Toyota Land Cruiser Wins Four Wheeler's 2006 Four Wheeler of the Year Award (1 Viewer)

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http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2005110835218

Could it be the final salute to our beloved 100?

TYT2005061034458_PV.jpg
 
OK I'll bite. The 100 series has been the same vehicle for the last 8 years and now they decide it's new/redesigned and it is the winner??? All these awards are BS. I thought it was 4x4 of the year every year since they started making Landcruisers.
 
The Toyota Land Cruiser, the Hummer H3, the Jeep Commander, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and the Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Isn't it interesting how the competitors do not actually compete in the marketplace? No one shopping for a RR Sport is going to consider a Grand Vitara. H3 buyer going to get a TLC? nuh-uh. All are in different price ranges and demographic markets.

The competition was designed to allow the winner an advertising trophy while not offending any of the 'losers'.

Also, I don't know how they get around the requirement of "substantial difference" from last yrs' model. It has VVTi which is very nice but they have disqualified many cars in the past with more changes than that.
 
The new grill design and LED brake lights must have been the clincher... before they complained the 100 was "dated" now with this final freshen up its "modern" again... sheessh!
 
I think the headlights make a significant update to the styling. And don't forget, it received an all new suspension system! ;)
 
And I just let my subscription lapse because of a lack of Toyota coverage. :rolleyes:

The competition looked pretty weak. A Chevy with a five-cylinder engine :confused: , a Suzuki , a Jeep budget hummer wannabe and a Range Rover on Bling wheels with a supercharged V8.

I've never thought the LC looked dated, just conservative. Exactly like its real full-sized competition. Suburban, Expedition, Landrover, G-Wagon, Sequoia and even most of the Escalades that are around. No really stylish trucks in the bunch.
 
Yea, didn't they give the coveted award to the 2005 Land Rover LR3 ? ... or was that Truck Trend? My friend bought one, took it to Pismo and got stuck, even in sand mode. An old Toyota truck came by and had to winch him out... a few months later the damn thing wouldn't air-up to its normal ride height. Can you say "suspension fault" and three weeks in the shop.

Pay someone $55K for that ? I wonder how much Ford lined their pockets for the marketing campaign...
 
Supposedly it will be in an upcoming issue. I hate it has come to this but I really don't put much stock in automotive awards anymore. However, to me the 100 has been FWoTY since it's inception. Just as I feel the 80 was FWoTY for it's entire run. Biased? Yes. Less biased than the media too though? Probably. :D
 
tabraha said:
Supposedly it will be in an upcoming issue. I hate it has come to this but I really don't put much stock in automotive awards anymore. However, to me the 100 has been FWoTY since it's inception. Just as I feel the 80 was FWoTY for it's entire run. Biased? Yes. Less biased than the media too though? Probably. :D

Since these are tested in stock form I must say I don't think the 100 is in the running for a first, second, or even third place finish. :mad:

It's big, has poor A&D angles, no rear locker option, dull off-road stying, whimpy tires, running boards, and just isn't equipped as such for the buying public.

Now, reality is (though the mags don't test this way) that the 100 is the best built of any stock rig, and, if you put a $700 lift on it and 33-inch tires it wins first place. Take any other candidate, put $700 into it and new tires and none have a chance!
 
You forgot "remove running boards"... the very first $0 mod anyone taking the 100 offroad needs to do. If you get fancy you can install the factory mudflaps (2flaps, 2 brackets and 6 screws... total $100)
 
rzpapp said:
You forgot "remove running boards"... the very first $0 mod anyone taking the 100 offroad needs to do. If you get fancy you can install the factory mudflaps (2flaps, 2 brackets and 6 screws... total $100)

SLAP! SPANK! POW! :D :D

Right on you are. The first thing I did back in 2001!
 
Four Wheeler mag ?

Ocelot said:
BwaHahahahahahahahahahahahahaha... yea right

So, Four Wheeler mag is not a credible source then ?

Why is that ?
 
Does this mean no new body style for 2007? I want a new truck, and I'm trying to talk myself out of buying a RR........(actually, I think the reliability of these vehicles - or lack thereof - will keep me from doing it, but I'd sure like to see clearer illustrations of what the new LC/LX will look like so I'll know if it's worth the wait)
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
Since these are tested in stock form I must say I don't think the 100 is in the running for a first, second, or even third place finish. :mad:

It's big, has poor A&D angles, no rear locker option, dull off-road stying, whimpy tires, running boards, and just isn't equipped as such for the buying public.

Now, reality is (though the mags don't test this way) that the 100 is the best built of any stock rig, and, if you put a $700 lift on it and 33-inch tires it wins first place. Take any other candidate, put $700 into it and new tires and none have a chance!


That's true. Those mods are so easy and (relatively) cheap to do that I forget that it's not that impressive bone stock. I was admittedly thinking of other vehicles in it's size/market segment rather than all 4WD vehicles too. I guess it's so easy to make the 100 shine that I forget it doesn't exactly come that way out of the box. :cheers:
 
FirstToy said:
Isn't it interesting how the competitors do not actually compete in the marketplace? No one shopping for a RR Sport is going to consider a Grand Vitara. H3 buyer going to get a TLC? nuh-uh. All are in different price ranges and demographic markets.

It isn't practical to test every new SUV on the market, there just isn't enough time, page space, or staff to do it. So they make a compromise. I agree though about the different demographics and have argued for quite a while that pricing and aftermarket potential should be heavily weighted categories. Without these the factors the most powerful, most comfortable vehicle always wins. The reality is that you cannot test the potential of ALL of the vehicles on the same trails, and as a result trail prowess becomes less of a factor than it should be.

a990dna said:
Yea, didn't they give the coveted award to the 2005 Land Rover LR3 ? ... or was that Truck Trend? My friend bought one, took it to Pismo and got stuck, even in sand mode. An old Toyota truck came by and had to winch him out... a few months later the damn thing wouldn't air-up to its normal ride height. Can you say "suspension fault" and three weeks in the shop.
.

Your friend needs to learn how to drive then. The LR3 was my pick for Fourwheeler of the Year during last year's testing when I was fortunate enough to attend, but the diesel VW Tourag won the prize. I loved the LR3 in the sand and took it a lot of loose, rocky places where the Rubicon was the only other vehicle to make it.
 
DirtyHarry said:
Your friend needs to learn how to drive then. The LR3 was my pick for Fourwheeler of the Year during last year's testing when I was fortunate enough to attend, but the diesel VW Tourag won the prize. I loved the LR3 in the sand and took it a lot of loose, rocky places where the Rubicon was the only other vehicle to make it.

Ironically I agree.... but not due to his lack of skills, more appropriately due to his lack of brains. What's even more ironic is he tried to give the poor Toyota driver $20 bucks for his trouble. But the poor Toyota owner graciously declined and said: "I don't need it I'm a doctor, I just wanted to see how my new winch worked."

He now often brags about how Land Rover owner's are known for their snobbish attitudes. My girlfriend claims LR3s are for women, or metro sexuals. I primarily steered away from a LR3 due to reliability issues...

Offroad prowess or not, if you can't trust that your vehicle will get you back where you came from without calling roadside assistance, its not worth any prize in my book.... and that's why I ignored the prize winners and bought a Land Cruiser.

Not to mention, it carries the highest resale value among SUVs.
 
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