There are half a handful of capable off-roaders that are admired for their ability to set eyes in motion as they roll into a hotel porch – among them is the Land Cruiser. Toyota’s flagship gets an unlikely facelift – as an urban collectible. And prima facie, it looks grand.

Demystifying the Land Cruiser Grand Touring

The top trim of the Land Cruiser, the VX-R model, comes with the 5.7L V8 engine. On the other hand, the top end models for the 4.0L V6 or 4.6L V8 engines have now been titled Grand Touring. The GT edition allows you to enjoy the VX-R styling and benefits without having to subscribe to the super-sized 5.7 L engine or any of the hardcore off-roading kit like multi-terrain monitors with 4 cameras or height-adjustable suspensions.

Features that the GT has in common with VX-R

Body coloured lower bumper in front and rear

Smoked black front headlights that look intriguing

New 2019 sporty grille

20” alloy wheels

Powered tailgate with half-door

2019 style 10” infotainment display with screen mirror and Internet connectivity

THE SPECS: 4.6L V8 engine, 304 hp 440 Nm / 4.0L, V6, 271 hp, 385 Nm, 6-speed Automatic Transmission, 4×4 FULL-TIME

THE DIMENSIONS: L x W x H 5,095 X 1,980 X 1,930, Fuel tank: 138 L

THE PRICE: AED 215,900 onwards, GX-R GRAND TOURING: 4.0L V6 AED 249,900 / 4.6L V8 AED 275,900

The Design

The Grand Touring is not all about looks but there are some changes that the Land Cruiser GT had to flaunt, in order to deserve the script-style badge under the GX-R.

The new grille has thick and bold central slats with thinned down slats on top and bottom. The new hood has the sporty bump on either side, adding aggression to the styling.

Cabin and Controls

The seats in the GT edition look refined in perforated leather but the seats are not actually ventilated. The leather on the dashboard and door trims too makes the cabin feel premium. However, not everything feels solid to the touch, like the glove compartment cover. The wood grain interiors too might not be real wood but looks good all the same!

The GT underlines its difference with a large screen standing out with the air vents on both sides forming an elegant ensemble. The 10” glossy infotainment screen with the neatly arranged buttons around it looks contemporary. The graphics are impressively bold and easy to manage. The navigation streaming isn’t the best but overall helpful. You can also engage the assistance of Google, once the Internet is connected to. Ironically, while the 2019 GX-R trims get this new heptagonal display, the VX-R gets a 9” JBL screen. The GT also gets an OPTITRON speedometer with a 4.2” TFT display.

I couldn’t find a handy place for the phone on and around the console but there is a tucked away niche just next to the armrest lid, which one might argue is more than handy, while driving. The armrest storage is rather large and has a cool box, too. There is keyless entry, one touch locking, wireless charging and a sunroof that restricts itself to the first row and a music system that sounded good once fine-tuned.

Equipped for anywhere

The console bed is all about driving – in all its diversity. It features a gearshift lever with a Tiptronic sport mode, high and low gear operated with automatic push buttons (yes!) and Crawl Control with Turn Assist.

The Crawl Control is nothing but a slow-speed cruise control that gets you out of sticky situations while off-roading. Crawl control takes over acceleration and braking leaving you to take care of the steering with focus. An overdose of power can get a wheel to get deeper in sand. The Crawl Control feature optimises the power output to each wheel separately, so that the car moves into safety instead of getting stuck deeper.

Turn Assist turns the rear tyres to make the turning circle much shorter and it becomes easier to maneuver the car. While Turn Assist helps sports cars corner better on the track at high speeds, it is of great use when you have to make a sharp turn on a winding path on the mountains.

The Crawl Control comes in 5 speeds, each applicable to different kinds of inclines or terrain you want to get out of – because multi-terrain capability is all about managing grip and power according to how much traction does a rocky surface or a gravel road affords the wheels. (Grass/ gravel being slippery is the slowest as the traction is lowest.)

The ‘drive console’ also has a differential lock button, traction control switch and two switches called ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission) and ECT II. This is helpful if the vehicle is stuck in loose ground, where starting the vehicle in first-gear can cause a rush of torque, leading to wheel spin and loss of traction. Starting in second gear will alleviate this issue and that’s what ECT does.

Assistance for the urban driver

It takes more than just multi-terrain ability to please many of the vehicle’s modern patrons. The edge lies in making them capable with the least effort. So, the Land Cruiser Grand Touring edition comes with a bundle of driver assistance features. There are all round sensors including Rear and Side Collision Alert but Blind Spot Warning and Lane Departure Warning have been kept out, perhaps with an eye on the price.

The Drive

It isn’t as casual a drive as a crossover yet but you can actually maneuver the modern Land Cruiser with a single hand. The size isn’t daunting in negotiating most parking ramps while the leviathan manages the body roll well at turns. That said, the 2600 kg vehicle does give you a sense of its weight on the steering too – I would have hated it if the LC were a hoopla ring that turned on your pinkie!

The Grand Touring comes with 20” low profile tyres and a magnificent set of 10-spoke alloy wheels.  They raise visual appeal but make the ride slightly firmer. However, long drive comfort remains unaffected in the forever-solid Land Cruiser.

Refinement in the Land Cruiser isn’t about being quiet – it‘s a car that is one with nature, and the world. The V8 is a distant rumble until you open the throttle. Then the familiar sound that has echoed across the kingdom of dunes turns into something between a roar and a scream that can intimidate the highest dunes.

My test car was driven by the 4.6L V8 engine and returned 6.9km/L highway driving fuel economy (14.5 L / 100 km) while the mixed run gave 18.5 L from this V8 engine.

Off-roading lessons

The Land Cruiser makes easy and light work of fun in the desert or hills, and it is reassuring to know that your limits aren’t closing in, anytime soon. A lesson learnt from this test is that there are soft and loose spots out there that can trap even the mighty Land Cruiser! Another important learning is that something as magical as crawl control too has an ideal activation time, and a lot depends on how early or late you take the call to engage help.

Family Drive

The second row seats in this seven-seater make for comfortable sitting unless you are exceptionally tall. The third row seats on the other hand are definitely for kids, coz it is a kind of a fitness test to sit back there. The 60:40 split seats can be tumbled up, letting you easily into the rear.

The Land Cruiser Grand Touring comes with the urban convenience of a split door for the boot. So you can throw in a bag without upsetting the rest of the luggage. With all seats up, there is still space for a couple of medium sized suitcases in the Land Cruiser.

The Price

Land Cruiser is available from AED 215,900 onwards. For those who choose a Grand Touring in favour of the VX-R can enjoy encouraging savings of around AED 50,000. The Land Cruiser 4.0L V6 GT is priced at AED 249,900 and the 4.6L V8 GT costs AED 275,900.

So, how urban is the Land Cruiser Grand Touring edition? Only as urban as a Land Cruiser gets – which is, till the weekend arrives!