2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 readies for local introduction

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is getting for its much anticipated local launch. Set to take place in the next few weeks, the first production models are finally ready to be shipped to eager buyers.

The 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser is still sitting on a modified body-on-frame chassis developed by combining the J200 Series platform with Toyota’s new GA-F TNGA architecture.

As expected, the result is a remarkable weight loss over the outgoing J200 Land Cruiser with a lower centre of gravity. Toyota also tinkered with the weight distribution while improving the suspension architecture to make the SUV more agile and comfortable whether on or off-road.

But alas, the Land Cruiser’s mighty V8 engine bids goodbye in the tenth-generation model. In its place is a twin-turbocharged V6 engine generating 305 kW of power and 650Nm of torque, meanwhile the 3.3 litre twin turbocharged diesel is good for 225 kW and 700Nm of power.

Both V6 engines will have a 10-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels via a full-time four-wheel drivetrain with a two-speed transfer case. Both the engine and transmission are now sitting 1.1-inches lower and 2.8-inches further back to improve the handling and weight distribution.

Underneath, the 2022 Land Cruiser has an updated independent front and live-axle rear suspension. Still, it now has Toyota’s Kinematic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) that disables the anti-roll bars when the going gets tough. The system can also modify the resistance of the roll bars to allow more excellent articulation between the front and rear axles.

Style-wise, you wouldn’t mistake the 2022 Land Cruiser for any other large SUV. The box-ish body proportions remain, but it now has a bigger front grille and higher-mounted headlights and taillights. Toyota will be offering the newest Land Cruiser in three different guises, namely GX-R, ZX and GR-S. GX-R remains the utility-focussed model and serves as the entry point to the range, while the ZX replaces the VX-R as the luxury model.

For the first time on Land Cruiser, a GR Sport (aka GR-S) grade will be offered which serves as the off-road performance model.

Inside, the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser has a modern dashboard with a largish infotainment touchscreen display. And unlike the previous generations, it now has third-row seats that fold flat in the floor. Toyota Safety Sense is also standard and includes an updated pre-collision system that detects pedestrians and cyclists during the day and night. It also gets a new Parking Support Brake that recognizes obstacles in the front and back of the vehicle while parking or reversing.

The 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Model Line-up is as follows:
Land Cruiser 300 GX-R 3.3D – R 1 283 200
Land Cruiser 300 ZX 3.3D – R 1 765 500
Land Cruiser 300 ZX 3.5T – R 1 797 100
Land Cruiser 300 GR-S 3.3D – R 1 811 900
Land Cruiser 300 GR-S 3.5T – R 1 842 900

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Papi Mabele

Papi Mabele has a marketing background, he is a digital marketing expert with extensive experience in launching and building global brands in the emerging markets. Papi is also an avid tech writer, enthusiast and all round tech junkie. As a freelance writer and analyst he has been numerously published in Popular Mechanics (SA), GQ South Africa, Premier Magazine, Driven Magazine, Bloem News, Courant, The Weekly, Enthooze Magazine and PiE magazine amongst others.