2014 Toyota Land Cruiser

Even by the standards of full-size sport-utility vehicles, the 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser is enormous, from its thirst for fuel to its remarkably high pricetag. The Land Cruiser name is one of Toyota's most venerable, but over the years it has morphed from a tough but basic Jeep-like truck to a huge and high-end vehicle that retains its off-roading abilities despite its many luxury features. While its past was filled with mountain climbing, desert treks, and safaris, the Land Cruiser seems more likely now to be used in high-end shopping malls and affluent surburbs. Still, it remains a vehicle that can do all things in all places, and that's an enduring niche if a low-volume one.

Starting at just a smidge south of $80,000, the Land Cruiser's classic SUV talents stand in roaring contrast to almost every other sensible, reliable, unflashy car carrying the Toyota brand--including the uber-green Prius hybrid. Its looks aren't all that different from the far cheaper Sequoia or the Land Cruiser's near-twin, the Lexus LX 570. Its 381-horsepower V-8 powers the hulking, 5700-pound, body-on-frame utility vehicle through four-wheel drive with a locking differential that combines with rugged suspension design to provide hardcore off-road ability. It will both accelerate the 5700-pound Land Cruiser to highway speeds and beyond (though with a prodigious consumption of gasoline) and slip and slide over slick rocks far from any highway at all.

But this prodigious off-road talent compromises its usefulness as an urban utility vehicle. The steering's loose; the ride can be choppy unless it's fully laden with up to eight passengers. And three of them will have to ride in third-row seats that fold up to the sides of the cargo area--not into the floor like most modern crossovers, because that's where the rear axle lives. In this land of compromise, the latest electronics keep the Land Cruiser happier both on and off the pavement, controlling the way it trundles down and up hills, the way it traverses all kinds of terrain, keeping its hydraulic suspension at the proper stiffness.

The universe of mega-SUVs is shrinking, especially when provided by a mass-market brand like Toyota. That makes it surprising that Toyota even bothered to bring the very expensive Land Cruiser back for an encore. It's not the luxury icon that Land Rover has in the Range Rover, and it's $30,000 pricier than Toyota's own, slightly more practical Sequoia. Unlike the Range Rover, its shape is hardly iconic, and the base price is extraordinarily high--but what other vehicle has inspired the "Land Crusher" nickname and lived (again) to tell about it?

To woo more buyers for the 2014 model year, Toyota's added as standard equipment all the Land Cruiser's previously optional safety and luxury options. To go with its standard 10 airbags, CD player, and leather upholstery, the Land Cruiser now gets a power moonroof; heated front and rear seats; a rear-seat DVD entertainment system; push-button start; Bluetooth; a rearview camera and parking sensors; a navigation system; HD radio; and Entune, the Toyota connectivity offering that enables mobile apps for use with its audio system, whether it's streaming Pandora audio or on-the-go Facebook updates filed by voice commands.

Inspires confidence by sheer bulkA true off-roaderV-8 is powerfully smoothA long-haul experienceTows and carries...anything?

View the original article here

Read Full story

2014 Toyota Sequoia

How does the
TCC Rating work?The TCC Rating is a clear numeric rating value based on a 10-point scale that reflects the overall opinion of our automotive experts on any vehicle and rolls up ratings we give each vehicle across sub-categories you care about like performance, safety, styling and more.

Our rating also has simple color-coded “Stop” (red), “Caution” (orange),
or “Go” (green) messages along with the numerical score so you can easily understand where we stand at a glance.

Our automotive experts then also collect and show you what other websites say about these different aspects of any vehicle. We do this leg work for you to simplify your research process.

Learn more about how we rate and review cars here.

