Whether you see yourself as the kind of person that goes ambling down a rocky, muddy, tree lined road to seek out the perfect camping spot or traverses a sandy beach with a cooler and beach towels in the trunk, this 1987 Land Cruiser is the probably the perfect machine for you. With a beefy 4WD system perfectly set up to handle whatever you can throw at it, and a cavernous cabin that gives you enough room to lie down in the back, the Land Cruiser can get your, your friends, and all your stuff wherever you want to go. Best yet, this thing is built like a tank! It gives you that confidence to take on just about anything.
While the big, 4.2-liter inline-6 engine is merely adequate for getting this behemoth around, it has plenty of torque to spare, whenever you need it to get you into – or out of – trouble. Mated up with a 4-speed manual transmission, there’s a unique sense of masculinity being able to row your own gears in something this big. The extra control will definitely come in handy as you climb up a steep, slippery grade or maneuver over slippery rocks. You’ll barely feel a thing as the big Land Cruiser navigates its way through the urban jungle full of potholes, speed bumps, and angry meter maids.
One big reason the ‘Cruiser is so easy to drive nearly anywhere is because of the huge greenhouse. The cabin is incredibly spacious and airy with lots of window. Despite looking like a juggernaut on the road, the Land Cruiser doesn’t feel like one when you’re driving. The thin pillars and big windows provide excellent sight lines all the way around, something that can’t be said for most modern SUVs. There’s no need to rely on parking sensors and backup cameras with this. With a careful look in the mirrors, parking the big Toyota in nearly any spot is a breeze.
And if you need to park it in the lumber yard at Home Depot or cozy up to one of the loading spots at Ikea, the rear seats fold down completely flat to provide a sizable space to pack in just about anything. Although you can just about fit a couch in the back, you wouldn’t really need it since you can pull down the split tail gate and use it as a perfect picnic bench at the end of a long day. The only thing missing pack there are cup holders!
Despite its age, the FJ60 Land Cruiser provides a surprisingly modern driving experience. The ride is supple, the seats are plush, and there steering and brakes give good, if somewhat isolated feedback. This is truly a vehicle that can meet all the needs of today. It may not have the latest technology like satellite radio or GPS navigation but I can’t think of a better vehicle to get lost far away from civilization in. Find out yourself by borrowing it from Morrie’s Heritage Rental Program.
