Toyota has announced prices and specification tweaks for its long-running LandCruiser 70 Series.

THE TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 70 Series has been launched to Australian journalists this week, stay tuned for our launch review, with Toyota announcing prices and specifications. The entry model, the WorkMate Wagon lists from $60,990+ORC and tops out at $68,990+ORC for the Double-Cab chassis GXL. But, remember, air-conditioning is a cost-option at $2761, as is premium paint for $550 and diff locks cost $1500 for single cab GX and double cab WorkMate variants.

This week, ANCAP revealed a five-star rating for the single-cab 70 Series thanks to its larger and stiffer frame, additional airbags, revised body panels, new front seats, and traction and stability controls as well as brake assist. Other variants are untested by ANCAP and given they lack some of the elements mentioned here, would be unlikely to achieve the same rating.

Away from safety features, Toyota said it had spent considerable time improving the off-road ability of the 70 Series, with much of the development work for the refreshed vehicle carried out in Australia.

Toyota Australia’s manager of off-road evaluation Ray Munday, said: “Our development and evaluation involved as many different conditions as possible – from the high country to thick mud, rocky deserts and sand dunes – everywhere from our proving ground in Victoria to the red centre and other outback locations.

“We developed and tested the stability and traction control systems primarily on dirt roads where LC70 is driven most often. New tubeless tyres were tested in all possible conditions to ensure traction and durability improvements meet customer expectations.

“The hill-start assist has been engineered to be effective while towing and when facing a steep hill with a load in the back.

“LC70’s renowned rigid live-axle suspension has been retuned with spring rates and damper curves adjusted to complement the stiffer, more rigid frame.”

The LandCruiser 70 Series keeps its 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 engine which has been made Euro 5 compliant. It gets a diesel particulate filter and piezo-electric injectors while the five-speed manual transmission’s gearing is taller in second and fifth gears. Cruise control is new to the standard equipment list. The engine makes 151kW at 3400rpm and 430Nm of torque at 1200-3200rpm.

Practical Motoring will have a full test of the 70 Series LandCruiser online this week. Stay tuned.

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series pricing:

Wagon

• WorkMate $60,990+ORC
• GXL $64,990+ORC

Troop Carrier

• WorkMate $64,890+ORC
• GXL $67,990+ORC

Double Cab-Chassis

• WorkMate $64,990+ORC
• GXL $68,990+ORC

Single Cab-Chassis

• WorkMate $62,490+ORC
• GX $64,490+ORC
• GXL $66,490+ORC

What’s new with 70 Series?

All models:

• 100,000km of local testing
• Safety electronics with extensive local tuning: vehicle stability control; active traction control; hill-start assist control; brake assist; and electronic brake-force distribution
• Cruise control
• Euro 5-compliant engine
• Piezo injectors
• Diesel particulate filter (auto regen plus manual switch)
• Fuel economy 10.7 litres/100km, improved by up to 1.2 litres/100km
• CO2 emissions of 281 grams/km, improved by up to 32 grams/km
• Taller manual gearbox ratios in second and fifth gears
• Auto-locking front hubs (with manual “lock” option)
• Fuse box and fused battery terminal
• Front seatbelt pre-tensioners
• Front-passenger seatbelt warning
• New steel and alloy tray options (cab-chassis variants)

Single Cabs

• Engineered to achieve 5-star ANCAP safety rating
• Thicker, stronger, more rigid frame – side rails, additional cross-member (7)
• Improved safety, handling and stability, and reduced NVH
• Three additional airbags (total of five) – curtain-shield (two) and driver’s knee (one)
• Under-dash padding for front-seat passenger
• New seats (frame, mounting points, coverings)
• New body panels, including taller bonnet
• New locally developed chassis calibration
• Steering link relocated behind the front axle
• Single 130-litre fuel tank

W (all body styles), GXL TROOP CARRIER

• Wider, single-piece 6Jx16 steel wheels
• Wider tubeless 225/95 16C tyres