The legend: 80 series land cruiser

The much loved 80 series Toyota Land Cruiser enjoys a cult-following for 4×4 enthusiasts the world over. These capable adventure machines have been a garage staple for Aussie families over past generations. So what makes the 80 series so special?

Firstly, the classic 90s wide body SUV design looks aggressive and provides loads of road presence, especially with aftermarket suspension and chunky 33” rubber providing that beefy stance. The 80 series was available in a plethora of bullet proof and torquey powertrains including: FJ80R – petrol 3F engine; HZJ80R – diesel 1HZ engine; HDJ80R – turbo-diesel 1HD-T engine; and FZJ80R – twin-cam petrol engine – with the turbo diesel rigs being the weapon of choice for hard core off roaders. Having the Toyota badge on the grille makes this a dependable adventure rig that can handle the most gruelling terrains the outback can throw at you. The 80 series is also a massively popular solid axle front end four-wheel drive providing all the articulation you need when navigating tricky terrain. Finally, the 80 series offered a much more refined interior and comfort against its competitors – Nissan GQ Patrol, Land Rover Defender, and Mitsubishi Pajero which is a must for Aussie road trippers.

Unfortunately, finding a low-mileage, unmolested example is like finding a needle in a haystack in the Australian used car market. Most vehicles are showing 300-400 km on the odometer with a host of irreversible modifications. The good news is that there is a healthy stock of low mileage (sub 200,000 km) 80 series in Japan at competitive prices. The top of the line VX Limited in Japan offered many more factory options than locally delivered Land Cruisers. Just check out these incredible features.