Few motoring fans – and even those of a less mechanical bent – will have missed the arrival of the 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser. It had its global reveal in a presentation from the UAE in early June, and the first 50 people in the Emirates who got their advance orders in fastest received their cars in a blaze of fireworks and water fountains in Dubai on Sunday.
It was no surprise the UAE was the place that Toyota decided to make its big unveiling, as this is the country where more than half of all Land Cruisers manufactured are sold these days. Yes, really, it’s that many.
And you can see why when you drive it.
There are plenty of more powerful SUVs on the roads, but the Land Cruiser always gives the impression of being, well, rock solid, if that doesn’t sound too cliched. Any vehicle you’d think about taking into a harsh environment, be the territory hot, cold, sodden or laced with peanut butter, would have to be dependable and capable, and the LC300, like its most recent predecessors, doesn’t write any cheques it can’t cash in those departments.
Al Futtaim Toyota organised its inaugural Land Cruiser test drive around some of the Emirates’ most uneven terrain, in Ras Al Khaimah. The tour, with some 15 vehicles travelling in convoy, took in rough roads and rocky inclines, culminating in a swinging tear up Jebel Jais, the country’s highest peak.
The car handled every dip, slip and hanging edge with suitable grace, and it performed as efficiently as any in its class on the hard stuff, too. You get a definite impression of being secure, despite the fact the 2022 model is 200 kilograms lighter than the previous version.
This increased sense of calm is no doubt aided by the newbie’s lowered centre of gravity and suspension upgrade, both of which are a definite help when it comes to minimising the swaying effects that come with cornering.
Jebel Jais was a good test of that. Anyone who has ever driven up that particular peak will know there is plenty of steering to do as you zip up and down.
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