You Can Buy A Shorty Toyota Land Cruiser 70, But There’s A Catch

The Land Cruiser 70 Series will turn 40 next year but it's still going strong.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Nov 28, 2023 at 5:13am ET

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We've been envious of Australia ever since Toyota decided to keep the Land Cruiser 70 Series on sale into 2024. The venerable off-roader, which turns 40 next year, has also recently been introduced at home in Japan. We've seen the 70 Series in five-door SUV and pickup truck formats, but the one we really like is now going on sale in the United Arab Emirates. Yes, it's the "shorty" three-door SUV variant.

This is technically a Land Cruiser 71 with a wheelbase of 91.0 inches (2310 mm) or 16.5 in (420 mm) less than its five-door sibling. Despite its age, it has been updated by Toyota throughout the years, and this latest version has modern goodies varying from LED headlights to a 9.0-inch infotainment system. While some countries deem it unsafe by 2024 standards, it does have dual front airbags, lane departure alert, ABS, brake assist, and even a pre-collision system.

Although some of us weren't even born when the go-anywhere SUV originally went on sale, Toyota has kept the platform up to date. In the UAE, the "shorty" Land Cruiser has a hill-start assist, a tire pressure warning system, and daytime running lights. Amenities include power windows, central door locking, a driver's digital display, and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Heck, there's even support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

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At the heart of the "new" three-door Land Cruiser is a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V6 gasoline engine producing 228 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. Output from that engine is delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. It rides on 16-inch alloys with 265/70 R16 tires and comes with a 23.7-gallon fuel tank.

Toyota is charging 169,900 AED, which works out to a little over $46,000 at current exchange rates. Customers can pick from four colors (silver, beige, white, and gray) while the interior is offered exclusively with five seats and a tan finish with synthetic leather upholstery. Ordering the Land Cruiser 71 today in the UAE means you'll have to wait until the end of February 2024 to take delivery.