Fresh off the reveal of the Land Cruiser “250” Prado, Toyota had another surprise for their SUV faithful. Behold, as the Land Cruiser LC 70 has been unveiled! Fans of this particular model will be glad to know that it’s set to reenter the market following its interior and exterior updates. About four decades since its introduction, what is the model’s draw in 2024?
LC 70 – The “Essence” of Land Cruiser
Photo: Toyota
Who doesn’t like the LC 70? Simon Humphries, Toyota’s Chief Branding Officer couldn’t have described it better as the “essence of Land Cruiser”. Compared to its luxurious LC 300 sibling and “conservative” and more-road-going “250” Prado, the LC 70 became the most rugged among the three.
Photo: Toyota
Photo: Toyota
The interior still retains a rather utilitarian look and feel, seeing as Toyota heeded its customers’ clamor to “Don’t change a thing” with the LC 70. We can expect some modern implements to come with it, though, such as an infotainment touchscreen, and we do hope for the inclusion of the brand’s proprietary safety suite as well. As it stands, it’s confirmed to have Lane Departure Warning and Auto High-Beam Assist among a few others.
Photo: Toyota
The LC 70 retains its original ladder frame for both increased durability and reliability. Likewise, it helps bring improved on-road comfort while maintaining outstanding off-road driving performance.
As for power, the heart under the hood is the 1GD-FTV 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine. This mill, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, is capable of putting out 204 HP and 500 Nm of pull. As this Land Cruiser leaves the gasoline engine behind, this new high-torque, high-output choice gives off low-noise levels, a quiet ride, and improved fuel economy. And it keeps the LC 70 off-road ready.
Photo: Toyota
“…I am pleased to reveal that we committed to updating the 70 to keep that legend alive. Seeing this refreshed Land Cruiser 70 next to its ancestors, there is no questioning its loyalty to its roots,” said Humphries during the reveal. “It is proud to be raw and utilitarian. Under the revised bodywork, we made just the updates functionally necessary: a new, more efficient engine and transmission and advanced safety features,” he added.
It’s a very exciting time to be a Toyota fan, and even more so if you’re a fan of the Land Cruiser. If the LC 70 is the apple of your eye, then you’re bound to love this bit of news. Now just comes the question of if and when it reaches the Philippines. We’d like to hope that it will, given that it has a rather large following that’s more or less been anxiously waiting for a more modern release of the legend that is the LC 70.
Hi, Toyota Motor Philippines! Might we have any word about a local release?
