Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 Expert Review

The Land Cruiser 300 looks as though Toyota took the old Land Cruiser 200, sent it to a very expensive gym and then told it to become more aerodynamic.

The result is enormous, upright and unmistakably Land Cruiser.

At 4,985mm long, 1,980mm wide and 1,925mm tall, the LC300 remains a substantial machine. In Bangladesh, this creates the usual Land Cruiser contradiction: it is magnificent on a highway and slightly ridiculous when attempting a U-turn between two rickshaws in Old Dhaka.

But the design is not merely about looking expensive.

Toyota moved the LC300 to the GA-F platform, lowering the centre of gravity while increasing body rigidity and reducing weight compared with the previous generation. The bonnet, grille, lighting and bumper arrangement were designed around the Land Cruiser's off-road function rather than fashion alone.

The front end is particularly imposing.

Depending on grade, the LC300 receives large LED headlights, distinctive daytime running lights, substantial alloy wheels, roof rails and different grille treatments. ZX/VX-R versions look considerably more luxurious, while GR Sport adds a more aggressive visual character.

The ground clearance of roughly 235mm is more useful in Bangladesh than another pointless decorative crease.

Speed breakers, broken road edges, muddy rural roads and flooded sections are precisely where the LC300 begins to justify its size.

It is not pretty in the delicate sense.

It is handsome in the way a bulldozer might be handsome if bulldozers had excellent LED headlights.

And that is exactly what Land Cruiser buyers expect.

The LC300's interior is where Toyota finally stopped pretending that a Land Cruiser owner only wants a steering wheel and somewhere to put a thermos. The cabin is dramatically more modern than the LC200 while retaining the upright, commanding driving position that defines the Land Cruiser experience. The dashboard is horizontal and logically arranged, which is particularly useful when driving off-road because the driver can understand the vehicle's orientation more easily. Toyota also paid considerable attention to physical controls rather than burying every function inside a touchscreen. Depending on grade, the LC300 can feature leather upholstery, electrically adjustable seats, ventilated and heated seats, multi-zone climate control, a large touchscreen, digital instrumentation, wireless charging, premium audio and a panoramic or conventional sunroof. The higher grades can feel genuinely luxurious. But there is still a practical Land Cruiser character underneath the leather. The seating position is excellent. Visibility is good. The cabin is wide and comfortable, and the suspension isolates occupants from rough roads surprisingly well. The third row remains useful rather than enormous, but seven-seat configurations provide plenty of flexibility for family use. For Bangladesh, the excellent rear AC arrangement is particularly important. Because this is a large, heavily insulated cabin operating in a hot climate, air-conditioning performance matters enormously. The only real criticism is complexity. The LC300 contains considerably more electronics than its predecessors, meaning owners should be more disciplined about maintaining electrical systems, sensors and original components.

The LC300 is packed with technology, but Toyota's cleverest decision was not to forget what a Land Cruiser is supposed to do.

The headline features include Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-Terrain Monitor, Crawl Control, full-time 4WD, low-range gearing and advanced off-road assistance systems. Toyota specifically developed the Multi-Terrain Monitor to show obstacles from the driver's perspective and Multi-Terrain Select to help choose appropriate driving modes for different surfaces.

For Bangladesh, these features are not merely showroom decoration.

The camera system is genuinely useful when the vehicle is negotiating narrow roads or difficult terrain.

The higher grades also bring the luxury features expected at this price: large infotainment displays, premium audio, wireless smartphone connectivity, electric memory seats, ventilated seats, powered tailgate and advanced parking assistance.

The 10-speed automatic is another major improvement.

Instead of the older Land Cruiser's relatively relaxed transmission behaviour, the Direct Shift-10AT gives the new LC300 a much wider spread of ratios and keeps the twin-turbo engine in a useful operating range.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make daily use considerably easier, while wireless charging removes one more cable from the centre console.

The important CarHub distinction is factory equipment versus aftermarket equipment.

Bangladesh-imported LC300s may receive aftermarket screens, body kits, wheels, entertainment systems and cameras.

Therefore, a database should never assume that every LC300 wearing a ZX badge has identical equipment.

The original market specification should always be checked.

The LC300's safety technology represents one of the biggest jumps from the older Land Cruiser 200.

Toyota equipped the new generation with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance technologies, while maintaining the fundamental passive-safety architecture expected from a modern flagship SUV.

Depending on market and grade, the LC300 can have pre-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assistance, road-sign recognition, adaptive high beams, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The cameras and sensors are particularly valuable in Bangladesh.

A nearly two-tonne-plus SUV travelling through Dhaka traffic has plenty of blind spots, and blind-spot monitoring can provide useful additional awareness when motorcycles appear beside the vehicle.

The 360-degree camera is equally valuable when parking.

Then there is the old-fashioned safety equipment: ABS, electronic stability control, traction control, multiple airbags, ISOFIX mounts, seatbelt systems and strong structural engineering.

The LC300 is also designed to remain controllable away from paved roads.

That matters because safety in a Land Cruiser is not only about avoiding crashes.

It is also about maintaining traction and control when the road becomes mud, gravel, water or something that would make a normal crossover call its lawyer.

However, ADAS should never be treated as autonomous driving.

Sensors can be affected by rain, dirt, road markings and traffic conditions. The driver remains responsible.

For Bangladesh buyers, the best approach is to treat the LC300's safety technology as an additional layer of protection rather than a substitute for attention.

This is where the LC300 becomes slightly absurd.

Toyota replaced the old V8-era formula with a 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine producing 415 PS and 650 Nm, connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The result is considerably faster than something this large has any right to be.

Around 6.7 seconds to 100 km/h means the LC300 can accelerate with genuine urgency.

The twin turbos deliver strong torque early, while the 10-speed automatic keeps the engine in the useful part of its powerband.

But the real magic is not acceleration.

It is refinement.

The LC300 glides through city traffic with very little drama. The steering is lighter than you might expect, the suspension is composed and the high driving position provides an excellent view of the chaos ahead.

Then the road disappears.

Switch into the appropriate terrain mode, engage the systems designed for low-speed control and the LC300 becomes something completely different.

Toyota's Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control and full-time 4WD allow it to tackle surfaces that would leave most luxury SUVs searching Google for a tow truck.

The downside is fuel.

In Bangladesh, the 3.5L petrol can realistically return around 4–5.5 km/L in city driving and approximately 7–9 km/L on highways.

The 3.3L diesel is more economical and produces an extraordinary 700 Nm.

So the LC300 is not an economical family SUV.

It is a luxury expedition machine that happens to be remarkably civilized in Dhaka traffic.