Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial van review (2025)

• Very capable off-road
• Improved engine/gearbox compared to previous model
• But still feels a bit unrefined next to some rivals

Every new Land Cruiser now uses the same engine - a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel producing 205hp and 500Nm of torque (pulling power). It’s not a box-fresh engine, as it has been carried over from the previous model, but with extensive changes to improve the way it drives. One of the most important is a new eight-speed automatic gearbox (replacing the previous six-speed unit), while permanent four-wheel-drive remains present. 

In terms of performance, it’ll take 10.9 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph, and it’ll max out at 102mph if given the chance.

How does it drive?

Let’s start with the area where the Land Cruiser excels, and that’s off-road. With permanent four-wheel-drive, it will go further off the beaten track than most. Toyota has finally ditched the hydraulic power steering wheel of the previous model for a purely electronic setback, providing less kickback on rough terrain and generally making it easier to drive. You have various modes to help, with one of the best being a rock crawl setting that serves as an off-road cruise control, comfortably holding the car at a set speed even on very steep ascents and descents. 

But even if you leave it in the standard settings, it’ll take a lot to get a Land Cruiser stuck. That said, this Commercial doesn’t get the disconnecting front anti-roll bar for greater wheel articulation or a rear differential lock that you’ll find on the standard Land Cruiser. 

Back on tarmac, this new model represents a significant improvement compared to the old version, though still lags behind a more accomplished Land Rover Defender and Discovery Commercial. That’s partly because the Land Cruiser features a four-cylinder engine rather than the six-pots you’ll find in those two vehicles. The result is less pace and  less refinement, as the engine can be pretty vocal as the revs climb. That said, it doesn’t feel as slow as the numbers would have you believe. 

The Land Cruiser also generally drives a lot more like a working truck than either of the more polished Land Rovers. The steering is slow, though is accurate enough once you get used to it, but the ride is quite unsettled as a result of its body-on-frame structure, even on the smaller 18-inch alloys fitted to the Commercial (it usually comes on 20s). We also only had the opportunity to drive it without any weight in the back, it feels like with a few hundred kilos in the back could actually improve the ride.

• New interior is a big step forward compared to previous model
• Good mix of physical switchgear and digital displays
• Not quite as high-spec as regular car version

Toyota has massively improved the interior of the new Land Cruiser, especially on the material quality front. Previously, it felt rather dated and cheap inside, but new standard-fit artificial leather upholstery and a new infotainment system are both welcome changes. The main screen is a bit smaller than the one you’d find on a passenger version, though is still easy enough to use and comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. 

There’s a reassuring heft to the switchgear, too, which can often be the downfall of 4x4s of this type, and we rate Toyota for keeping plenty of physical buttons for controlling features such as the heating, driving and off-road modes. The interior in general is easy to negotiate though we find the steering wheel buttons a bit small and fiddly to operate, with the problem quadrupled if you were to wear work gloves. 

Aside from a few blanked-off buttons and a plate stuck over the rear window switches, which are made redundant because of the painted side window panels, the cabin is pretty much the same as a regular Land Cruiser from the front seats. They also come with ventilated and heated seats as standard, while the driver gets an electric adjustment. It’s all quite posh for a working truck, which some might find defeats the object of a commercial, working version of a Land Cruiser. 

Interior storage

There’s a decent amount of storage upfront for most odds and ends. There are deep door pockets capable of holding big cups and water bottles, and there are another pair of cupholders in the middle.

You’ll also find a big centre console, while a handy wireless smartphone charger sits next to the gearlever without having to faff around with charging cables,.

• One diesel available, and it can be quite thirsty
• Similarly priced to core rivals
• Industry-leading warranty of up to 10 years available

While the previous Land Cruiser commercial could be had in a more manageable SWB size, this new version is LWB only. Because of its commercial vehicle classification, it represents a significant saving in both purchase price and company car tax compared to the standard car model. 

For a company car user, the Land Cruiser is taxed at the same fixed rate as any van, with the 2025/2026 BIK rate set at £4,020. For a 20% taxpayer, van BIK is £804 a year or £67 a month, and for a 40% taxpayer it is £1,608 or £134 a month. Compare that to a regular car version and it works out at an astronomical £446 and £892 for a 20% and 40% taxpayer respectively, and you can quickly see the advantage of going for the Commercial. 

The list price is also significantly cheaper, costing from £51,729.17 (excluding VAT). Even with VAT added it works out considerably cheaper than the near-£80,000 list price of the regular variant. Prices are also similar to the Land Rover Discovery Commercial and Land Rover Defender Hard Top, and it’s cheaper than the Ineos Grenadier, too. The KGM Rexton undercuts them all, starting from just £34,995 excluding VAT, though does feel like a poor relative in comparison. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial mpg 

But be aware that the Land Cruiser will not be a cheap car to run, courtesy of its old-school diesel. Toyota claims just 26.6mpg and high CO2 emissions of 278g/km. We think the fuel economy figure might be a bit pessimistic, however, as we managed to get more than 30mpg throughout our test drive, taking in a steady urban, rural and motorway route.

Toyota is also set to introduce a new 48-volt mild-hybrid version in 2026, which will bring marginal fuel economy gains. However, we’ve tried the revised engine in the Hilux already and found it to be hardly any more economical than the regular version. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial servicing

Toyota offers clear-price servicing on all its vans and the Land Cruiser is no exception. An intermediate service will cost £295.83 and a full service will come in at £420.83 (both figures are excluding VAT). Servicing plans are also available to help spread the cost. 

Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial warranty

While Toyota’s default warranty lasts the commonplace three years and 60,000 miles, after every service at a Toyota main dealer you’ll get another 12 months/10,000 miles of warranty added. This lasts up to 10 years and 100,000 miles, and considering the firm’s impressive reliability reputation, it should provide plenty of peace of mind. 

Toyota has one of the best reputations for reliability of any car manufacturer, and prides itself on it. The Land Cruiser is specially coveted, being the vehicle of choice in some of the harshest climates and terrains across the world. 

We therefore have few concerns about this new version, especially given it uses a similar engine to the previous generation.

• Generous safety kit included as standard
• Some of the driver assistants can be quite irritating 

The Land Cruiser Commercial is equipped with the same level of driver assistance kit as the standard car, which means a comprehensive list of features are included.

We do find some of them quite irritating, though, such as the driver attention function, which works with a camera to watch if you’re paying attention to the road. It did, however, sometimes start bonging even when we were paying full attention and isn’t the easiest feature to turn off. 

The full list of standard features include:

• Pre-collision braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Road sign assist
• Land trace assist
• Automatic high beam
• Driver monitoring camera
• Blind spot monitor
• Safe exit assist
• Trailer sway control
• Immobiliser
• Remote alarm