If there is one SUV you can justifiably call iconic in this part of the world it is the Toyota Land Cruiser. It has grown up with the UAE and generations of families have owned at least one because of its incredible versatility on, and particularly, off-road.
In fact, it’s not just here that the Land Cruiser has built an admirable reputation. When the going gets tough in the most hostile
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You can throw the mother of all terrains at this vehicle and it will take it in its stride. I know because although I am no expert at negotiating extreme off-road I know a man who is. This guy showed me why the Land Cruiser remains the SUV of choice for people who know what it takes to tackle the desert’s biggest challenges with relative ease. It’s fair to say I was more than impressed and mightily relieved considering some of the dodgy terrain we took on in the Empty Quarter.
In 60 years of trading in the UAE it’s fair to say that the Land Cruiser has been the flagship for Toyota and Al-Futtaim Motors and to celebrate what is a significant anniversary for the Japanese marque they have produced a LimitedEdition Land Cruiser which offers a few free extras to make it a bit more special.
The 60 Years Anniversary Edition I drove was powered by a four-litre V6 which was a downsize from the 5.7-litre V8 I ventured into the desert with a few months ago.
It has 271bhp and 385nm of torque and is surprisingly responsive, putting the power down to the four-wheel-drive system through a five-speed automatic gearbox.
The design of the Land Cruiser has improved over the years, moving it away from a boxy looking and rather unattractive vehicle to one that really does look classy.
The 60 Years Anniversary Edition comes with extras such as powered door mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, front and rear bumper lip spoiler, day time running lights, a roof spoiler with chrome inserts, side steps, chrome roof rails, a duel chrome garnish and chrome side moldings.
From the front, it has a bold, yet distinctively stylish appearance with the headlights and grille giving it a really classy, confident look.
Inside, the anniversary edition is a class act with plenty of nice leather and wood trims.
It has dual zone automatic climate control, diamond-stitched alcantra leather seats, rear-seat entertainment screens, a centre console cooler box, auto dimming rear view mirror and a posh leather and wood-trimmed steering wheel, which, thankfully, is not over cluttered with buttons. The instrument cluster is nicely designed and there is an excellent infotainment system and large touch screen.
To drive on the road, this vehicle is supremely comfortably and exudes an air of ultra-confidence. You really do feel like the king of the road and there is so much space
inside this Land Cruiser, with seating for up to seven people, that it creates a feeling of absolute freedom and adventure.
It is the versatility and proven quality that really sets this vehicle apart from the many other SUVs out there which include some pretty serious rivals. Next time you are on the Sheikh Zayed Road count the number of Land Cruisers you see, compared to the other marques, and the result should be testimony to this vehicle’s popularity and domination of the market.
If you want to venture off-road, the Land Cruiser’s capabilities are well documented and it is overloaded with everything you need to make sure you stay safe and comfortable.
It has a multi-terrain select which allows you set the vehicle up for different environments, multi-terrain ABS, a camera system that lets you see the surrounding conditions when you are negotiating a hill or driving on uneven ground, hill-start assist, crawl control, stability control, turn assist, highly sensitive sonic sensors to detect outside obstacles, rear differential lock and every technological aid you could think of to keep you safe in all conditions.
The Land Cruiser was already impressive and with these little extras the 60th Anniversary model, with a price of Dh209,000 is astonishingly good value and makes a class act even better.
