AG Outdoor | 95Parking in, or working your way along, tight city
back streets can test a driver’s nerves but the
all-new visibility system – consisting cameras at
the front, rear and in the side mirrors – provides a
multidirectional view of what’s around the vehicle
when parking or tackling tricky 4WD scenarios
(more about that later). There’s even a ‘view’ from
above, all displayed clearly on the touchscreen.
Active safety tech includes a pre-collision
system, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffi c
alert and dynamic radar cruise control, and
lane-departure alert. Other features aimed at
passenger protection include seven airbags,
vehicle stability and active traction control,
multi-terrain anti-skid brakes, hill-start assist control,
trailer-sway control and more.
The 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel produces a
claimed 200kW of power at 3400rpm and 650Nm
of torque at 1600rpm, and there’s a throaty growl
from the engine every time you give the throttle a
tap. Off -the-mark acceleration for such a big and
heavy vehicle is fantastic, making for smooth and
safe movement through traffi c in the city and
overtaking on open roads.
Out of the city, this king of 4WDs proves it’s also
a sublimely smooth tourer.
The V8 is a real goer; the Sahara rumbles up to
highway speed in no time and holds steady. It also
rides comfortably with on-road dynamics close to
car-like thanks in part to Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic
Suspension System (KDSS) which, in layman’s
terms, uses hydraulics linked to the anti-sway bars
to temper body roll. It works a treat. The suspen-
sion soaks up any lumps and bumps, on and off
road, and yields fl at, controlled handling through
city-smooth streets, over back-road bitumen, loose
gravel, and punching along at speed on greasy
mud tracks. Steering is generally precise, but with a
touch of understeer.
The six-speed auto is a winner, although it
sometimes kicks down aggressively out of the
blue on steep, twisting country-road downhills.
Of course, the Sahara rules the rough stuff ;
real-world low-range gearing, torquey twin
turbo-diesel V8 and stacks of off -road tech
combine to make this Cruiser a formidable bush
weapon.
Crawl Control is rock-steady and reliable. It uses
automatic accelerator and traction control
operation to maintain one of three target speeds
uphill; it uses engine braking and traction control
to do the same on steep descents. There is no
need for the driver to touch the accelerator or
brake while the system is engaged.
On real slow-going, the aforementioned
camera-based visibility system is a great addition
to the Sahara’s tech suite; the rotating forward-
facing camera depicts the vehicle’s tilt angle on
the touchscreen, and an under-fl oor view of about
three metres ahead of the Cruiser, gives drivers an
indication of where the front wheels are placed on
the track.
Sometimes, the 200 Series’ size works against it;
steering around bunched trees can be nerve-
racking, squeezing through overgrown tracks can
be a groan-worthy exercise in trying to avoid
‘bush-pinstriping’, and over-bonnet visibility can be
less than ideal.WE RECKON
The Cruiser is a great long-distance driver, a
smooth tourer on the open road and a warrior in
the wild. It’s also rated to tow 3500kg. The 200
Series is the king of Australia’s 4WD tourers, and the
Sahara is the best equipped of the mob.SPECS
Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series Sahara V8 turbo-diesel
Price from: $118,500 plus on-roads
Warranty: 3 years/100,000km
Servicing: $1320 over 3 years
Service interval: 6 months/10,000km
Safety: 10 airbags, 5 stars
Engine: 4.5-litre V8 turbo diesel, 200kW/650Nm
Transmission: 6-speed auto; 4WD
Thirst: 9.5L/100km (claimed)
Dimensions: 4990mm (L), 1980mm (W), 1945mm (H),
2850mm (WB)
Weight: 2740kg
Spare: Full-size alloy
Towing: 3500kg