Off-Road Vehicle Guide - The Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible

Every keen shooter needs a trusty SUV that’ll get them to the right spot when it’s time to hunt, especially if you’re going to go out into the fields to pick the perfect location. This is increasingly important as we near the end of the Summer; the rain and the cold will come, which only makes the ground conditions more challenging. At the same time, you’re going to want a perfect balance between comfort, space, style and storage, so there’s plenty to think about when picking your off-road hero. One great option is the brand new Toyota Land Cruiser.

Toyota has been producing practical, indestructible beasts for many years, the Hilux and the Land Cruiser are two of the most robust vehicles around. The 2018 edition of the latter is no exception. The Land Cruiser comes in five different variations, each of increasing value. The top of the range model is the Invincible and that’s what we’re going to focus on. Its price starts at just under £53,000 which is pretty good value when you take a look at its capabilities (you can pick the base model up for £33,995). Its engine is a 2.8-litre diesel so its displacement is pretty large. This model only comes as an automatic which is handy, as it’s what you’re going to need when you’re tackling rough terrains and harsh conditions. It’s also an All Wheel Drive meaning you can get power through all of its four wheels - extremely useful should you encounter any rocky sections or sticky patches.

The vehicle is fitted with numerous performance systems, one being the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System or KDSS. This is an intelligent design that detects and measures the forces acting upon its entire chassis which allows it to react to the route you’re taking. This, in turn, optimises the car's performance for your comfort and its efficiency.

Another feature is the Limited-slip Differential System (LSD). This is focused at the rear of the car and intends to keep the power output of both wheels to be balanced so that you can be far more stable on any surface, preventing slipping. A monitoring camera is placed underneath the car so that you can actively assess the path you are taking. This allows you to avoid things like big rocks or large potholes that may prove challenging obstacles. One of the most impressive Toyota systems is its Crawl Control feature. As you can guess, it’s the opposite of Cruise Control and allows you to take your foot off the pedal and let the car do the work. It’ll maintain a slow steady speed for you so that all you have to focus on is steering your way through a clear route without having to worry about power. This makes your life so much easier.

A Pedestrian Detection Sensor will recognise the presence of people that you may not have spotted yourself, and will stop your car immediately should you get close to a collision.  

These innovative systems combine to create an absolute off-road machine, that’ll have to encounter something pretty substantial to fail.

Aside from the performance, there’s plenty of additional features that appeal to your comfort. A JBL Audio system with 14 speakers will provide you with crystal clear sound for listening to your favourite tracks. That’s accompanied by Bluetooth connectivity so that you can wirelessly connect a media device for both calls and music. Parking sensors, puddle lights and reversing cameras all improve your city driving or tight space manoeuvring. For those that want to browse on the go, there’s also built-in WiFi. All of your configurations are available on an eight-inch touchscreen, including Satellite Navigation.

Appearance wise, there are nine colourways to choose from; two solid shades (Black or White), one pearlescent (White Pearl), and six metallic options (Phantom Blue, Avant-garde Bronze, Vermillion Red, Tyrol Silver, Decuma Grey and Galaxy Black).

The interior is a stylish leather that can be produced in either black or ivory, and your wheels can either be a standard dark grey six-double-spoke or a machined black alloy for an additional fee.

As well as these, plenty of additionals can be added to kit out your Land Cruiser even further, things like a panoramic roof or protection plates are optional extras.

All in all, an excellent vehicle that will navigate seamlessly through almost any obstacle on any terrain. Great value for money considering its capabilities, and its large boot space and seven seats makes it spacious for sitting in and perfect for storage. You’ll be able to bring all of your shooting equipment along with you, and still with plenty of room for the gundog in the back too!