LandCruiser 300 Series Receives Glowing Review
For more than 16 years, Ricky and the Follow Me 4WD team have been offering nationally recognised and accredited four-wheel drive training to private and corporate clients, and we were thrilled to be able to provide them with a LandCruiser 300 Series Sahara and GR Sport to put to the test!
Check out the full video which shows these two beasts in action and Ricky’s thoughts on the LandCruiser 300.
Joined by CMI Toyota’s Fleet Manager, Paul Sibley, Ricky and the Follow Me 4WD team took the two 300 Series models to Eagleview 4WD in Sanderston, South Australia, and put them through their paces on the rugged countryside tracks.
Before even heading off-road, 4WD expert, Ricky, already had some thoughts after driving from CMI Toyota to Eagleview 4WD in the LandCruiser 300.
“So far on the road the vehicle drives absolutely magnificently. It’s got such a firm feel on the road, very little road noise, and you just hear a slight rumble from the V6. It’s got plenty of power, I’m very impressed so far.”
As far as urban driving goes, Ricky’s first impressions were nothing but positive.
“The vehicle really does drive nicely, very good feel on road. Especially when you’re throwing it into corners, or you’re getting into corners just a little bit late and you turn into it, the vehicle does handle very, very well. The bonnet’s very light, and inside there’s no road noise, it’s very, very quiet as well.”
For those with an interest in the vehicle’s mechanics, Ricky was sure to take a close look under the bonnet and provide some insight.
“There’s plenty of room for your batteries to go in there. Over the other side with the ABS, there’s still tonnes of room in there for fuse boxes and so on. The old days of having a filter here is gone, because it’s taken up by a lot more stuff here. We’ve got the primer here and oil filler and dipstick, but the rear is where the fuel filter is kept, it’s actually kept up near the spare wheel.”
Upon assessment of the vehicle’s design, comfort and technology, Ricky found the 300 Series to be both physically appealing and effective.
“Externally, the car is just really very nice, very well finished off. Trim wise, it’s absolutely brilliant for trim. Heating and cool rear seats and the seat cooler works very well.”
Following the vehicles examination, Ricky then tested the Sahara and the top-of-the-line GR Sport model offroad and noted some key differences.
The KDSS suspension on the GR Sport was found to be a highlight, with Ricky noting a difference in the ride of the vehicle.
“What an absolutely fantastic vehicle to drive. The lower centre of gravity really makes a big difference on how the vehicle feels off-road. Suspension in the ride and the comfort really does work very well. As you all will probably know, the GR Sport is the only model with the KDSS suspension.”
Despite the difference in suspension, Ricky found the Sahara was able to conquer everything that the GR Sport had.
“I can really notice the difference between the GR Sport and also the Sahara in the ride. But as far as capabilities go, both are identical, beautiful to drive, and the crawl control is really super quiet compared to my 200 Series.”
Both LandCruiser 300 models left Ricky impressed, with the 4WD expert concluding his review with a glowing recommendation.
“We’ve been out and had a lot of fun with the 300 Series LandCruiser. The Sahara is absolutely magnificent to drive. The GR Sport – what an awesome piece of machinery. As far as the cars go, I can highly recommend them. The Lane-Keep Assist, the Lane-Departure Warning, the Autonomous Emergency Braking, all the technology in the vehicle has made it unstoppable.”
A big thank you to Ricky and the Follow Me 4WD team for taking the time to put the LandCruiser 300 to the test and providing some great insight on the vehicle’s offroad capabilities!
