Toyota Landcruiser 70 single cab gets a 5 star ANCAP safety rating
The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series single cab scores a 5-star safety rating, but there’s devil in the detail.
FIRST OF ALL, it’s great to see improved safety in any vehicle, and particuarly one as old and well-loved as the venerable and venerated 70, outback work ute of choice and Australia’s heavy-duty 4X4.
However, some caveats. First, this applies only to the single cab. Not the Troopy, nor the dualcab or the 76 Wagon. Some of the improvements will apply to those variants, but not enough of them, and in particular the side airbags.
Second, while the 70 scores 5 star, it’s a failing of the ANCAP system that the vehicle now appears comparable to SUVs like the XC90, or even utes like the Ford Ranger. The reason is that the SAT (Safety Assist Technology) still doesn’t factor much in ANCAP ratings, and as it seems Toyota have done the bare minimum, there’s no SAT. That means no blind spot warning, AEB, or lane depature warning, or reversing camera/sensors, or active cruise, or forward parking sensors.
What the 70 does get is electronic stability control, traction control (which will also help it offroad), advanced ABS and electronic brakeforce distribiution. There are driver’s knee airbags, but none for the passenger – another difference to other utes.
The 70 scored Marginal on pedestrian protection, yet the 5-star minimum requirement is Acceptable. However, until next year (2017) there is a dispensation to pass 5-star at one level below the minimum if the seat reference height is 700mm or more. Good thing Toyota got this test in at 2016 then! Other utes rate Acceptable on this criterion.
So the summary is – well done Toyota, and this is a welcome upgrade for an old vehicle that should have only beneficial effects for capability and safety. But don’t be thinking that the 70 is now the safety equivalent of the better modern utes, and it’s only the single cab that has been rated.
We will have a test of the updated 70 Series later this month on Practical Motoring.
