Combine the Land Cruiser's body, suspension and design with the force of a 212-hp, in-line six-cylinder engine, and you've got a vehicle that feels as if it could climb Mount Everest. just remember once again what this bull on wheels was designed to do, and its verrrrry firm ride makes a bit more sense.Four-wheel drive is not a choice on the Land Cruiser-it's a permanent fixture. And, should you decide to engage the front and rear locking differentials, there's added muscle for handling serious, slow-speed mud, muck or snow, the kind of terrain that the Land Cruiser devours with amazing ease.
It helped that our vehicle was blessed by a two-speed transfer case and four-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission. We got a power boost when we needed it, and a welcome lower-rpm ride when we hit a stretch of open road. The flexibility and efficiency of this system is one of the Toyota Land Cruiser's big, big pluses.
Behind the wheel, there was also a certain feeling of what it might be like riding atop an enclosed, glassed-in stagecoach. We felt our share of bumps with a suspension this stiff, but the ride was quiet and offered excellent visibility.
Acceleration was acceptable-0 to 60 mph in about eight seconds-and even while towing a load the Land Cruiser will scoot when it must. But don't think of this as a long-distance, enjoy-the-scenery vehicle. Its mpg is 15 on the highway; if it's comfort you're seeking, you might as well consider a plush conversion van.
We certainly had no quarrel with the Land Cruiser's steering and handling, which was precise even in tight-parking or sharp-turn situations. Same for the braking: We had to slam on the brakes at 35 mph on a miserably bad stretch of washboard road that was little more than a ribbon of mud and slush. The Land Cruiser came to a reassuring stop and, because of the ABS, never wavered or slid from a straight-ahead path.
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