car it replaces.
But the price has increased to almost $125,000 drive-away, a jump of around $13K.
For that you get a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, auto headlights, downhill assist control, road sign recognition and auto headlights. There’s also “smartphone integration”.
There’s also a partial digital instrument cluster, quad-zone ventilation, a power adjusted steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats. The windows can also be operated off the remote control.
The VX gets 18-inch alloys with the same 265/65 tyres of the GXL.
At 2560kg the VX has a 720kg payload.
LandCruiser Sahara: $131,190 plus on-road costs
The Sahara was once the pinnacle of LandCruiser luxury, but that’s no longer the case.
However, it does hold the pampering high ground if you want to carry seven people, because the two new models above it drop back to five-seaters.
The Sahara has one of the narrowest price jumps, increasing by about $7000 to a bit over $140,000 drive-away.
The Sahara also gets a 14-speaker JBL sound system, heated steering wheel, head-up display, heated second row seats and power-folding third row seats. Plus there are two large rear seat entertainment screens.
The Sahara has the same 2560kg kerb weight as the VX, translating to a 720kg payload.
LandCruiser Sahara ZX: $138,790 plus on-road costs
The ZX is the new king of the LandCruiser family – at least if luxury is your thing – and brings big changes such as 20-inch wheels (with 265/55 tyres) and a five-seat layout.
It’s the most expensive in the range, likely stretching beyond $150,000 on the road.
There’s also a unique front bumper, some chrome on the rear bumper, wheel arch flares, illuminated side steps, scuff plates for the front doors and rear mudguards.
Inside there are fake carbon fibre highlights and partial leather trim available in beige, black or a combination of red and black. A powered tailgate can be operated with a kick of the foot.
Other features on the Sahara ZX include adaptive suspension, adaptive high beam lights, five driving modes and heating and ventilation for the front and rear seats. Plus it gets those rear entertainment screens from the regular Sahara.
Plus there’s a torque-sensing limited slip rear differential and a locking centre differential.
However, the Sahara ZX takes a step backwards in some areas off-road. While it has the same 235mm ground clearance, the more aggressive front bumper reduces the approach angle from 32 degrees on other LandCruiser models to just 24 degrees.
While the Sahara ZX adds loads of additional equipment, it’s only 10kg heavier than the regular Sahara, mainly because of the removal of the third row of seats.
That means a 2570kg kerb weight and a 710kg payload.
LandCruiser GR Sport: $137,790 plus on-road costs
The GR Sport is the new off-road hero in the LandCruiser lineup and Toyota says it was “developed as a base vehicle for the Dakar Rally”.
“Our new GR Sport is the absolute expression of the LandCruiser DNA – the ultimate 4WD that is specially equipped for owners who truly love driving on rough trails and in off-road rallies,” said Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations Sean Hanley.
Instead of the Toyota logo up front it gets “TOYOTA” stamped across the unique black grille. There’s also a healthy smattering of GR Sport badges elsewhere in the car, from the doors and tailgate to the steering wheel and front headrests.
It also gets unique black alloy wheels and black wheel arch surrounds.
Like the Sahara ZX it gets adaptive suspension damping with five modes as well as the carbon-look trim and adaptive high beams.
The GR Sport is also exclusively a five-seater.
Headlining its off-road prowess are three differential locks – front, centre and rear.
Plus there’s an e-KDSS – electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System – for disconnecting the front and rear stabiliser bars to maximise wheel articulation.
The GR Sport tips the scales at 2580kg – the heaviest of the new LandCruiser family – but its payload is a still-respectable 700kg.