2019 Toyota Land Cruiser Review

The aging Land Cruiser's on-road performance is average at best. Its brakes are touchy, there's a lot of nosedive, and the steering is unnaturally heavy. The engine and transmission work fine on the highway, but some drivers might find the accelerator too sensitive at low speeds, and the transmission can get too "shifty" on long grades.

But get it off-road and the Cruiser shines brightly. Its suspension allows for loads of articulation as the Multi-terrain Select also seeks out every bit of traction from the ground. Crawl Control keeps the Land Cruiser pushing through soft and rocky terrain. If you want a seriously off-roadable full-size SUV, then this dinosaur may fit the bill.

On the inside, many competitors feature seats with fancy massaging and multi-way adjustability, but the Land Cruiser's relatively old-school seats continue to provide all-day comfort. It's also quiet, which reduces fatigue on long road trips. The four-zone climate control system works well, though accessing higher level controls, such as changing the rear seat settings from the front, requires some menu hopping.

The Land Cruiser rides well on highways and on off-road terrain, but it lacks a more advanced adjustable suspension that would help optimize the ride over more varied conditions, such as hard-edge bumps frequently found in snowy regions or pothole-ridden roads.

Most drivers will find the Land Cruiser's driving position to be comfortable, but those long of leg might wish for a little more telescoping range in the steering wheel. The large door openings and multiple chunky grab handles help people climb in and out, and first- and second-row passengers will find lots of space once they're inside. The controls are easy to understand, but the reach to the centrally located touchscreen will be a tad long for most.

The large windows allow for generally good visibility, but the third-row seats cut into the rear view when in use. And though the standard surround-view camera has a helpful off-road overlay, its low resolution makes it hard to see fine details.

To ensure the Land Cruiser has a decent departure angle, the area behind the third row is small in size. You can stow the third row for more cargo space, but the seats fold up to the sides, making the cargo space narrow and restricting your view. The door pockets are narrow, and wider insulated bottles will be a tough fit. And even though the Land Cruiser is great on the highway, the shallow cupholders might not hold your favorite beverage. The second-row seatbacks can fold forward and match the height of the third-row seatbacks. But if you have a child safety seat in the second row, it will limit access to the third row.

On the flip side, the Cruiser's high 8,200-pound towing capacity puts it on par with many full-size trucks, while its split rear hatch provides a handy tailgate that acts as a cargo fence, bench or baby-changing station.

The Land Cruiser's tech play lies in its standard active safety systems since its infotainment system is far less modern than some of its competitors'. But its expert terrain-handling system is a true detective for traction, blowing many other off-road-capable SUVs out of the water. And its strong audio system features an easy-to-use rear-seat entertainment system.

As for smartphone integration, the Land Cruiser is limited to Bluetooth for audio and phone and USB for music sharing. Toyota's smartphone integration system, Entune, is fiddly to use, though it provides navigation, streaming media and destination-searching support.