4 Toyota Land Cruiser cars for sale

Used Toyota Land Cruiser for sale: everything you need to know

The Toyota Land Cruiser name is almost as old as Land Rover and Jeep, with the earliest model arriving in 1951. Over the past 70-plus years, Toyota has refined it into one of the toughest and most reliable SUVs in the world, sold in nearly 200 countries, and used by hundreds of thousands of drivers in places where nothing else will do.

Its presence in the UK has always been a little smaller, without the kind of terrain or driving conditions that prioritise the Toyota’s qualities. But it still has a loyal following and the cars’ durability means there is always a good choice of used models available from across the decades. Here we’re concentrating on the model sold between 2009 and 2023 - a new Land Cruiser has just gone on sale in 2024.

Should you buy a Toyota Land Cruiser?

If you really, really need to get where you’re going, even if that destination doesn’t necessarily involve roads, then there are few better vehicles on the planet than the Toyota Land Cruiser. Like the brand’s Hilux pickup it’s got a reputation for going on forever and being pretty much unstoppable in the meantime, but as a conventional SUV rather than a pickup, the Land Cruiser also plays the everyday luxury role a bit better than the Hilux does.

Like other 4x4s the Land Cruiser has become more sophisticated over the years, but it hasn’t ditched the rugged construction that makes it useful in the toughest of environments. So it’s still impressive off-road, with plenty of wheel articulation and ground clearance, and modern technology like adaptive suspension and active anti-roll bars means it’s more adept on the road than it used to be too - though it’s still nowhere near as car-like as most regular SUVs.

Likewise, the cabin probably won’t impress anyone used to a Mercedes or BMW, but you can be fairly sure everything will still be working in decades’ time, and it’s still pretty plush too - Icon models and up get leather trim, the seats are comfortable, the driving position commanding, and the fixtures and fittings tough and long-lasting.

The Land Cruiser used to square up to other tough Japanese 4x4s such as the Mitsubishi Shogun and Nissan Terrano, but more modern rivals include cars like the Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and even the Ineos Grenadier. All are incredibly accomplished, though we’ll have to see whether any are still going strong in 30 or 40 years like a Land Cruiser…

What’s the best used Toyota Land Cruiser model to buy?

There’s one stand-out model that we’ve not covered in detail here and that’s the Land Cruiser V8, which was only offered in the larger Land Cruiser body. It’s fairly thirsty and costs a fortune to tax, but it’s probably the Land Cruiser in its ultimate form - and quite appealing as a result. The regular four-cylinder diesel models in the regular body are of more use to most people though. There’s not a lot to choose between the old 3-litre and the newer 2.8, though the newer engine is a bit smoother. Icon or Invincible trim are the picks for most buyers - both come equipped with all the kit you’re likely to want or need.