? $(function () { $('.rating-tip-0').waypoint( // handler function(direction) { $(this).addClass('rating-tip-0-animation'); }, // options { offset: '100%', once: true } ); });Get Your Price The 2014 Toyota Sequoia has room for eight and strong V-8 towing capacity, but it's pretty thirsty and difficult to maneuver to drive every day. Read more » Tows like a champEffortless V-8 powerRides comfortablyExpensive, with an inexpensive interiorExpensive, without a prestige badgeGas mileage is low $('.related-reviews li.see-more').live('click',function(){ if ($(this).hasClass('hidden')){ $(this).html(""); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeIn(); } else { /*$(this).html("See Mode"); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeOut();*/ } $(this).toggleClass('hidden'); });Choose a Style Below for Colors and Options Regular Unleaded V-8, 5.7 L
Rear Wheel Drive Regular Unleaded V-8, 5.7 L
Rear Wheel Drive Regular Unleaded V-8, 5.7 L
Rear Wheel Drive Regular Unleaded V-8, 5.7 L
Four Wheel Drive More Styles » $("#style-select img.fitfill").imgFitFill({mode:'fill'}); $('tr.style').live('click', function(){ var pwoLink = $(this).data('href'); if (typeof pwoLink !== 'undefined' && pwoLink !== '') { document.location = $(this).data('href'); } }); $('#style-select .nextColorsBtn').live('click', function(){ window.location = $("input:radio[name=style-picker]:checked").data('href'); });

Just like its counterparts from U.S. makers, the 2014 Toyota Sequoia is a classic full-size sport-utility vehicle based on the underpinnings of a pickup truck--in this case, the Toyota Tundra. The Sequoia SUV extends the Tundra pickup's tough design, towing process, and macho appearance into a utility vehicle for a family with up to eight members. But the classic truck base leads to some compromises in space efficiency, comfort, and versatility compared to the largest crossover utilities. As well as three models from GM and one from Ford, that list includes the brand-new Highlander from Toyota itself--smaller on the outside, but seemingly as large and considerably more versatile inside.

The testosterone-tinged look of the Sequoia may appear cartoonishly musclebound to some, though it beats the almost anonymous styling of most minivans. If nothing else, its tall and truck-based frontal appearance is one that no crossover can hope to rival. But missing from the Sequoia's factory options list is any serious off-road hardware, or a dedicated off-road model (even though 4WD is widely available through the model line). It all makes sense when you see the much pricier Toyota Land Cruiser across the lot.

The cabin appointments of the Sequoia, predictably, feel like those of a high-end full-size pickup in front, with two more rows of roomy wagon grafted on behind. That means an instrument panel that's functional without looking too plain. For seating, you can specify dual captain's chairs to replace a second-row bench, though it reduces the capacity to seven. Both the second- and third-row seatbacks can be folded forward to a flat cargo floor, with the second row split in three portions (40/20/40) and the third row in two (60/40). Storage space is ample once the third-row seats are folded in place, which is made easy thanks to a power-folding option.

In the past, you could choose from two different V-8 engines for the Sequoia, but last year Toyota discontinued the smaller-displacement (4.6-liter) choice. It's really for the better, as most Sequoia shoppers are towing-minded (tow ratings range up to 7,400 pounds). With 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, the remaining V-8 is a powerhouse.

But while the Sequoia may share underpinnings with the Tundra pickup truck, it rides and handles rather better. A four-wheel independent suspension helps keep the Sequoia stable through corners for the most part, although rough patches--whether pavement patches or gravel-road washboards--can upset its composure. Ride quality is good for a body-on-frame truck, thanks to the independent rear suspension system--with the ride even a step more composed with the active variable air suspension (AVS) system in the Platinum model. Road and wind noise feel quite well sealed-away, too.

From base and SR5 models, to the mid-level Limited trim, and up to the luxury-packed Platinum, the Sequoia spans more than $20k, running from the mid-$40,000 range up to the mid-$60,000 range. That's before adding any of the various official dealer-installed accessories. At the top of the lineup is the Sequoia Platinum, which adds Dynamic Laser Cruiser Control, a DVD touch-screen navigation system, and a new Blu-Ray rear entertainment system with a 9-inch LCD screen and two sets of wireless headphones. A 12-way adjustable power driver’s seat, heated second-row seats, and the load-leveling air suspension with three driver-selectable modes are also all included.

Standard on the Platinum grade and available on SR5 and Limited is a new Entune multimedia system that provides access to apps for Bing search, Pandora, and others, providing access to entertainment or information through your smartphone's data connection.

