The Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial won’t work for every business, but those that choose it will love its clear layout, tough capabilities and striking looks.
The Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial occupies an interesting niche in the commercial vehicle world. It’s an SUV-derived van conversion that’s transformed into a commercial vehicle by the removal of the back seats, installation of a bulkhead and the levelling of the load bed. Why choose this over a real van? Good question and probably the reason why only 500 a year are allocated for sale. It’s fair to say that the majority of businesses don’t need this kind of vehicle, but there are those that will benefit from the on- and off-road capabilities of an SUV-derived van with a closed load space rather than a pick-up truck, for obvious tax hit-related reasons. The package is sweetened by Toyota’s excellent 10-year warranty and the one very well-equipped trim level it’s available in priced at just over £50K. This means the Land Cruiser Commercial occupies the middle ground of its slim category being more expensive than the less refined KGM Rexton Commercial, comparable in price but packing a more modern driving style than the Ineos Grenadier Commercial, and simply being a more affordable and better all-round package than the Land Rover Defender Hard Top Commercial. As we said, there’s not that many businesses that will need a vehicle like this, but we implore you to never judge a book by its cover (although this book’s cover is pretty nice) and test drive one. We’re pretty sure most people won’t want to hop out when they’re done.
The conversion from SUV to commercial vehicle is carried out in the UK at the company’s Burnaston plant and simply involves the removal of the back seats, insertion of a metal mesh bulkhead, blacked out rear windows and the creation of a levelled-off floor. This gives users two cubic metres of load volume to carry up to 820 kg in the back, which is a good amount. The rear doors can be used for side access, and the rear door is powered and high enough for easy loading without bumping your head. You can also tow up to 3.5 tonnes. Toyota has done a good job with this conversion, making the most of the space available inside the Land Cruiser. The vehicle is available in one length and one trim level, making this a simple vehicle to understand and even simpler to work out if it’s right for your business.
Expert rating: 4/5
Interior
Aside from some slim door storage that we couldn’t find a use for, the interior of the Land Cruiser Commercial feels plush with everything feeling like it’s in the right place. The steering wheel is robust and covered in responsive controls, the nine-inch infotainment screen sits in a sensible position, and the drive selector handle and 4x4 controls are all positioned next to the driver’s left leg. There are two good-sized cup holders on the centre console with a deep storage cubby housed under the arm rest. The blend of leather-effect material and plastics is well balanced and the muted dark colours leave few places for finger prints to build up. The driver’s seat is powered, heated and ventilated, and really is one of the most comfortable in the sector. It’s a very nice place to spend time on a long drive and it’s so well put together that Toyota deserves full credit for the Land Cruiser’s interior design as a whole. The wireless charging cubby below the intuitive climate controls just tops off one of our favourite commercial interiors of the last ten years. Not an ounce of space is wasted, except for the tiny door pockets.
Expert rating: 4/5
Running costs
The brochures state 26 mpg on the combined cycle as the return on your fuel investments, and we saw that figure on the readouts for most of our time with it. Obviously, you need to factor in the fuel costs if you buy one, but the up-front price of nearly £52K can be mitigated with a good finance or lease deal.
Expert rating: 3/5
Reliability
The huge benefit of choosing to drive any Toyota vehicle is that they come with a three-year manufacturer warranty that extends each year for another 12 months/10,000 miles with every qualifying service (get it done at a Toyota Professional service centre). You can keep doing this each year up to a total of 100,000 miles or 10 years. If a manufacturer is so confident in its product that it gives out 10-year warranties, then the reliability of the vehicle is something you can be confident about.
Expert rating: 4/5
Performance
Improved stability and performance in this new Land Cruiser comes from power steering, upgraded suspension and a stronger frame. The off-road system is incredibly good, handling nearly everything you throw at it with confidence, and it runs nicely on normal roads. Loading is a doddle through any of the rear doors and judging its performance as a commercial vehicle is relatively easy. It will work for the right business, but others will choose a van simply because they don’t need the 4x4 capabilities.
Expert rating: 4/5
Ride and handling
Powered by a 2.8-litre diesel engine outputting 205 horsepower, the Land Cruiser Commercial is a bit of a beast. We have driven it off-road extensively – you can read more about how it handles mud, sand and gravel in our Land Cruiser Commercial first drive article – and can confirm it is a confident machine on all types of terrain. Toyota knows how to build vehicles that can drive off-road. Decades of experience have been poured into the Land Cruiser Commercial and the latest all-electric Hilux BEV show how far the brand has come in nailing intuitive 4x4 systems. On the road it’s a bit more sluggish, but the driving position is high and the power steering light so you never feel like the vehicle is too heavy to get moving. There are three driving modes to choose from – Eco, Normal and Sport – doing exactly what you’d expect. Eco saves fuel, Normal is the balanced setting, and Sport ups your acceleration and power. Overall, it’s a pleasure to drive on pretty much any surface, just don’t expect to set any speed records… even in Sport mode.
Expert rating: 4/5
Safety
You get a lot of safety tech in Toyota vehicles these days and the Land Cruiser Commercial is no different. Toyota’s Safety Sense package comes with the pre-collision system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure assist and road sign assist. You also get trailer sway control, auto rear hazard lights, blind spot alerts and a reversing camera system. The upgrades to the frame and suspension systems go a long way to making this vehicle feel safer to drive than some competing vehicles.
Expert rating: 4/5
Equipment
Being available in a single trim level means you get all the equipment in one hit. Highlights include the nine-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and connectivity, powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, rear-view camera system, dual-zone air con, sat nav, powered rear door, and great big 18-inch alloy wheels. It obviously shares a lot with the base passenger version of the Land Cruiser, but that just means you get a bundle of Toyota tech and comforts that put some commercial vehicles to shame.
Expert rating: 4/5
Why buy?
You’ll buy the Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial because your business can make use of an SUV-derived commercial vehicle in a landscape where the tax limitations of a pick-up truck mean you’re looking for an alternative. And don’t forget that not only is it a very well-equipped commercial vehicle, it’s also covered by a 10-year warranty that’s hard to beat.
