Iveco Daily VS Toyota Land Cruiser
Iveco Daily
Likes
- Fuel economy/turning circle
- Cabin comfort/storage
- GVM/GCM ratings
Dislikes
- No driver's left footrest
- Short warranty
- Trans can override manual mode when engine braking
Toyota Land Cruiser
Likes
- Handsome roadside presence
- Lots of practical and luxe features
- Pleasant on-road manners
Dislikes
- Servicing schedule is a pain
- Expensive compared to rivals
- Limited customisations with styling
Summary
Iveco Daily
For many tradies a one tonne cab-chassis ute will do the job. However, if you need much greater load space and much higher GVM and GCM ratings, the obvious solution is to upgrade to a cab-chassis that competes in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of the Heavy Commercial vehicle market.
One of many competitors in that space is Italian truck manufacturer Iveco with its Daily E6 range. We recently put one of its latest cab-chassis models to the test, which with a 4495kg GVM rating can conveniently be driven with a normal car licence.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 10.9L/100km |
| Seating | 3 seats |
Toyota Land Cruiser
Australia has a long established love affair with the Toyota LandCruiser. The first owner was Sir Leslie Thiess, and he bought it to assist in the construction of what was, and still is, considered one of the most complex hydro schemes in the world - the Snowy Hydro Scheme.
Due to its proven ability to tackle some seriously hard terrain, it soon became almost synonymous with ruggedness and unbridled grunt.
Naturally, with a history like that there's some healthy rivalry between LC owners and, well, everyone who doesn't own one.
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There have been no updates for the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series but it's competing against heavyweights like the Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Discovery and the Toyota's cousin, the Lexus LX. All of which have seen some decent overhauls with tech or mod cons recently.
My family of three have been family-testing the GR Sport grade to see if the LC300 lives up to the legend or if it's competition is starting to nip at its heels.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.3L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.9L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Iveco Daily8/10
This workhorse combines good cabin comfort and storage with an expansive tray (or other service body if you prefer) and GVM/GCM ratings large enough to cater for a multitude of heavy work requirements. It would be worthy of consideration if you have a car licence and need more than a one-tonne ute or full-size US pickup to get the job done.
Toyota Land Cruiser8.4/10
The Toyota LandCruiser 300 GR Sport is a total knockout when it comes to its looks, comfort and practicality. It’s stupidly easy to drive and has a fuel efficiency that should make you swoon but the servicing is a bit annoying and it’s not the most affordable option on the market. However, even though it hasn't benefited from any updates this year, you don't feel like you're missing out on any luxuries.
My son adores it, wants it and will be very disappointed when we hand it back. Naturally, he gives it a 10/10.
Design
Iveco Daily
The latest Daily E6 range features a revised and more streamlined grille design with more prominent horizontal louvres.
It has also switched from hydraulic to electric power-steering, bringing numerous benefits including steering wheel height/reach adjustment and the new ‘City Mode'.
The latter allows the driver to reduce low-speed steering effort by up to 70 per cent when negotiating tight worksites or loading zones. A welcome feature that allows turning with one or two fingers.
Iveco claims catering for big Aussies was of primary importance when refining its driver seating comfort which includes a taller headrest, longer seatbelts and seat-rails for greater adjustability, plus what it claims to be the first use of memory foam in commercial vehicles.
The only thing missing for RHD markets like Australia is a driver's left footrest, even though LHD markets get them as evidenced by the one residing in the passenger footwell, which is of course the driver's footwell in LHD models.
Passenger seating is often overlooked in single-cab designs but our test vehicle is unusually comfortable, particularly in the central position where even tall people can sit with sufficient knee clearance from the dash and with ample room for large boots on a flat floor.
The steel ladder-frame chassis rides on torsion-bar independent front suspension and a live rear axle, located by substantial double-stacked leaf-spring packs.
Braking is by four-wheel discs and it has a compact 13.5-metre turning circle, which certainly takes the stress out of U-turns, particularly at busy intersections.
The front bumper and lower sections of the doors, where most bumps and scrapes occur, have a low maintenance dark grey finish.
The bumper is now made in three pieces to minimise repair costs, as each section can be replaced independently if damaged rather than having to replace the entire unit.
Toyota Land Cruiser
Design is 100 per cent subjective. I love the look of the LC300 GR Sport because it features what I feel is a timeless, handsome shape.
For some, it may look too big and brutish, because you could throw a bunch of beefy words at it, and somehow, they’d all fit the roadside presence of this extra-large SUV.
What visually sets the GR Sport apart from its siblings are the multitude of black accents across the body from the rear badging, wheels and arches, door handles and roof racks. The grille is also distinctly different in its horizontal design with the Toyota badging capitalised in a bold white font for extra effect.Â
Head inside and the cabin looks ruggedly capable with the dimensions of the centre console and dashboard complementing the external looks.
Technology looks upmarket, joinery is solidly put together and the leather upholstery adds to the plush comfort of the seats but there is a sense of capability in the physical buttons and dials still found on the dashboard.