Tows like a champEffortless V-8 powerRides comfortablyExpensive, with an inexpensive interiorExpensive, without a prestige badgeGas mileage is lowHard to maneuver in tight spotsNext: Interior / Exterior »

View the original article here

Read Full story

Toyota Crown Royal Saloon Hybrid [w/video]

We don't often come into contact with the Toyota Crown Hybrid, especially in colors other than pink. But when Toyota offered us the keys and a half-hour window to test out the Japanese version of the Lexus GS on US soil not long ago, we had to accept.

Driving Notes: We'll start with the start. The Crown Hybrid makes the friendliest, Japanese-iest sound when you turn it on. It's like a high-fructose THX movie is starting. Considering this is a premium car, we were surprised the first time we turned it on, but then had to do it again and again. Purely for journalistic video-capturing reasons, of course, so you can watch and hear it below. We wish we had better-than-cellphone microphones to capture it.Compared to the Lexus GS 300h, which we drove immediately afterword along with the exact same route, it is clear the Crown is an executive's car. The seats and suspension somehow made us feel privileged, not a feeling we're used to in most hybrid cars. The Crown's plush interior made everything feel comfy and quiet, and the floaty suspension in the rear-wheel-drive car handled a short stretch on Michigan's bumpy I-94 highway with ease.There is such a thing as too much plush, though. The leather-wrapped steering wheel felt softer than we are used to, and the squishiness all around the lumbar area of the driver's seat made the adjustable seat supports in the Lexus a welcome difference. The suspension in the GS was much tighter and the steering response was more direct, too, giving the two cars completely different feels. The Lexus has more pick-up as well. In fact, if you can't get to Japan for a test drive, the best way to imagine what it's like to pilot the Crown is to drive a Lexus on top of a cloud and still make it puffier and softer all around.Toyota has been selling versions of the Crown sedan in Japan since the 1955, adding a gas-electric hybrid option with the eleventh generation in the early 2000s. The current-generation Crown, the 14th, was introduced late in 2012 and the production of the new hybrid model started in early 2013. The gasoline side of the powertrain equation is a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder inline Atkinson cycle that doesn't get in the way of enjoying the quiet cabin. The juice is stored in a nickel-metal hydride battery and sent out a 105-kW electric motor. The total system provides an overall output of 217 horsepower. It needs that much oomph to move, since it's a big car. Still, the Crown offers decent visibility through the windows, and there are four exterior cameras to give even more information about what's going on outside.Our overwhelming first impression is that the dashboard has too many buttons. It took us a while to find the economy settings using all the buttons along with the Multi-Operation Touch screen because everything was in Japanese (ours isn't all that good, especially while driving) and backwards given the right-hand drive. When we did, we discovered our average fuel economy over 17.9 km (11.1 miles) was 12.8 km per liter (30.1 mpg). We'll be the first to admit that 11 miles isn't anywhere near enough to get an accurate gauge of what the Crown Hybrid actually achieves, mpg-wise, but the official number is 23.2 km/l (54.6 mpg) on the lenient home-market JC08 test cycle.As much as we like the idea of more and more hybrids on American roads, we understand why Toyota is not bringing the Crown Hybrid to the US. It doesn't in any way fit with the Toyota hybrid family here, which is sort of like the colorful and fun iPhone 5C compared to Crown's golden iPhone 5S elegance. Besides, our luxury hybrid slot is filled by Lexus. Toyota and Lexus offer 23 hybrid models worldwide – and have sold five million gas-electric vehicles over the past decade – and you just can't have everything everywhere. For the long-term, Toyota believes fuel cells are the future of green motoring, with hybrid technology being the bridge to get there. The Crown Hybrid helps make it a very long, comfy bridge.

Engine:2.5L I4, 105kW motorPower:217 HP (combined)Transmission:e-CVTDrivetrain:Rear-Wheel DriveSeating:2+3MPG:54.6 MPG (JC08 Cycle)Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own – we do not accept sponsored editorial.

Sign up for Autoblog's newsletter and get today's news delivered straight to your inbox.

View the original article here

Read Full story