$84,775. That’s the starting price for the 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser. That’s a lot of bones for a buggy. The question is, is it worth it? And more specifically, is it worth it for you?
Powerful Performance
To start with, the 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser is an eight-passenger luxury SUV, so if you’re looking for an extremely high-end substitute for a minivan, you’ve found it! The Land Cruiser is equipped with a 5.7 liter V-8 engine, which gives you 381 ponies and 401 lb-ft of torque along with an eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s one powerful minivan. The Land Cruiser offers off-roaders adjustable suspension and the “crawl control” feature lets you focus on steering while the car maintains a set low speed and works the throttle and brake for you, so if you’re hoping to take your passengers on more than just a suburban safari, you’re good to venture off the beaten path.
Classy Cabin
When it comes to choosing a trim level, your options are extremely limited since there are none, but we consider that a positive since you won’t have to complicate your decision by comparing models. The base model is the luxury model and that’s how an $80k car should be. The SUV comes standard with leather heated and ventilated front seats, 40/20/40 heated second row seats, 50/50 split folding third row seats and a slew of technology features. Those in the front seats have access to a 9-inch touchscreen with navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, a wireless charging pad and a surround-view camera system. Backseat passengers have the ability to pop in a DVD and watch on one of two screens while listening on their wireless headphones. And when you’re ready for a sing-along, blast your favorite song out of the 14-speaker JBL audio system. Satellite radio, HD radio, a CD player and a USB-iPhone jack offer plenty of ways to find the tune that fits your ‘tude.
Enticing Exterior
The 2017 Land Cruiser comes in your choice of six sophisticated colors: Blue Onyx Pearl, Brandywine Mica, Blizzard Pearl, Midnight Black Metallic, Magnetic Gray Metallic, and Classic Silver Metallic. LED lights power both the taillights and the front low and high beams, and you can always use your fog lights if you need a little more oomph. A chrome grille completes the rich exterior, letting people know that you are, in fact, rich.
Serious Safety
You can slap an $80 grand price tag on anything, but you can’t put a price on safety. Luckily, the Land Cruiser comes well equipped with loads of safety features. It’s worth noting that the Land Cruiser has not been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – apparently this is not unusual for luxury SUVs, which somewhat makes sense… after all, who wants to intentionally (or accidentally for that matter) crash an almost six-figure car? Talk about literally throwing money away.
Anyways… it’s safe to say that with all of the features Toyota has socked into the Land Cruiser, it’s a pretty safe bet. Possibly the coolest is the Multi-terrain Monitor, which uses the surround-view camera to let you see front, rear and side views to let you know what the surrounding terrain looks like – very useful if you’re off-roading, probably not so useful in the school drop-off line, but still a cool feature to brag about.
Other safety features you’ll find in the 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser include: Blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision alert and mitigation with pedestrian detection (now that could be useful at the school drop-off), and lane departure warning. Toyota’s Safety Sense system adds Vehicle Stability Control, Anti-lock Brake System, Brake Assist, Brake-force Distribution, Traction Control, and Smart Stop Technology. Ten airbags line the cabin, and you’ll get a one-year subscription to Toyota Safety Sense which provides Emergency Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Locator services, Roadside Assistance and Automatic Collision Notification. Front and rear parking assist sonar also help guide you in and out of tight spots, whether on or off the road.
Although it would be great if there was safety and crash data from the NHTSA and IIHS to rely on, it is at least reassuring to know that Toyota has equipped the Cruiser with the best of the best as far as safety tech and additions go.
There’s really not much to dislike about this lux-level SUV. But look hard enough and there’s always something that could be improved.
Fuel-Economy Flop
If you’re actively looking at buying this car, chances are, money is not a big issue. However, no one wants to throw money away, and with the lousy fuel economy on this car, you certainly won’t be saving at the pump. The 2017 Land Cruiser gets 13 mpg in the city, 18 mpg on the highway. Not great, and definitely not best in class.
Cramped Cargo
You might be flying first-class, but you won’t be getting all eight passengers and their luggage to the airport in this ride. With only 16 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seats, cargo capacity is certainly lacking. And if you’re thinking you’ll get around the issue by collapsing the third row (and ditching three of your passengers at the same time), you’re going to be disappointed when you only get 43 cubic feet of cargo room. This is because the third row seats don’t flip down; rather, they store to the side, eating into a lot of valuable cargo area.
Decidedly Dated
What you’re going to notice in the 2017 Land Cruiser is that it just needs a refresher. It’s been about a decade since Toyota offered the model a complete facelift, and it’s beginning to show. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a gorgeous SUV and it certainly has a lot of great features, but the poor fuel economy and lack of some features (like a power liftgate) that are now standard in competitors (and even lower-class models), makes us think that if the Land Cruiser wants to keep its hefty price tag and remain competitive in a class cluttered by Lexus, Land Rover, and Mercedes, it’s going to need an overhaul soon.
Perfect Price?
So back to the question – is the Land Cruiser worth $80,000? It’s hard to say, but ultimately, if you’re in the market for an eight-passenger luxury SUV that’s loaded with great interior and safety features, plus is rugged enough to actually weather rough terrain, you should at least check out the 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser. At the very least, the test drive alone will make you feel like a millionaire.
