After spending a week with the Land Cruiser, I can safely say this thing is a properly, massive car. It’s the biggest, most utilitarian vehicle you could reasonably use as a family car without raising too many eyebrows.

Having last driven one in 2019, the expectations were low, but the transformation is remarkable. Where the old Land Cruiser was agricultural and basic, this new one has been dragged towards the luxury SUV market whilst retaining its serious off-road credentials. The styling is more angular and traditional-looking, but the interior is thoroughly modern – a clever juxtaposition that works surprisingly well.

The 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel produces about 200bhp, which doesn’t sound like much, but with 500Nm of torque it feels plenty strong enough. What’s genuinely surprising is how quiet it is – unless you push it. The refinement is a huge step up from previous generations.

Proper luxury

Inside, you get proper luxury. Three-zone climate control (the kids loved having their own controls in the back), comfortable seats throughout, and excellent storage including a chiller compartment under the armrest. The 360-degree cameras are fantastic, offering a panoramic view around the car that would be invaluable for proper off-road use.

Technology has moved on dramatically too. The satnav mapping is clear and easy to use, and there’s full Apple CarPlay and wireless charging. Compare this to my test car six years ago which didn’t have satnav or even Bluetooth – it’s come a long way.

The safety systems are comprehensive but occasionally a little too militant. Lane assist, blind-spot monitoring, and road-sign recognition are all present, but the speed warning beeps somewhat intrusively if you’re even 1mph over the limit – I know it’s a good thing, but perhaps a tad too sensitive. Yes, you can turn it off, but you lose the useful speed limit info in the heads-up display.

Solid credentials

Off-road capability remains serious. Beyond the usual drive modes, you get rock crawling settings, differential locks, and active stability control. I haven’t tested it properly off-road, but this is what film crews use to film other off-road vehicles, so the credentials are solid.

Practicality is excellent. The boot is massive, there’s a seven-seat option deployed electronically at the touch of a button and the panoramic sunroof prevents the interior from feeling too dark.

Fuel economy has averaged 29-30mpg over a week of normal driving, which isn’t bad for something this size, so I can’t fault that.

The problem is the £78,000 price tag and that’s pretty much the standard price, not loaded with extras. It’s a lot of money, even for something so capable. The only extra on this car was the £700 sand metallic paint, which is, frankly, a horrible colour – surely Toyota could offer something more appealing at this price point.

Packed with technology

Despite the cost concerns, I was genuinely sorry to see it go. It’s comfortable, capable, quiet and packed with technology. If you need this level of capability, and you can justify the price, it really is rather impressive. Just maybe choose a different paint colour.