Carried over from a major revamp in 2008, the 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser stays the course. This offroad-ready, full-size luxury SUV gets terrible gas mileage and costs a lot, but offers plenty of passenger room, high-end comfort, and admirable performance around town or off the beaten track.
The Land Cruiser seats up to eight people in three rows, with comfortable head and legroom for all but the third row. This last row suits children better than adults, especially on long trips. Adults have little foot space and might find their knees pressing into their jaws. The front captain's chairs and second-row 40/20/40 bench slide fore and aft and recline. The third row splits 50/50. All passengers get cupholders, with 12 in total. Second-row inhabitants have their own audio and climate controls. The cargo area expands from 16 to 82 cubic feet. The third row stows to the side, requiring a lot of effort to remove the headrests, fold over the seats, and then swing them flush against the side doors. This type of system narrows the cargo space, while the folded seats create additional blind spots to the side.
Available in only one trim, the 2009 Land Cruiser might be a rugged SUV, but it treats its passengers with luxury-like comfort. Some of the standard features include power front seats with memory settings, leather upholstery, wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls, power windows, locks, and heated folding mirrors, push-button ignition, and a sunroof. A 6-CD changer plays over a JBL 14-speaker sound system. An MP3 jack is included. Leather and faux wood add an upscale air to the cabin. Plenty of interior storage can be found in overhead and center consoles and a two-tier glovebox. A roof rack adds more storage capacity.
Equipped with full-time automatic four-wheel drive with both high- and low-range gearing and a center locking and limited-slip differential, the 2009 Land Cruiser offers the versatility of offroad performance. It features 9 inches of ground clearance and comes with skid plates. An automatic air suspension raises and lowers the suspension to adjust to ground conditions. Powering the SUV is a 5.7-liter V8 paired with a six-speed automatic with overdrive. They deliver 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM and can tow up to 8,500 pounds. However, as expected, fuel economy rates about 13/18 mpg. Front and rear tow hooks are standard, and the Land Cruiser rides on 18-inch alloy wheels.
Not yet tested for safety, given Toyota's strong reputation, the Land Cruiser should rank well. It comes with a long list of equipment, including four-wheel ABS brakes, hill start assist, and CRAWL control, which features three different speed settings for going downhill. Traction and stability control, active front head restraints, and a total of ten airbags (dual front, front side, and side curtain for all three rows) round out the list. Parking sensors help mitigate the rear blind spots. A rearview camera is available, but only bundled with the optional navigation system.
Reviewers find the 2009 Land Cruiser pricier than expected for a Toyota, with disappointing fuel economy and a need for a bit more horsepower. However, the roomy cabin and luxury feel, along with a smooth and extremely quiet ride, lend an air of high-class comfort to the drive. The Cruiser also exhibits car-like maneuverability, with a tight turning radius and precise handling. Its main problems seem to be the small third row, the awkward folding of the rear seats, and the lack of running boards to help shorter people climb into the full-size SUV.
I just traded my 2005 Land Cruiser in for a 2009. I took my third row seats out when I bought and put them back when I sold it. I was disappointed to see that the 2009 does not "easily" removable seats. Being an old farm boy, has anyone taken the third row seating out of a 2009 Land Cruiser?
Have a 2009/200 series sahara with sub tank. Gauges and read out show I am running low on fuel after approx. 700ks. No warning light. Attaining between 10 and 12 litres/100ks. Toyota dealer says all electronic tests o.k. Anyone with similar problems?
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Automatic climate control rear air conditioning · Dual rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Rear side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · IPod auxiliary audio input · Wireless headphones · In-Dash CD: DVD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: JBL · AM/FM radio · Sirius Satellite Radio · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 14 · 605 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 13.4 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.6 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Beverage cooler: cooled storage compartment · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front and rear · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Center console: front console with storage · Cupholders: 12 · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 4 · Reading lights: rear · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: door pockets · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Drivetrain
4WD Type: full time · Axle ratio: 3.91 · Limited slip differential: center · Locking differential: center · Transfer Case: electronic hi-lo gear selection
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: body-color · Front bumper color: body-color · Mirror color: body-color · Mudguards: front · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2 · Number of third row headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Video monitor location: rear · Video monitor size: 9 · Video system: DVD player
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: lamp failure
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power folding
Passenger Seat
Power adjustments: 8
Rear Seats
Heated: multi-level heating · Type: 40-20-40 split bench
Roof
Moonroof: tilt · Roof rack color: black
Safety
Active head restraints: driver · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Rear center seatbelt: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front and rear · Seatbelt pretensioners: front and rear · Third row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Third row headrests: adjustable · Third row seat folding: split · Upholstery: leather
Spare Tire
Mount Location: underbody · Size: full-size
Spare Wheel
Rim type: aluminum alloy
Suspension
Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Stabilizer Bar: diameter 42.7 mm · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Front stabilizer bar: active hydraulic mount · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Stabilizer Bar: diameter 25 mm · Rear Suspension Classification: solid live axle · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Rear stabilizer bar: active hydraulic mount
Telematics
Navigation system: DVD navigation system w/voice activation · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Third Row Seat
Type: 50-50 split bench
Tires
Type: all terrain
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: alloy
Towing and Hauling
Tow hooks: front · Trailer wiring: 7-pin
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear quarter windows: power · Rear wiper: intermittent · Solar-tinted glass: rear