Which is where I start to really like the LC300 GR Sport because everything is where you expect it to be - this is not a car you’ll get flustered in but nor does it have that generic Toyota look.
Practicality
Iveco Daily
With its 2135kg tare weight and 4495kg GVM, our test vehicle offers a substantial 2360kg payload rating, which is about double that of the sturdiest one-tonne cab-chassis models.
Even after you deduct the 304kg weight of its aftermarket aluminium tray from that figure, you're still left with 2056kg or more than two tonnes of payload capacity.
It's also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its 7995kg GCM that means it can legally tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum GVM.
In other words, this jigger can legally haul just under 8.0 tonnes of combined payload and trailer, which opens the door to many working tasks requiring big load capacities.
The aluminium tray has a sturdy bulkhead with rear window protection and pivoting load retainers up top to ‘book-end' long lengths of pipe or timber.
It also has side-steps up front plus external rope-rails and internal load-anchorage points along each side.
There are two drop-sides along each flank separated by short and sturdy pillars to boost strength and rigidity.
According to our tape measure, this tray's internal work surface is 4070mm long and 2055mm wide with a drop-side depth of 330mm.
There are plenty of places to store things in the cabin starting with three tiers of storage in each door, with the largest equipped with small and large bottle-holders. There's also a full-width shelf at roof height.
The top of the dash has two large bins with clamshell lids, plus a central bin with two USB ports. There's also cup/small-bottle holders on each side of the dash and an open shelf and small glove box on the passenger side.
In the central dash there's a pop-out cupholder, shallow drawer for small items and a larger swing-open bin below them.
The centre seat's backrest folds forward and flat to provide a small work desk complete with a spring-loaded document clamp.
This desk can be raised to reveal a padded compartment below that's ideal for storing pens and slender electronic devices (phones, iPads etc).
Both base cushions in the passenger seat can also be tilted forward to access a large hidden area beneath, so there's good use of limited cabin space to maximise storage.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The front row is roomy and even with a co-pilot, you feel like you have yards of space to settle into. The seats offer a wide seat and plush padding, as well as heat and ventilation functions which adds comfort for longer trips.
Individual storage is good with a large glove box, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a large middle console that also features a 'cool box' function for drinks or snacks.
The comfort of the front is replicated in the backseat, which deftly accepts the height of my 183cm father. The width of the seat can easily accommodate three adults in relative comfort or, if you have a few tots in tow, three child seats.
Amenities and storage in the back row are what you'd expect for a top model in this class. The rear outboard seats feature heat and ventilation functions and there is dual air-conditioning and climate control, as well as, four directional air vents.
The fold-down armrest features two cupholders while the doors hold a drink bottle each and a small storage bin. There are also two map pockets and you can access the middle console cool box with a rear-mounted button.
The GR Sport does remind you that it's a big car with its 235mm ground clearance and my seven-year-old son declared I needed to hold all of his stuff this week as getting in and out is a ‘two-handed- operation'. Like him, I too am grateful for the grab handles and side steps in this car.
The technology is well-rounded and simple to use. The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks great and is responsive to touch. It has built-in satellite navigation and a Toyota Connected Services app with three years of complimentary updates. There is also wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AM/FM radio and DAB+ radio but there’s not much else to access in this system.
The mostly analogue instrument cluster features a 7.0-inch tech screen and this is where you can do a lot of your customisations with display and safety.
The charging options are solid up front with the choice of a USB-A and C port, 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad. The rear gets two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket as well.
The boot is cavernous with its 1131L of luggage capacity and that’s with all seats in use. The squared shape of the boot and the 90-degree angle the boot lid opens to are quite practical, especially when fitting bulky items or loading things in the rain.
All GR Sports come with a powered boot lid and a domestic 220-volt socket for charging larger items while adventuring.
Price and features
Iveco Daily
Our test vehicle is the 50C single cab-chassis equipped with the standard 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, optional eight-speed automatic transmission and 3750mm wheelbase (one of five wheelbases to choose from) for a list price of $70,639, plus on-road costs.
Our example is equipped with the 'Hi-Business Pack' (one of four optional upgrade packs) which consists of the 'Hi-Connect' multimedia system with GPS navigation, wireless and USB phone-charging, fog lights and full LED headlights. So, drive-away price (not including tray) is $73,364.
For that money you get a workhorse that's well equipped for hard yakka, starting with its six rugged steel wheels (duals at the rear) with 195/75 R16 truck tyres and a full-size spare.
The single-cab has a suspended, heated and fully adjustable driver's seat with fold-down inboard armrest plus a two-passenger bench seat, adaptive cruise control, heated and power-adjustable door mirrors with direction indicators, electronic parking brake, daytime running lights, 3.5-inch driver's info display and four-speaker multimedia with multiple connectivity including Apple and Android devices.
There's also plenty of cabin storage and connections are provided to facilitate the installation of service bodies.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The LC300 series is offered in six grade levels for our market and the second-from-top-spec GR Sport model (the Sahara ZX is slightly more expensive) is on test here. It’s priced from $145,876 before on-roads which is almost $4K dearer than last year’s pricing but doesn’t feature any new upgrades.
