Toyota, Please Bring This Budget-friendly Land Cruiser 70 To India!

The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, now renamed the Land Cruiser 250, might be stealing the spotlight with its perfect blend of retro and modern looks right now. But if that’s out of reach for you, then there’s an option B. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the facelifted Land Cruiser 70 (LC70), which has been unveiled for the Japanese market. 

There’s One India Relevance 

And that’s the engine. The Land Cruiser 70 gets the Fortuner/Hilux’ 204PS 2.8-litre diesel engine, teamed with the 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Obviously, this being an off-road SUV, it gets four-wheel drive with low range to help you clamber over tricky terrain. It’s based on a body-on-frame chassis, but Toyota says it has improved the ride quality for better comfort while driving. 

Tough Looks

In a design era where manufacturers tend to go overboard with too many  modern elements, the Land Cruiser 70 keeps it simple and neat. And that works! The rectangular grille, with the ‘TOYOTA’ badging, round headlights and a tough bumper looks beefy. 

Shift your focus to the sides and you get a no-nonsense design with straight and upright lines. The body cladding and the large alloys with chunky tyres give it a rugged stance. And topping up the overall look is the tailgate-mounted spare tyre and vertically stacked tail lamps in the bumper. 

Basic Cabin  

Step inside the LC70 and you are greeted by an utilitarian dashboard design with, let’s be honest, no equipment at all. Heck, there isn’t even an infotainment system on offer, and the slider air-con controls will remind you of old Maruti cars. But that’s what off-roaders are meant for, right? Keeping it simple with bare essentials so nothing goes wrong. 

Is It Coming?

The LC70 has tough looks, a reliable powertrain with incredible off-roading abilities, and a no-nonsense interior. Yes, it might not have the equipment that are offered in modern-day cars, but as a pure off-roader, its on-paper specifications sound incredible and tempting. Toyota, we would like to see this in India for a reasonable price! But *sigh*, that might not happen at all. Still, some things are worth dreaming about.