2026 Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series review

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series in Australia.

If you’ve never been to the outback, you simply cannot imagine how ubiquitous the 70 Series is; how it’s relied on by hardworking men and women who spend their lives working in areas so remote that their car is often their only lifeline.

If you happened to find yourself in the car park of the Tibooburra Gymkhana, in the remote north-east corner of New South Wales, you could easily mistake it for a dusty forecourt of a Toyota dealership.

And while the LandCruiser may have become something of a status symbol for young ringers, it’s only because the 70 Series has proven itself over decades as the most reliable vehicle for those living in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Australian outback.

WATCH: Paul’s video review of the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 79 dual-cab/chassis GXL automatic

Which brings us to possibly the most controversial iteration of the 70 Series to date. This is the LandCruiser 79 Series GXL, the range-topping single-cab/chassis 4×4 model, powered by the same 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine found in the HiLux – known as the 1GD-FTV.

It’s probably worth mentioning that this is just one part of the LandCruiser 70 Series family, with the 79 Series referring to the single-cab ute, the 78 Series referring to the Troop Carrier, and the 76 Series being the five-door wagon. And a fun fact: globally, Toyota refers to the 70 Series family internally as the ‘LandCruiser Military’.

The 70 Series has had something like two dozen different engines since the model was launched in 1984, but increasing fuel-efficiency and emissions standards mean the beloved 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 is no longer available.

Toyota has also done its best to address some of the criticisms of the 70 – giving it cupholders, power windows, a head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and some basic ADAS features.

It’s also been given a retro facelift, which is a little funny – because its styling is a throwup unback to itself. Like if your parents started wearing flared jeans again.

But while the 70 Series has pretty much been the go-to for a heavy-duty workhorse, Ford recently entered the chat with its tougher, V6-powered Ranger Super Duty, offering a more modern alternative with a larger engine than the Toyota.

So, can the LandCruiser 79 Series still hold its own in 2026 with a HiLux engine?

How much does the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series cost?

Unlike every other damn thing in 2026, Toyota has – so far – kept pricing of the 70 Series stable.

The LandCruiser is anything but a bargain. But it’s not tech and features you’re paying for – it’s off-road competence, strength, and capability.

Until recently, the 70 Series was virtually unchallenged. But the Ford Ranger Super Duty is now on the scene, with the base model starting from $82,990 before on-road costs – or around $2000 more than the range-topping LandCruiser GXL. However, the base Super Duty is comparatively loaded with features compared to the sparse Toyota.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

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What is the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series like on the inside?

Given we’re constantly jumping in and out of brand-new cars each week, the 79 Series is a bit of a culture shock at first.

George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper‘ was topping the charts when this thing first went on sale, and like a recent drum-and-bass remix, Toyota has done what it can to make the LandCruiser relevant for the current era.

The two-dimensional vinyl and cardboard door cards – located below exposed metal, finished in the ute’s lovely blue exterior paint – are a constant reminder that this vehicle was created before mobile phones and personal computers were a thing.

The fact you need to slam the doors hard every time you close them tells you this isn’t just some tough-looking show pony.

Despite the door cards, Toyota has actually done a decent job of making the LandCruiser feel a little more modern and up to date.

There are a few odd shapes here and there, as designers have tried to fit some cupholders into what is a somewhat narrow cabin, but the amount of useful cubby spaces for your phone and sunglasses makes it a relatively practical interior for drivers.

Annoyingly though, the space created for your mobile doesn’t have a wireless charger built in.

You also need this pocket-sized metal thingy that’s inserted into a barrel in the steering column just to get the engine started. How quaint!

After a day or two behind the wheel, the shock subsides and appreciation finds its way to the surface. Levers and knobs for the HVAC, traditional shifters for the transmission, indicator and wiper stalks where you expect them to be, and real buttons for everything else.

In a world of deconstructed gourmet food with green foam, all trying to stand out and impress, this is the ham and cheese sandwich that actually satisfies.

The air-conditioning is strong and I could adjust the fan without taking my eyes off the road – and you just know the levers and flaps behind the dash are going to outlast most political careers.

The double-DIN head unit is also cheap and old, but not quite in the same charming way, offering wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – or Bluetooth music streaming for those who don’t have a cable with them.

Given Toyota would have amortised its investment in the 70 Series around the same time I was born, it’s a little disappointing there isn’t a better factory stereo – especially given the price.

