We’ve been envious of Australia ever since Toyota decided to keep the Land Cruiser 70 Series on sale and even give it a facelift for 2024. The venerable off-roader, which turns 40 next year, has also recently been introduced at home in Japan. We’ve seen the 70 Series in five-door SUV and pickup truck formats, but the one we really like is now going on sale in the United Arab Emirates. Yes, it’s the “shorty” three-door SUV variant.
This is technically a Land Cruiser 71 with a wheelbase of 91 inches (2310 mm) or 16.5 in (420 mm) less than its five-door sibling. Despite its age, it has been updated by Toyota throughout the years, and this latest version has modern goodies varying from LED headlights to a nine-inch infotainment system. While some may deem it unsafe by 2024 standards, it does have dual front airbags, lane departure alert, ABS, brake assist, and even a pre-collision system.
Although some of us weren’t even born when the go-anywhere SUV originally went on sale, Toyota has done its best to keep it up to date as much as the old platform allowed it. In the UAE, the “shorty” Land Cruiser has a hill-start assist, a tire pressure warning system, and daytime running lights.
Amenities include power windows, central door locking, a driver’s digital display, and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Heck, there’s even support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, not to mention keyless entry.
At the heart of the “new” three-door Land Cruiser is a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V6 gasoline engine producing 228 horsepower and 266 pound-feet (360 Newton-meters) of torque. Output from the 1GR-FE engine is delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. It rides on 16-inch alloys with 265/70 R16 tires and comes with a 23.7-gallon (90-liter) fuel tank.
Toyota is charging 169,900 AED, which works out to a little over $46,000 at current exchange rates. Customers can pick from four colors (silver, beige, white, and gray) while the interior is offered exclusively with five seats and a tan finish with synthetic leather upholstery. Ordering the Land Cruiser 71 today in the UAE means you’ll have to wait until the end of February 2024 to take delivery.
