An epic 5000km Outback trip sheds a whole new light on the new Toyota LandCruiser 300
- Getting ready
- Where’s the storage?
- On the road
- The stuff that’s missing
- Effortless cruising
- Go west
- Not quite the head turner
- Driver assist
- The heartland
- Getting tyresome
- Dusty stuff
- Sleep tight
- Big Red
- Fuel for thought
- Heading for home
There’s a chasm – or, at least, thousands of washouts, countless bog holes and deserts of red dirt – between a weekend away and heading to the Outback for the Big Trip.
While we’ve already covered thousands of kilometres in the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, most of them have been within a day trip of home base.
Not this time.
For this trip we’re heading to the Red Centre, the arid heart of this vast country. We’ll be covering everything from craggy rocks and open plains to sand dunes and creek crossings.
It’s the ultimate adventure in what Toyota pitches as “king off the road” and our ride is at the top end of the LandCruiser line-up, the GR Sport.
At $140,481 plus on-road costs, the 2023 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport is well into luxury territory. But for those looking for the ultimate adventure, it promises plenty beyond its leather seats, sunroof and heated steering wheel.
Getting ready
The new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is roughly the same size as the 200 Series it replaces, but it comes with a higher payload.
That’s important, because recent LandCruisers haven’t been particularly good at packing all the paraphernalia an average family needs for a few weeks in the bush.
Still, at 650kg and with a family of four aboard it’ll be pretty easy to approach that limit.
We’ve got roof racks on our rig that can take 100kg up top, but that load needs to be subtracted from whatever you put inside, people and all. If you’re serious about your camping, then it calls for restraint when loading up.
There is, however, an advantage for this sort of trip in the 2023 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport: no back seats.
Those who owned an older LandCruiser (think 80 or 100 Series) know it was super-easy to unclip the third row of seats to maximise luggage space. For the 200 Series it required more tools and some basic mechanical knowledge.
For the 300 Series GR Sport, you don’t even have to think about it.
The neat fold-into-the-floor seats of the seven-seat LandCruiser variants is gone, boosting the luggage capacity from 1004 litres to 1131 – a gain of a bit over 10 per cent.
Not that it helped with packing… which may have something to do with my clan deciding it wasn’t enough just to have two pairs of shoes and a couple of pillows. Outback adventures these days seem to involve matching the luxury of the car with what’s inside.
Still, we packed plenty in, albeit partly at the expense of back seat elbow-room.
Where’s the storage?
The more time you spend in the cabin of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series – and the top-shelf GR Sport at that – the more you realise there’s more tradition than innovation.
Large analogue gauges dominating the instrument cluster seem underdone in an era of digital displays.
The CD player at the bottom of the centre stack takes up some otherwise handy space for a phone or the accoutrements that typically come along for the ride.
Similarly, the centre console has a wonderfully chilly cooler box, but if you’re using it to keep the brews cold then you lose a lot of space that could be used for cameras, maps, binoculars and more.
What’s immediately apparent is that there aren’t many of the clever hidey-holes that pepper many modern SUVs.
On the road
The legend of the Toyota LandCruiser may well be marketed on dusty plains and picturesque streams, but any big adventure in Australia typically starts with many kilometres of bitumen driving. Often thousands of kilometres.
And so it was with our trip, which kicked off in Sydney and headed mostly west before heading north and looping back through Corner Country of NSW. Check out our separate feature describing the route of our ‘Ultimate outback trip’.
That early westerly course puts our LandCruiser GR Sport to an early test with the sun deepening its orange glow as it makes a dash for the horizon.
The 300’s sun visors are huge, providing good blockage. But whereas the 200 had dual visors, the 300 does without. So it was flipping and folding to chase the sun as the road snakes into an apparent endlessness.
The stuff that’s missing
That early part of the trip also gave me a chance to ponder what the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is missing.
Tyre pressure sensors top that list. If Volkswagen can fit them to a Golf and Nissan to a QASHQAI, then they should come standard on $140K of Toyota’s finest and most technically advanced off-roader.
