What the Land Cruiser lacks in ubiquity over the Land Rover Defenders, it makes up for in reliability. The Defender and the Land Cruiser should both be able to tackle similar terrain, but the Toyota's ace is... well, the fact it's a Toyota. And as legend has it, that means it stands far less of a chance of leaving you stranded.
Land Cruiser history long and complex!
The Land Cruiser's history was rather different to the Defender's. While the latter stayed fairly similar throughout its life, and was later joined in the range by more upmarket models that satisfied consumer demand for bigger, plusher 4x4s, the former moved upmarket itself, growing, evolving, and eventually splitting into two distinct ranges that would rival both Range Rover and Land Rover Discovery. We're going to attempt to cover them all here, so grab a cuppa and we'll begin.
The earliest Land Cruiser, known today by its development code of FJ20, had its origins in the Toyota Jeep BJ of 1951, a rather crude interpretation of the Willys Jeep that nevertheless found favour in post-war Japan as a cheap, rugged way of transporting people and supplies in rural areas.
You'll struggle to find a 20 Series here now, but you will probably be able to root out an 40 Series, in service from 1960 right through to 1984, and the model most people associate with the early Land Cruiser. Yes, this is the one Richard Hammond drove across Bolivia, and while his proved to be pretty knackered, most FJs are dependable, rugged old beasts. A fully restored example can be yours for around £16,000, while a good, original 40 Series can be yours for £12,000 - quite a bit less than a Series Land Rover, in other words.
Part-way through the 40's life, a larger, more comfort-oriented version was released - the 55 Series. While these longer, station wagon-esque models are nigh-on impossible to find here in the UK, their successor, the 60 Series, which came along in 1980, is more accessible. And because it's relatively unknown, it's also pretty decent value; we found one in good nick with average miles going for £7,000; mind you, an immaculate-looking example with low miles going for £15,000 is probably a bit strong.
All should be sturdy; some remain good value too
If you're looking for the next investment opportunity, mind you, a 70 Series is where it's at right now. This version of the Land Cruiser replaced the original 40 Series in 1984, and while never officially imported into the UK, quite a few have found their way to these shores. You can pick up a high-miler in decent nick for anywhere between £3,000 and £5,000, while an average-mile car will set you back £7,000-ish. Expect to pay £9,000 for an immaculate low-miler, though the presence of some examples at silly money - we saw a super-clean late example with 60K on the clock for no less than £20,000 - suggests the market might be about to jump.
Of course, the Land Cruiser Brits will remember most fondly is likely the 80 Series. This replaced the 60 Series in 1989, and while agricultural by comparison with some of its rivals, proved to be the go-to vehicle of choice when nothing but ultimate towing ability and sheer size would do. There are plenty of imports around, but even a genuine UK example in good nick with high miles shouldn't set you back more than £3,000, which is frankly a stonking amount of car for the money. And if you want a low-miler, you shouldn't have to stump up more than £6,000 or so. Either way, definitely don't pay out the £15,000 or so we saw one particularly optimistic seller asking for theirs.
The 90 Series came next, replacing the 'light duty' 70 series in 1996, and it was the first of the smaller Land Cruiser line to be officially imported, under the name Land Cruiser Colorado (the 80 Series had 'Amazon' tacked onto its name at this time to differentiate it). The Colorado is the cheapest way to get into Land Cruiser ownership right now, as values are at an all-time nadir; just £2,000 gets you a decent high-miler, and you shouldn't have to pay more than £4,000 for a really tidy example with history and very reasonable miles.
90s Land Cruisers are easiest to find
In 1998, Toyota brought the 100 Series Land Cruiser to the UK, as a replacement for the big old 80 Series. Like its predecessor, it was badged 'Amazon', and it proved just as tough, with the exception of a troublesome hydropneumatic height control system called AHC that was available as an optional extra, and can cause big, expensive problems if its sensors pack up. With that in mind, low-milers are more highly prized, and can fetch as much as £15,000; by comparison, a good high-miler can be had for £5,000 - though you should probably factor in the cost to repair the AHC, or replace it with standard suspension.
It's at this point that prices start to rise again as we reach more modern Land Cruisers. The 120 Series, released in 2002 as a replacement for the 'light duty' 90 Series (albeit shorn of the 'Colorado' badge), saw a waning in the Land Cruiser's popularity in the UK, as cheaper, more refined SUVs muscled in on its territory. That said, there are still plenty around, and as a result, a good, early high-miler can be had for around £5,000. Even more interestingly, a good low-miler won't set you back all that much more - expect to pay around £8,000 - which makes the 120 look like decent value, especially as it came with plenty of modern creature comforts.
Even less common than the 120 Series, however, is the 200 Series. It was effectively a replacement for the 100 Series 'Amazon', though once again, Toyota lost the suffix, blending it into the 120 Series Land Cruiser range in name. However, what set the 200 Series apart was its engine: it was only available with a 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel, hence it became known as the Land Cruiser V8. While it's hard to imagine there's much call for such a leviathan, a few have found homes, though relative rarity has kept prices high - expect to pay at least £27,000 for a decent example.