Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series short wheelbase now available to order, but not here
Looking for a brand new three-door 70 Series with a petrol V6? We hope you like sand…
The facelifted Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series is now on sale in the United Arab Emirates in its short-wheelbase 71-Series variant.
Sold alongside the five-door 76- Series, the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 71 Series features a 2310mm wheelbase, 420mm less than the five door, and is available in a single, VXR specification.
This gives buyers a choice of four colours (metallic grey, beige, metallic silver and white), 16-inch alloy wheels, black over-fender flares, LED headlamps and fog lamps. There is a slightly revised interior that includes a 9.0-inch LCD display (larger than the 6.7-inch unit that Australian-market 70-Series variants will receive) that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Inside, there’s stylish tan (Chamois) nubuck and synthetic leather upholstery, and five seats. The new car also includes a pre-collision detection system, lane departure alert and adaptive high-beam headlamps.
Pricing starts from AED169,900 (AU$70,000), which is in line with the $79,800 starting price for a 76-Series five-door GXL wagon (four-cylinder) in Australia. For context, a five-door 76-Series is listed at AED179,900 ($74k) in the UAE.
All cars use a 170kW/360Nm 4.0-litre petrol V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. This engine is unavailable in any Australian-specification 70-Series.
In profile, the short wheelbase still looks a little awkward, especially when combined with the facelifted car’s new bonnet and front clip. Some markets will offer a seven-seat cabriolet SWB version (with a middle 'jump' seat up front and a pair of two-seat side-mounted benches in the rear) for both commercial and civilian applications.
Sadly, while the 70-Series will be sold in Australia as a 76-Series wagon, 79-Series ute and 78-Series troop carrier, the 71-Series ‘shorty’ is not destined for our shores.