Some cheapy head unit and dual 4.0-inch speakers are taking the mickey for a vehicle that starts from about $81,000.

Then again, it’s almost a statement in itself. You want fancy tech? Get the Ranger Super Duty, with its massive portrait screen. You want something that can be easily replaced when your muddy Border Collie does parkour in your ute? This is the one you want.

Even the instrument cluster is still mostly analogue, with retro gauges inspired by the FJ40, and a small TFT screen accessed via the steering wheel controls.

Like everything in this vehicle, the seats are basic but comfortable, the ergonomics are quite good – even for a single-cab – and you find yourself asking whether you actually need anything more than this.

I did find the low-range selector was vibrating against my left leg while driving, but I forgot about it almost as quickly as I noticed it.

Vinyl floors, rubber mats, hard plastics, vibratory knobs. It sounds like somewhere you’d avoid on a Saturday night in the city, but it’s all part of the LandCruiser’s commitment to longevity, which gives it a level of respect and charm that is seldom found in the automotive industry nowadays.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The LandCruiser 70 Series is now solely available with a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, making 150kW of power, with a choice of five-speed manual with 450Nm, or a six-speed automatic with 500Nm – all with rear-wheel drive and part-time four-wheel drive with low-range.

Toyota claims an average fuel consumption rating of 9.6L/100km for the LandCruiser ute, but we ended up using 12.1L/100km during our time with it – despite not towing or carrying any kind of load.

I can’t imagine it necessarily being a deal-breaker for most buyers, but a 26 per cent increase over the published claims is a bit rude, and could make a serious difference to the bottom line of fleet budgets.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

How does the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series drive?

I can’t remember another car that was so universally respected on the road as the 70.

There’s just something about the LandCruiser that Aussies love, and there seems to be a level of quiet appreciation for the people who buy them and what they represent. Or maybe everyone just gets out of the way of the big ute, who knows…?

Firstly, the powertrain. The turbo-diesel is strong, perky, and entirely usable for city or country.

I suspect Toyota has mapped the pedal so even a small amount of throttle will ensure the engine comes on strong, probably making it feel more eager than the 4.5-litre for anyone comparing the two – despite having basically the same power output.

Sure, it doesn’t have the glorious thong-slap of the diesel V8, but it also doesn’t have the injector tick of the old engine. And while the engine noise has as much personality as a Caroma cistern, what it does offer is a fantastic turbo whistle, particularly if you have a snorkel mounted next to your open window.

Maybe that’s why my fuel economy was so poor…

The 70 Series gets up to speed easily and can keep ahead of traffic with a small nudge. It’s not really an engine that you wind out – just keep it on boost and let the six-speed auto do its thing.

Speaking of, the transmission does a great job of smoothing out the acceleration and keeping you in the right cog. Off-throttle and down a hill, it’ll even downshift so you can use engine compression rather than leaning on the brakes.

But the brakes are there if you need them, and provide a strong and predictable pedal.

Given how shockingly bad the ride is on the new HiLux – despite having the extra weight of a tub – I really wasn’t expecting the LandCruiser to ride quite as well as it did, and particularly with a factory lightweight alloy tray.

I could (and did) use the 70 as my daily driver. Through suburbia, up a freeway, and across the city, I had zero complaints about the ride comfort.

To be sure, she ain’t about to dethrone Rolls-Royce, but for a heavy-duty commercial ute with a ladder frame, it was great – maybe, in part, thanks to its off-road tyres with huge sidewalls.

Approach the ageing Toyota with the right level of expectations, and the handling is pretty decent. Does what it says on the box, no complaints.

However, the steering does take a little adjustment period to get used to. The turning circle itself is laughably bad, and it also has about eleventibillion turns lock-to-lock. So if you can see a corner somewhere on the horizon, best to start getting the wheel turning early.

Then there’s the ADAS – the catchall term for all those annoying beeps and bongs that pretend to know how to drive a car better than you do. It has possibly the best ADAS I’ve experienced in a brand-new car in recent memory, no doubt because the 70 Series has virtually none of it.

If you’ve got lane-departure alert turned on, and you veer out of your lane, the car might give a minor ding just to give you a heads-up. It’s also got autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and traffic sign recognition – which displays a little speed sign on the dash in case you missed it.

Useful, non-intrusive safety systems that aren’t annoying you every 30 seconds. What absolute bloody bliss it was, I tell ya.

