Comfortable workhorse

The Toyota LandCruiser GX is a hard-working, no-nonsense model designed to get on with the job in the bush.

Story By Matt Raudonikis

Ever since the launch of the 200 Series LandCruiser back in 2008, Toyota dealers in the bush have been crying out for the return of a no-frills basic model like the ‘Standard’ variant on the previous 100 Series. Nearly four years later, Toyota has answered their call with the introduction of the LandCruiser GX.
The GX is built on the popular GXL Cruiser but is stripped of some of the features not always wanted by buyers in the bush. It comes with five seats only, not seven as other LandCruisers do; the carpets have been replaced with vinyl floor coverings; the dual-zone climate-control air-conditioning is swapped for a simple manual air-con system; keyless entry and start are gone and a conventional key is used to start the V8 diesel engine; the clever KDSS suspension is removed and not available on the GX; and the horizontally split tailgate of the regular models has been ditched in favour of side-hinged ‘barn doors’.
The mechanicals are the same as the higher specification models with the stump-pulling twin-turbocharged V8 diesel engine under the bonnet backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. No manual gearbox is offered on the GX or any LandCruiser 200 for that matter. The suspension is the same as other non-KDSS equipped LandCruisers although the wheels are smaller steel rims.
All the electronic safety and off-road control from the high specification models are retained on the GX including traction and stability control, ABS brakes and the clever Crawl Control system that works like cruise control for low-speed off-road driving. Dual front, side and curtain airbags are also retained so there’s no skimping on safety at all.
The GX Cruiser is a workhorse but it’s a nice big comfortable one – a Clydesdale, if you like, that will get on with the job of hauling a load be it people or cargo, safely and reliably over long distances and any terrain. The spacious cabin is comfortable and well equipped even in this trim. There’s an AM/FM, CD, MP3, Bluetooth audio system, power windows, door locks and exterior mirrors, and big comfortable seats that make riding in the Cruiser a pleasure.