2014 Toyota Land Cruiser Road Test Review

2014 Toyota Land Cruiser Road Test Review

By Bob Plunkett

On a  blacktop strip of Washington state route 409 threaded across an island in the  Columbia River, Toyota's mighty Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle lurches down  the road with a massive engine motivating all four of the 18-inch tires.

This  hefty full-size SUV has a high-strength and super-rigid frame structure, a  powerful yet efficient V8 engine tied to an electronically controlled 6-speed  automatic transmission, extensive on-board safety equipment including standard  ten air bags and high-tech vehicle control systems, plus a plush passenger  compartment to accommodate as many as eight adults on three tiers of seats with  multiple zones for climate, comfort and road-time audio-video entertainment.

And  the 2014 Land Cruiser carries even more standard gear as Toyota stacks aboard all of the wagon's  previously optional safety and luxury equipment. The list of new standard  content ranges from a navigation system and power moonroof to a Smart Key with  push-button starter, heated front and rear seats, a rear DVD entertainment kit,  rearview camera and parking sensors, HD radio and Bluetooth connectivity.

As  with past issues, the goal of Toyota  engineers for designing and developing the Land Cruiser remains  consistent:  "We aim to develop the  world's best sport utility vehicle," one designer confides. "We want  to create the largest, heaviest, best-equipped, most technically advanced and  most luxurious Land Cruiser ever, but also with the highest level of on-road  and off-road performance." [Read full review]