The recent 2018MY Toyota Land Cruiser’s facelift comes with what many potential customers might have missed: the entry-level Utility trim level.Toyota UK describes it as a “workhorse” grade, aimed at those who want the durability and dependability of a Land Cruiser (sold as the Prado in certain markets) but couldn’t care less for things like leather seats, chrome inserts or even alloy wheels.
That’s right; the new Land Cruiser Utility comes with a set of 17-inch steel wheels, which to these eyes look the business, eliminating the fear of curbing them and even probably offer a better ride quality too.
And don’t let the entry-level spec scare you as the cheapest Land Cruiser still comes with roof rails, front fog lights, air-conditioning, dusk-sensing headlights, cruise control, smart entry and a six-speaker audio system with CD player, Bluetooth, aux-in and USB ports.
Toyota offers the Land Cruiser Utility in three- and five-door versions. The only available engine is the 2.8-liter D-4D turbodiesel unit that makes 175hp and 309lb-ft when paired to a six-speed manual transmission.
This back-to-basics approach is pretty refreshing, not to mention it makes the Toyota Land Cruiser more affordable than ever: a three-door Utility with the manual gearbox starts from £32,795 ($45,500 in current exchange rates) in the UK, with the five-door asking for £34,095.
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