Toyota Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser is an old-school SUV featuring rugged body-on-frame construction and an unusually robust level of off-roading hardware, including full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, a locking center differential, numerous off-road drive modes (including Crawl Control), front and rear tow hooks, and underbody skid plates.

All that gear is motivated by a 5.7-liter V8 engine making 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. The big lump pairs with an automatic transmission with either six or eight forward gears, depending on the model year. The eight-speed, which first appeared in 2016, helps the rig to accelerate slightly faster, though it’s still no drag-race champ, hitting 60 mph in about seven seconds. Towing capacity is strong at a rated maximum of 8,200 pounds.

According to research by consumer experience specialist Strategic Vision, owners of the Land Cruiser praise the SUV not just for its abilities off the tarmac. They also find it to be a smooth-riding street machine that offers excellent outward visibility thanks to its high-riding stance. Unfortunately, the long-travel suspension, which allows the LC to navigate trail ruts with ease, somewhat hampers its on-road composure. In more spirited driving, its steering and handling can feel slow and ungainly. But, then again, that’s not really the point of this beast.

The Land Cruiser is one of the priciest Toyota models, even on the used market, and its well-appointed interior reflects that. It comes outfitted more like a Lexus, sporting leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, four-zone climate control, a sunroof, and even a heated steering wheel.

Since 2016, the LC’s standard safety tech has included adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera.

However, the Land Cruiser hasn’t kept pace when it comes to smartphone connectivity. Though its infotainment system is Bluetooth-enabled, it lacks both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.