That’s especially pertinent on the Dunlop Grandtrek rubber we’re riding on. Sure, they’re decent all-rounders on mainly paved surfaces, but anyone gearing up for thousands of kays of gravel would be better off exchanging them for a more rugged set of all-terrains.
On the LandCruiser GR Sport we’d also love to see rock rails rather than the easily crumpled alloy side steps. The GR is, after all, the model aimed at those wanting to get rough road serious.
The split tailgate is another thing I wish had continued with the 300. On the 200 (and 100, 80 and 60 Series) it was a ripper when pulling up for a roadside stop but is also handy when loading to the extreme, allowing you to pack things in down low and giving you a better idea of the tailgate limits without having to swing the whole tailgate down first.
A volume dial is also high on my LandCruiser missed list. Toyota used to talk of being able to adjust major controls with gloves on – plenty of LandCruisers operate in cool climates – but the 300 Series makes the simple task of adjusting the volume on the audio that little bit more fiddly by leaving it to buttons.
The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity also requires a phone to be plugged in to the USB port (there are another three charging ports to keep devices topped up), rather than allowing for wireless connectivity.
Effortless cruising
No qualms with the engine, though. Whereas previously Toyota LandCruisers have offered a choice between petrol and diesel (later 200s reverted to diesel only), the 300 Series does without, making the turbo-diesel the default.
The new 3.3-litre V6 diesel is a powerhouse, mustering a full 700Nm. Its 227kW is a handy backup, although less likely to be called on regularly out here.
Cruising at 110km/h has the grunty diesel ticking over at about 1200rpm as it plucks 10th gear on flat sections. It’s an effortless way to travel. Quiet, too.
It only takes a gentle brush of the throttle to unleash more of those Newton-metres and a down-change, the twin turbos nestled in the V of the engine quickly spooling to life. It’s an impressively responsive mill and one that beautifully suits the character of the 300.
Smooth, too. LandCruisers have long been uber-refined and the 300 steps that up a notch. There’s barely a wisp of wind noise and the engine is rarely audible.
Driving through a 10-speed automatic adds to its talents. The gearbox craftily plucks a ratio with minimal fuss, ensuring the effortless progress continues.
But it’s the seats that equally make themselves known in the subtlest way. Like a waiter at a good restaurant, they’re mostly inconspicuous but what they offer is very much appreciated.
They’re excellent support under the thighs and enough of a ridge around your chest to keep you centred and snug.
The fact we haven’t heard complaints from the back seats yet suggests they’re also doing the job. It helps that quad-zone ventilation allows for individual temperature adjustment around the cabin.
Go west
It’s not long until the road signs start flashing ‘Forbes’, ‘Menindee’ and ‘Broken Hill’. It makes Sydney, Canberra and Bathurst seem like distant memories.
The 2630kg heft of our Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport slowly melts into the scenery.
In the spirit of adventure, we aimed for the lesser road to Broken Hill through the town of Menindee. It means an earlier transition from bitumen to dirt – and the variabilities that can bring.
It’s a relatively fast section of road, one with the occasional roadkill carcass focusing the attention; where there’s one there must be more! The afternoon heat has the roos lazing in the scrub. Emus are less obedient.
But it’s the dips and washouts that have the GR300 occasionally heaving. It doesn’t take much of a bump to get the rump recoiling off its bump stops.
It’s clear the coil-sprung suspension has been set up for unladen compliance rather than faster country touring with the load limit maxed out.
Not quite the head turner
carsales readers regularly remind us how popular Toyota LandCruisers are. In the lead up to the launch of the 300 Series there was intense interest in what is an all-new model.
But as we near 2000km I’m finding the LC300 was visually blending into the sea of Outback off-roaders.
At a service station in Broken Hill, two 200 Series drivers didn’t so much as glance at our burgundy 300. Ours should have stood out, too, being the GR Sport with its black highlights and old-school white “Toyota” emblazoned across the grille.
Not that turning heads is the aim of the game out here.
