Which is the oldest 'Yota that you can still buy new in 2024? The answer is Land Cruiser 70, which came out in 1984 as the successor to the 40 series.
Toyota last updated the 70 series in August 2023 for MY24, giving the body-on-frame model the 2.8-liter turbo diesel inline-four engine from the Hilux. Japan's largest automaker – and in the world, for that matter – also worked its magic in terms of exterior design, interior tech, and safety features.
The good folks at CarExpert Australia have recently drag raced a couple of refreshed 70s against each other (a V8 wagon and an I4 ute) and a Hilux with the aforementioned 2.8-liter turbo diesel. Which is quickest from a dig? The short answer is Hilux, but you'll be surprised how close the four-pot Land Cruiser 70 pickup truck is to the far more modern Hilux SR5 Double Cab.
The single-cabbed and tray-equipped LC79 clocked 11.80 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and 17.73 in the quarter mile, whereas the Hilux required 11.17 and 17.70 seconds. The LC76 sport utility vehicle, which features the much larger V8 engine, posted 14.62 and 19.28 seconds.
These said, bear in mind the LC76 isn't as torquey as the LC79 and Hilux. Its 4.5-liter turbo diesel V8 pumps out 151 kW and 430 Nm of torque, meaning 202 horsepower and 317 pound-feet. As for the 2.8-liter turbo diesel I4, the numbers are 150 kW and 500 Nm (201 horsepower and 369 pound-feet).
Photo: CarExpert on YouTube
Part of the reason why the V8 isn't up to snuff concerns the sheer age of the 1VD-FTV, which is the only member of the VD engine family. It came out in 2007, and the punchiest version to date produces 210 kW (282 horsepower) at 3,400 revolutions per minute and 650 Nm (479 pound-feet) at 1,600 revolutions per minute. Said version is a twin-turbo affair. The 70 features one turbo.
Weighing down the LC79 and Hilux to match the curb weight of the LC76 resulted in – obviously enough – worse numbers. CarExpert Australia reports 12.71 and 18.28 seconds for the I4-powered 70 series compared to 12.95 and 18.46 seconds for the Hilux. Following the dig races, the boyos decided to test these 'Yotas from a roll. First at 40 kilometers per hour (that's 25 miles per hour), then at 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour).
With the transmissions in third gear at the start, the Hilux made easy work of the 70 series ute and wagon. The four-pot LC79 proved slower than the eight-cylinder LC76, finishing last in both races. At the end of the day, however, the LC70 and Hilux weren't designed for straight-line performance.
For MY24, the LC76 with the 4.5-liter diesel carries a sticker price of 83,900 kangaroo bucks (around 54,670 freedom eagles). The single-cabbed LC79 is 78,900 for the four-pot diesel and 82,900 for the V8, whereas the Hilux can be had for as little as 40,985 with the Single Cab, 45,665 for the Extra Cab, or 48,235 for the Dual Cab in Workmate 4x4 flavor.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News