The Land Cruiser legacy is the story of off-roading itself. In 1951 it climbed Mt. Fuji, and has just kept getting better.

What started out as a utility, jeep-like prototype finally became the square, 5-door wagon in 1967 that we can recognize today as the Land Cruiser. In 1998 and under the 100 series, it started to take on much of its current credentials or style you see today.

Now part of the 200 series (a seventh-generation series that started with last year's model), what's new for the 8-passenger 2008 Land Cruiser is big on all accounts: The Tundra's 5.7-liter V8 engine under the hood, followed closely by a new transmission, a new off-road system, new frame and new suspension.

It would be like a truck without 4-wheel drive if ORC didn't get to test-drive a fully loaded 2008 Land Cruiser. It has a 6-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive that comes standard. With everything from leather seats to the DVD package, total vehicle price for the Land Cruiser we drove is a whopping $72,122.

Into the Eye of the Storm

Let's talk stats: The new 5.7-liter V8 DOHC engine has 116 more horsepower than the 2007 Land Cruiser, clocking in for a total of 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, with 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. Towing capacity also increased by one ton to 8,500 lbs.

Along with the large increase in power, you also get a new independent double-wishbone front suspension and a very thick stabilizing bar with coil springs, and a four-link with a solid axle for the rear. The system aims to ease (and better control) suspension movement both on and off-road.

With a three-ton curb weight, we tested it on rough terrain and despite its heaviness, when it came to handling it had a lightweight character and smooth reactions. Insulation inside the A-pillars of the frame suppresses vibrations and noise.

It was like driving a yacht completely aware of rough sea storm conditions. We tested the Land Cruiser during the nasty storm that tore up Northern California early in the New Year. At one point, minutes before highway 101 was closed down because of flooding and debris, a mini-van spun sideways in front of me as a puddle proved to be a small lake. The mud-and-snow P285/60R18 tires combined with the full-time 4-wheel drive and a ground clearance of 8.9" plowed the Land Cruiser through the standing water.

Gas estimation for the 2008 Land Cruiser is 13-mpg city and 18-mpg highway. Most of my driving was on a curvy, 40-mph rural highway with no quick stops or incline acceleration. I recorded an average of approximately 15-mpg under these circumstances. Gas tank capacity is 24.6 gallons.

Off-Road Cruise Control

The newly developed JF2A transfer case provides full-time 4-wheel drive. It employs a Torsen limited-slip locking center differential activated by a push button, with high and low ranges using a rotary dial. Lights on the dash panel indicate when low or center lock is in use.

This vehicle’s off-road capabilities are impressive, and are likely going to get you through any rough weather or terrain conditions, including inclines and downhill driving. In low range, the CRAWL Control system takes over speed (using three speed settings between 1 and just over 3-mph), along with the braking force at each wheel. However, at the lowest speed setting, the Land Cruiser did a funny, back-and-forth jig, and the control made a beeping sound the whole time.

CRAWL includes Downhill Assist Control (DAC). This feature is like a lot of the Hill Descent Controls appearing on other expensive SUVs such as Land Rovers, the VW Touareg or Lexus GX. Gone are the days of throttle-and-brake when negotiating over something steep, either forward or backwards.

Back to the new suspension changes mentioned earlier: The brand-new Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) is a pair of hydraulic control cylinders that allows for that front stabilizing bar to automatically disconnect allowing freer movement of the front suspension.

More Than Enough Attributes

Aside from a nice list of standard features, the optional equipment or upgrades are virtually endless: wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel; cool box; moonroof; individual climate controls (28 air vents in all); Smart Key keyless entry; push-button start; electrochromic or moving side mirrors; steering wheel mounted audio, telephone, and voice recognition controls; and a touch screen CD/DVD-based GPS navigation system with a back-up camera.

Just when you think vehicle manufacturers can't make driving any more comfortable or any safer, they go ahead and make active headrests that move up and forward in case of a rear-end collision. If you get rear-ended by something more powerful than your Land Cruiser, the force of your head being thrown forward and then back will be anticipated.

On the interior, there’s plenty of headroom, cargo spaces, and dimensions for extended seats and spaces to fit your needs. The lift gate was not so functional, because the lower half is a small, annoying size – you don't know if you should bother dropping it down to load cargo or just reach over it. 

Some Expensive Wheeling

If the Land Cruiser wants to play with the elite big boys in this class and if you are doing a price and muscle comparison the Range Rover, with its 305-horsepower 4.4-liter V8 engine, comes in at $90,586 and the Touareg 2, with a 4.2-liter FSI V8 engine, and 4XMOTION permanent is priced out at $59,200. The 4-wheel drive systems are impressive on all but the disadvantage for both the Touareg and Range Rover is the engine size (plus the Touareg has a lack of space, check out our review here).

Obviously it’s the big 5.7-liter V8 Tundra engine that stands out as the Land Cruiser's market advantage. But if you're looking at Toyota off-road products, how does it have an edge when its bigger sister, the Sequoia, offers more room and the same engine? And the fact the FJ Cruiser can go off-roading just as well, but costs a lot less?

Toyota marketing literature reveals this vehicle is made for the household income that pulls in $240,000 (yes, a year; not lifelong total). Most of us see this purchase on the same level of investing in a small house, although this one comes without a flushing toilet.

In plain terms, if I want to go off-roading, I'd like to take a vehicle that won't give me a heart attack if I damage it. Like the oxymoron "jumbo shrimp," the words "luxury" and "SUV" don’t really equate to something realistic for the true off-road market and budget, Toyota-lover or not.