If anything, you want to do the opposite, simply blending in and going about the adventure. If you’ve chosen the right roads, it’s even better not to see anyone else at all – although that’s trickier in an era of post-COVID exploration.
Driver assist
There’s no shortage of straight-ish roads blazing off into the distance to test the cruise control and various driver assist systems of the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.
The cruise control is as expected, although it’s often too eager to pull the speed back through gentle Outback bends that can easily be taken at 100km/h or 110km/h. Sure, we’re all for safety, but we also spent a lot of time using our right foot to convince the cruise control to maintain its pace.
But it’s the lane keep assist I was most interested in.
The camera scanning the road ahead clearly gets flustered by tighter turns, the requirement for the driver to always be in control very clear.
But on straighter sections it’s more convincing, guiding the ’Cruiser between the white lines and making for easier progress.
It’s a long way from perfect and, again, there’s a requirement to coax it back onto its course occasionally.
But it’s the steering that also makes the 300 Series such an easy cruiser.
Gone is the tenser on-centre feel of the previous car, and in is a more consistent arc that makes one-handed control that little bit easier.
The heartland
Few mountainous areas have the majesty of the Flinders Ranges – and there’s a special place here for the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.
It’s not only where some of the local development took place, but also the backdrop for the brochure and many of the images on the Toyota website.
The postcard-like Razorback Lookout is in the heart of the Flinders and has no shortage of rocks that are not only hundreds of millions of years old but also expert at slicing radial rubber.
But as our trip meanders north it’s the washouts and dry creek beds that are testing the mettle of the ‘Cruiser.
That rear-end loved to buck over anything sizeable, in turn taking the edge off the Outback comfort.
As the only LandCruiser with adjustable dampers I was constantly dialling up the Sport + setting, which tightens the damper response. There’s a marked improvement, but there’s also more to go.
No doubt the aftermarket suspension suppliers will work to contain the occasionally bucking rump.
Getting tyresome
Our first hint that something wasn’t quite right was when the aftermarket tyre pressure sensor for the right-rear wheel let us know there’s gas escaping.
It was a slow leak, and one that doesn’t immediately affect progress. But at our overnight stay in Arkaroola Station it was time for repairs. The tyre was swiftly patched and we were back under way.
First, though, it was time for a look around Arkaroola – and it’s here we selected low range for the first time. The lower gearing provides more precise control and grunt and, importantly, engine braking as we picked our way down a boulder-strewn hill.
The 300 has superb wheel articulation, especially at the rear. So it’s rare a wheel is left dangling, although the occasional angled entry can eventually convince the rubber to flail.
Despite the rugged terrain the LC300 does it easily. It’s a remarkably capable machine and one that cleverly uses its technology and core engineering to make life easier for the driver.
The GR Sport gets three diff locks to send identical drive to all four wheels. It’s the ultimate in traction, although the reality is the electronic traction control also does a superb job in picking the wheels with grip and sending drive their way.
The multi-terrain monitor that provides a virtual view through the bonnet is a handy accompaniment that allows more precise wheel control over rugged sections.
Dusty stuff
Toyota LandCruisers have long had good dust sealing and the 300 Series is no different. But after thousands of kilometres there was no stopping the fine powder from settling on every crevice and corner of the cabin.
Like the persistent flies that can challenge human sanity there’s an inevitability to dust ingress on a big Outback trip. Hey, at least it gives it a lived-in look!
That central screen seems to attract dust though. There are fixed buttons for the seat heaters and coolers, but the air-con recirc button is a virtual button on the (dusty) touch-screen. It doesn’t help that it’s red on a black background, making it tough to see in bright sunlight.
The tailgate struts also accumulated their fair share of red dirt, leading to some occasional moaning when opening or closing.
Sleep tight
Many of our nights were spent in motels, but the sheer remoteness also called on camping. And it’s here I was reminded of one of my great Toyota frustrations: beeping.
Every time you lock or unlock the doors or open or close the tailgate on the Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport there’s an associated beeping to remind you something is happening.
