8
0
Premium large SUV; Built in Japan
  • 4-door wagon
  • 4-door wagon
  • longitudinal front-engine/4-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,900 – $7,500*


1992 Toyota Land Cruiser


1993 Toyota Land Cruiser


1995 Toyota Land Cruiser


1995 Toyota Land Cruiser interior


1995 Toyota Land Cruiser interior

Pros:
  • 4WD traction
  • Antilock brakes (later models)
  • Passenger and cargo room
Cons:
  • Acceleration (4.0-liter)
  • Entry/exit
  • Fuel economy
  • Price
  • Ride

Expensive and sold in modest numbers, Land Cruisers continue to attract a modest but eager following. Still, most buyers find a Ford Explorer or Jeep Cherokee to be a better value.

Overview

Toyota launched this generation of its 4-wheel-drive wagon way back in 1981. By 1990, power came from a fuel-injected 4.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine, making 155 horsepower and driving a 4-speed automatic transmission. All Land Cruisers had on-demand 4-wheel drive. Front hubs still had to be locked and unlocked by hand. A Land Cruiser could tow 3500 pounds.

Yearly Updates

1991 Land Cruiser
Land Cruisers were redesigned as early 1991 models, on a longer wheelbase. Permanently engaged 4WD replaced the prior part-time system with its manually locking front hubs, but the powertrain remained as before. Seating for five was standard, and an optional 3-place third seat boosted capacity to eight.
1992 Land Cruiser
Power locks, windows, and mirrors became standard rather than optional. Variable-intermittent wipers also were installed.
1993 Land Cruiser
In response to criticism about lack of power, a larger (4.5-liter) engine went into 1993 models. The new engine had dual-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, producing 57 more horsepower than before, and 55 more pound-feet of torque. Newly optional were front and rear differential locks for the standard permanent 4-wheel-drive system, including antilock brakes with rear discs (rather than drums). ABS also was available as a separate option.
1994 Land Cruiser
Except for a switch from five to nine speakers in the stereo system, and adoption of safety belts with an automatic-locking retractor, no changes were evident in 1994 Land Cruisers.
1995 Land Cruiser
Land Cruisers sold early in the 1995 model year were actually ’94 models. An updated version arrived in spring of 1995, including dual airbags and standard antilock braking as well as a restyled front end.
1996 Land Cruiser
Lexus, Toyota’s luxury division, issued its own version of the Land Cruiser this year, called the LX 450.
1997 Land Cruiser
A 2-person third seat was available for 7-passenger capacity. Land Cruisers were redesigned for 1998.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/4-wheel drive

A 4.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine went into 1990-92 models, producing 155 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. For 1993, that was replaced by the dual-overhead-cam 4.5-liter six. Sole transmission all along was a 4-speed automatic, which added electronic control in 1993.

ohv I6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.0/241
Engine HP 155
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 220
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 12/14

 13.0
dohc I6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.5/275
Engine HP 212
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 275
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 13/15

 12.6

Road Test

Steering was vague and overassisted in the early version, and the ride gets choppy, even on roads that look smooth. The 1991-97 version has a slightly wider stance, so it’s a little less tipsy in corners. Still, don’t expect to rush through fast curves or tight low-speed turns without plenty of body lean.

Acceleration from early models is nothing to shout about, either: on the order of 15.4 seconds to reach 60 mph. The 4.5-liter engine gets its job done, bringing enough power and torque to move this big rig rather smartly. Heavy weight helps make fuel consumption horrid. An early Land Cruiser got only 10.5 mpg; another with the 4.0-liter engine managed just 13 mpg. The permanently engaged 4-wheel-drive system installed in 1991 is a bonus, giving the driver the advantage of 4WD but no duties to perform.

Passenger space is ample all around. Seats are comfortable for long trips, and the cargo area is bountiful. A Land Cruiser stands tall, so step-up into the interior is high. Reaching the optional third seat is awkward because you have to clamber around the middle bench. It’s kid-size, too, and leaves little cargo space at the rear. However, both the second and third seats pack up easily to expand cargo volume. Some controls in the pre-1991 model have a haphazard look, but full instrumentation was standard. The interior got a lot more modern in 1991, with instruments and controls handier and better organized. Overall, the interior has a sturdy, high-grade look, and body construction is tight and solid.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 3
30%
Fuel Economy - 2
20%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 3
30%
Quietness - 6
60%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 7
70%

Other

Value - 6
60%

Total: 48

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.5n1 184.0 70.9 68.9
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
98.0 23.8 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.0 40.4 39.2 34.6
4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
112.2 189.8 76.0 73.2
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
90.9 25.1 8
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
40.3 40.0 42.2 33.6
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1997 Land Cruiser 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 160
Injury 67
Theft 2326

Trouble Spots

Automatic transmission
Description: Automatic transmissions have delayed engagement in reverse. (1990-96)
Automatic transmission
Description: Weak springs inside the transmission can cause delay when shifting from park-to-reverse or neutral-to-reverse due to. (1990-95)
Radiator
Description: The thermostat gasket had a tendency to leak in cold weather. (1990-95)
Audio system
Description: Static in the radio is caused by poor antenna ground. (1990-96)
Vehicle noise
Description: The transfer-case lever rattles and vibrates, and is corrected by installing a new boot and hardware. (1990-94)

Recall History

1990
Description: Heavy loads and high temperatures can create high pressure in fuel tank, resulting in cracks and leakage.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 30, 2014.
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