Mother Proof's view

One of my guilty pleasures is watching shows like “The Biggest Loser” and “Celebrity Fit Club.” Toward the end of each season, the losers inevitably strap on weights of some sort to simulate the pounds they’ve lost, and I thought of that moment when I drove the 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser. I downsized from an extra-large SUV to a more manageable crossover a few years ago, and driving this Toyota SUV was just like bulking up with a weight vest and hauling it around town.

The Land Cruiser is a bulky hunk of an SUV. While I had great command of the road in it, I definitely felt as if I were taking up more than my fair share. Of course, size isn’t the only feature of this stalwart SUV. It was redesigned for 2008, and Toyota has upped the ante for fans of the four-wheel-drive Land Cruiser, who seem to have achieved cult-like status – at least judging by the fact that Toyota charges somewhere around $20K more (depending on options) for this SUV than it does for its other big SUV, the Sequoia.

I previewed the Toyota Land Cruiser last fall in Montana and felt like it was a good family vehicle, but that it would probably only appeal to a select crowd due to its $63,200 starting price. I was also really disappointed in the styling of the vehicle; when I look at the Land Cruiser, I see a giant Toyota Highlander. Wouldn’t a cool wagon version of the Toyota FJ Cruiser have been so much better? After driving the Land Cruiser for a couple of weeks, my opinion on those matters hasn’t changed. What has changed, though, is my opinion about some specific features in the vehicle, specifically the ease of use of the third row.

The manual folding seat does not measure up to the automatic folding feature in the Land Cruiser’s luxury cousin, the Lexus LX 570. The back end of the vehicle sits up so high that when I wanted to fold the third row I practically had to climb in the back of the truck. I’m sure my more petite sisters out there will have an even harder time. I’m also not a fan of Toyota’s third-row middle seat belt that descends from the roof, making it difficult to use and putting it right in my line of vision when it’s down.

The gas mileage was similar to other vehicles in this class, averaging about 15 mpg in a mix of highway and city driving. The only thing more painful than putting the weight I had lost back on was when I had to swipe my card twice to fill up at the gas station. The big engine had its advantages, though – I was able to accelerate easily on the highway. Another aspect of the weight-vest effect, though, did make itself known while merging into traffic on the highway: The Land Cruiser felt really wide, and the side-folding rear seats made me nervous that I might not be seeing someone in the next lane. Beached whale, coming through!

On the positive side, the Land Cruiser can seat eight people really comfortably. I was psyched that I could even fit three booster seats in the middle row. The entry to the third row was ample once I flipped the middle seat up. You should know, however, that my kids could not do this maneuver on their own; I had to come around and do the flipping. That left me wondering (again) why manufacturers put the 40 side of the 60/40-split seat on the passenger side.

Aside from the overwhelming size, after living with it for a couple of weeks it turns out the Toyota Land Cruiser completely underwhelms me. I can’t say that any feature wowed me, yet the features that bugged me weren’t so awful that I would advise someone to steer clear. I think Land Cruiser enthusiasts will find lots to like if they’re intent on buying this vehicle. For someone without that brand loyalty, the nondescript design – and the feeling that I’d just gained back a lot of poundage I’d been trying to strip – would probably steer me in another direction.

*For more information on the 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 8

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample-Galore

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Good Times

Specs

2008 Toyota Land Cruiser

Base price: $63,200

Price as tested: $67,506

Engine: 381-hp, 5.7-liter V-8

Fuel: 13/18 mpg

Length: 194.9″

Width: 77.6″

Ground Clearance: 8.9″

Turning Radius: 19.4′

Cargo space: 16.1-81.7 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: n/a

Passenger’s side: n/a

Side Impact

Front occupant: n/a

Rear occupant: n/a

Rollover resistance: n/a