There’s also no reverse parking camera in the ute, forcing you (shock horror!) to use your mirrors and turn your head. Thankfully, the boxy proportions of the Toyota and the big glasshouse mean it’s all perfectly fine and easy, despite its long-ish proportions.

We didn’t have the opportunity to take the 70 Series off-road this time around, but its bona-fides are well documented in this area. The low-to-mid-range torque from the four-cylinder, together with the low-range gearbox and differential locks, means this thing could take you to the top of Mount Kosciuszko without breaking a sweat.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

What do you get?

If you’re looking for gizmos and gadgets, you’ve come to the wrong place. But that’s part of the 79’s appeal.

2026 Toyota LandCruiser WorkMateequipment highlights:

• 16-inch silver steel wheels
  • Black finish for 78 and 79 Series
• LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Black mesh grille
• Heritage-inspired bonnet
• Heritage-inspired turn signals
• Steel side steps
• Interior console box (automatic only)
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen
• 6.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Voice recognition
• Two-speaker sound system
• Centre storage box (automatic variants only)
• Vinyl upholstery

The LandCruiser GX adds:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Wheel-arch flares

The LandCruiser GXL variants add:

• Front and rear differential locks
• LED front fog lights
• Chrome and painted front bumper (79 Series ute only)
• Moulded black front and rear bumpers (Wagon and Troop Carrier only)
• Aluminium side steps
• Chrome roof drip rails
• Four-speaker sound system (excluding single-cab/chassis)
• 2x USB-C ports
• Driver and front passenger map pockets
• Cloth upholstery
• Power windows
• Variable intermittent wipers

Optional Equipment

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 GX single-cab/chassis is available with front and rear differential locks for an additional $1500.

Colours

The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series range is available with the following exterior paint colours:

• French Vanilla
• Silver Pearl
• Graphite
• Merlot Red
• Sandy Taupe
• Midnight Blue
• Eclipse Black (76 Series Wagon only)

Premium paint costs an additional $675.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

Is the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series safe?

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series no longer has a traditional star rating from ANCAP, but the crash-test authority has awarded the commercial vehicle a ‘silver’ rating for its collision-avoidance technology – with testing completed in 2025.

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series range comes with the following safety equipment:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Lane departure alert
• Traffic sign recognition

The 76 Series Wagon gains a reversing camera, while only automatic versions get hill descent control.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

How much does the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series cost to run?

Toyota offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for the LandCruiser 70 Series, with up to seven years of coverage available with an extended warranty.

Service intervals are every six months or 10,000km, which isn’t as good as some rivals – such as Ford – which can offer intervals of up to 12 months or 15,000km.

Each service is capped at $545, for an annual maintenance cost of $1090 for the first five years.

Compare that to the Super Duty, which only requires a single service each year, with an average price of $469 – equating to a total cost of $2345 for the Ford, compared to $5450 for the Toyota.

To see how the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series stacks up against its rivals, use ourcomparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series

This thing is expensive, antiquated, and has the turning circle of a cruise ship. And I loved every second of it.

Despite my long personal history with the 70 Series, it still took a day or two to recalibrate to the ute. Once I did though, I completely fell in love with its old-school charm and rediscovered the joy of piloting a solid, well-built Toyota that’s devoid of superfluous junk.

It’s probably worth mentioning that my partner chose to be driven to our anniversary dinner in the single-cab LandCruiser, rather than in my beautiful classic Mercedes-Benz – which I acquired specifically with date nights in mind. And I’m pretty sure she loved the 70 more than the Merc, too. (Dang it.)

Literally the opposite of champagne taste on a beer budget.

Like her, the people who will most appreciate the Toyota will be those who complain about modern cars – oversized screens, annoying chimes, and ridiculous stuff they didn’t have in their cars when they were growing up.

But for younger people who learned to drive in the era of big screens and endless tech, the LandCruiser isn’t likely to impress. For them, the Ford Ranger Super Duty is the right choice. Then again, most young folks don’t have $80k to drop on a no-frills ute like the LandCruiser 70 Series or Ranger Super Duty.

There was an element of apprehension after Toyota swapped the HiLux engine into the 70 Series, and while we miss the V8 – and frankly hold some concerns over the longevity of the four-cylinder unit – the 2.8 is more than up to the job. Whether it’s on-road or off, there’s no doubt it has the performance to match the heavy-duty ute.

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series is a national icon and, even with the smaller engine, this latest iteration remains a formidable and worthy light commercial ute that can handle just about anything you can throw at it… and then some.

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