The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series double-cab chassis GXL has claimed one of Australia's most coveted off-road honours, with 4x4 Australia magazine naming it 4WD of the Year for 2017. The award follows a late-2016 upgrade that brought wholesale engineering changes to the workhorse platform, spanning electronics, safety, and drivetrain refinement.
The magazine's eight judges put each contender through an extensive test program conducted predominantly off-road, describing the process as "hammering" the vehicles in demanding conditions before settling on the 79 Series double-cab GXL as the standout performer.
At a Glance
- Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series double-cab chassis GXL wins 4x4 Australia magazine's 4WD of the Year award.
- Late-2016 upgrade adds vehicle stability control, active traction control, hill-start assist, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution and cruise control as standard.
- The 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 gains a diesel particulate filter and piezo-electric injectors; five-speed manual gearing revised with taller second and fifth gears.
- Single-cab variants earn a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, aided by a larger frame, five airbags and revised body panels.
- All 70 Series vehicles are covered by Toyota Service Advantage capped-price servicing at $340 per service.
The late-2016 refresh added a substantial electronic safety suite to the 79 Series double-cab GXL. Vehicle stability control, active traction control, hill-start assist control, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution are now standard fitment, complementing the existing anti-skid brakes. Cruise control also joins the package as standard.
Under the bonnet, the 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 received a diesel particulate filter and piezo-electric injectors, delivering lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions without sacrificing the engine's high-torque character. The five-speed manual transmission was also revised, with taller second and fifth gear ratios aimed at more relaxed, efficient touring.
Toyota Australia executive director of sales and marketing Tony Cramb credited the local engineering team with the outcome, pointing to a rigorous domestic development program. "Our engineers undertook more than 100,000km of extreme testing, 70 per cent of which was conducted off-road, including in some of the harshest conditions in Australia," Mr Cramb said. "As a result, miners, farmers, governments and many other users now enjoy the new safety and improved touring features in addition to the vehicle's unrivalled combination of reliability, towing, payload and off-road ability," he said.
The full 70 Series range, which spans single-cab, double-cab, wagon and troop-carrier body styles, retains a 3,500kg towing capacity and maximum payload simultaneously. The single-cab chassis variants also received significant attention, earning a five-star ANCAP safety rating on the back of a larger, stiffer frame featuring thicker side rails and seven cross-members (one new, three re-engineered), two additional airbags bringing the total to five, revised body panels and new front bucket seats designed to improve comfort and reduce whiplash risk.
4x4 Australia summarised its verdict plainly: "If you want a big, capable 4x4 that you can be confident will take you and your family to the most remote parts of Australia and get you home again, you can count on the LandCruiser 79 to do the job." The magazine also noted "effortless road ability, improved durability and elevated safety features" as key strengths across work and recreational use.
To date, Australians have purchased more than 250,000 units from the 70 Series range, representing close to 20 per cent of the 1.3 million sold worldwide, underlining the model's enduring place in the Australian market.
For existing 70 Series owners, the recognition reinforces that the platform's 2016 updates were substantive rather than cosmetic.