It’s astonishing Toyota still doesn’t allow you to customise those things in the settings; the technology is there, as other car-makers have shown, but for whatever reason Toyota forces owners to find solutions from elsewhere.
One of our early camps also left the right rear tyre flat again.
A quick repair along the Birdsville Track showed it was leaking not far from the original puncture. The repairer thought it may have been delaminating, something that became more pertinent as the trip went on.
We ended up making three attempts to repair that one tyre, but it persisted its slow leaking ways, eventually convincing us to pull out the spare.
Some wrestling with the jack and we finally had four tyres holding their pressure.
Big Red
Any trip to Birdsville has to include a trip to Big Red, the eastern-most dune of the Simpson Desert. It’s an easy half-hour drive from Birdsville, albeit with some rocky sections to ram home that you’re in the Outback – and give the tyres on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 another workout.
Having dropped the 18-inch tyres to around 15psi we tackled the eastern approach, typically the easiest. The LC300 felt as though it could have done it in two-wheel drive.
The variable red dirt bowl up the top of Big Red is more of a challenge. Playing around in the soft sand reinforced the usefulness of the mighty V6. Stupendous torque makes trudging around a snip. It’s a mighty engine that provides easy and effortless grunt when you need it.
The western approach of the 40-odd-metre dune was more serious, soft sand and a steep final pinch challenging everyone that attempted any of the selection of tracks.
Our first attempt was in high range, something now easier given you can select the MTS sand driving mode without having to engage 4L. Still, the GR Sport fell just short of the peak and stalled on the final sandy lip, likely the result of a swift washing-off of speed as the tyres dug deep.
After backing down I rebooted and reselected the appropriate settings (the multi-terrain frustratingly resets when you restart the engine) before trying a second attempt.
This time it was low range and more momentum, something that crested the peak effortlessly.
It’s clear the ’Cruiser won’t have much of an issue traversing the 1100 of the Simpson’s dunes – for those who really get adventurous…
Fuel for thought
The 110-litre fuel tank in the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series – 28 litres smaller than previously – should also (just) go the Simpson distance without needing to take jerries.
It’s not something we tested, but having done the trek many times and monitored the ’Cruiser’s fuel use, I’m confident it shouldn’t be an issue.
To some extent that’ll depend on how it’s driven.
The official fuel figure for the 300 Series is 8.9 litres per 100km but during most of our touring it was using more than that.
Of course, it’s not helped by the weight we had on board or the aero drag caused by camp gear up top when we were using the roof racks. At times of 110km/h cruising the LandCruiser was using around 12L/100km.
But that still easily allows for 800km-plus between top-ups, something that increases the flexibility in remote areas.
Across the Simpson we’d expect it to use something like 20L/100km, something that should just edge it into the safety of fuel at Mount Dare.
Heading for home
As we left Birdsville, though, we’d done the bulk of our 5000km-plus adventure in the Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport and finding fuel no longer required forethought.
The faster gravel roads heading across the south-west corner of Queensland before heading into South Australia and NSW are the final gravel fling, although we managed to eke out more heading towards the Darling River.
Recent rain meant the vegetation was lush, animals abundant. It’s a different type of Outback when the country has been soaked.
One final night around the campfire allowed time to reflect on the new Toyota LandCruiser’s performance.
It’s clear the 300 Series brings some big benefits over its predecessor. Its grunty V6 engine, excellent refinement and roadholding are among them.
But it’s also clear Toyota has left some of the off-road touring finesse to the aftermarket.
The rear suspension isn’t up to the rigours of a full load and Aussie washouts, for example.
And anyone looking to travel in remote areas like this would do best splashing out on some extras, chief among them tyre pressure sensors.
In short, the GR Sport has the bones of a brilliant 4WD, but factor in a visit to your local 4WD accessory shop to add to its capability.
Logbook: Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport to the Outback
Price: $140,481 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Output: 227kW/700Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Distance travelled: 5402km
States visited: NSW, South Australia, Queensland
Fuel use on test: 11.7L/100km
Keyword: Aussie Outback: Biggest test yet for Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series