Page 7 - Motoring Autumn 2022

TOYOTA vs LAND ROVER COMPARATIVE TEST

Allowing for the fact that the Land
Cruiser is a very long and large 7-seater,
you must allow for some constraints on
manoeuvrability. There is a little trick here
though, another press of a button reduces
the turning circle in crawl mode allowing
much tighter turns. It’s just a pity that it
only operates in this mode.
Before taking the Defender through the
course, time is needed to acquaint yourself
with all the settings and options that require
both touchscreen and controls on the
centre console to set the car up for off-road
conditions. Every possible circumstance
and terrain is allowed for, so it’s a case of
ensuring you’ve made the correct selections
and then you’re ready.
In the Defender, low-range and hill
descent control help in most situations.
The big winner is the exceptional camera
system on the vehicle, allowing you to see
the wheel placing, front view, the view under
the vehicle and so many other variables. This
makes life behind the wheel so much easier,
unless you prefer the old-fashioned method
of off-roading which requires the driver to
get out of the vehicle to assess the terrain
before tackling an obstacle.
Both vehicles handled every obstacle
with ease and, most importantly, with the
driver feeling calm, relaxed and comfortable.
On the other hand, my cameraman was
terrified on a number of occasions, but that’s
easily explained by the fact that this was his
first 4x4 experience.
At the end of the day, trying to decide on a
winner was extremely difficult, especially
because there is a vast difference in passenger
space between the 3-door Defender and the
full size 7-seater Land Cruiser.
For many potential buyers who intend
using the vehicle for true 4x4 activity or
for crossing continents, the Defender
may rely on too many electronic systems
whereas the Land Cruiser remains
relatively simple. To others, the multitude
of driving aids on the Defender make the
journey so much easier.
After much debate, I feel that, at
an asking price of R1.28 million, the
Land Cruiser in GX-R spec is marginally
overshadowed by the R1.4 million Defender.
HOWEVER, this is only valid if the smaller
vehicle suits your personal space and
capacity requirements. n

MOTORING | Autumn 2022 | 5