Its price point also positions it more towards the top-end of the upper-large SUV market, compared to its rivals. Sitting at the top of that list is the Lexus LX500D F Sport at $180,061 MSRP and then the Land Rover Discovery D300 at $129,020 MSRP.
The most affordable rival is the Nissan Patrol Warrior for $104,160 MSRP but it's important to note that the Patrol is only available with a hefty 5.6L V8 petrol engine, there's no diesel variant. Which is something to consider when you're at the bowser.
In terms of luxuries, there is a heated steering wheel, powered front seats with heat and ventilation functions, leather upholstery and synthetic leather trims throughout. The rear outboards seats also have heat and ventilation functions and a sunroof comes standard.
The technology looks premium with a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster headlining the dashboard. There's some 'old world' charm with the CD/DVD player at the front.
Tech is rounded out by the wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, Toyota Connected Services App, head-up display, three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad. There is also a 220-volt domestic socket located in the boot and a premium 14-speaker JBL sound system.
The key practical features include a powered tailgate, cool box (middle console), four-zone air-conditioning and climate control, push-button start, keyless entry and a full-size spare wheel.
Under the bonnet
Iveco Daily
Iveco's 180EVID F1C is a heavy-duty 3.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel with variable geometry turbine technology and tough Euro 6 emissions compliance using AdBlue.
It produces 132kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm of torque at 1500rpm.
The optional ZF eight-speed torque converter automatic sends drive to the rear wheels and offers a choice of 'Eco' (Economy) and 'Power' drive modes plus the option of sequential manual-shifting, all using the stumpy dash-mounted shifter.
It also has overdrive on its seventh and eight ratios to optimise fuel economy, particularly at highway speeds.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The LC300 models all share the same 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel engine that produces a hefty 227kW and 700Nm of torque. Making it powerful enough to easily handle its 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity.
The GR Sport has a 10-speed auto transmission and has a full-time 4WD system with high and low range. It also has front, rear and centre diff locks, so adventuring pursuits should be a breeze but check out Crafty’s off-road review on this model for more 4WD insights.
Efficiency
Iveco Daily
When we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 303km test, the dash display was claiming average consumption of 11.3L/100km, of which about one third of that distance was hauling a heavy payload on a mix of city and suburban roads plus some highway travel.
Our own number, crunched from fuel bowser and trip meter readings, came in slightly lower at 10.9, which is excellent economy for a vehicle weighing more than 2.4 tonnes unladen and almost 4.0 tonnes for part of our test.
So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 900km from its 100-litre tank.
Toyota Land Cruiser
It's big and has a lot of power, so it should be pretty thirsty ... right?
Wrong! The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is 8.9L/100km and my real world usage came out at 9.8L/100km after doing a mix of long open-road trips and some urban stuff.
Based on the official combined fuel cycle and the two fuel tanks, which equal 110L, you’d be able to get a theoretical driving range of 1236km.
Driving
Iveco Daily
It's easy to find a comfortable driving position given the memory foam bucket seat has adjustments for lumbar support, base-cushion rake and driver weight for its inbuilt suspension.
The fold-down inboard armrest, in partnership with the door's armrest, ensures balanced elbow support to reduce neck and shoulder strain.
There are good eyelines to the big door mirrors, with the bottom thirds of each offering wide-angle views. However, with the seat in its most rearward position, the slim column that separates the fixed and sliding glass in the driver's door slightly obscures the outside edge of the driver's door mirror, which suggests the single-cab has more rearward seat travel than the van version we've previously tested.
The electric power-steering is nicely weighted (particularly the new ‘city mode' in tight spots) and the four-wheel disc brakes have good stopping power.
It's a no-brainer the ride quality is harsh over bumps when unladen, given it's designed to cope with 8.0-tonne GCMs.
Fact is, in a working role, this vehicle would rarely if ever be driven without a substantial load to engage its big rear springs, which we did when forklifting 1.3 tonnes onto the tray. With driver this payload totalled 1.4 tonnes, which was still more than 600kg below its peak rating (with tray).
Even so, it was enough to make the ride much smoother, which is most relevant in this context. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel maintained good performance hauling this load in city and suburban driving, displaying useful flexibility either side of its 1500rpm torque peak in Eco mode.
We did sample the Power mode, but found the engine was more than capable of handling this task in its economy setting, with the eight-speed auto doing its best work if left alone without the need to manual shift.
The engine only requires 2000rpm to maintain highway speeds, so engine (and tyre) noise is low at 110km/h. The most cabin noise comes from wind-buffeting around the mirrors, bulkhead frame and payload hanging in the breeze.
In Eco mode it performed well on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h, comfortably hauling this load to the summit in third gear without the need to select Power mode.
Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, pegged the road speed at 50km/h without the brakes needing to being applied for most of the descent, until it overrode our manual gear selection and shifted up to third when the engine was approaching its 4500rpm redline on overrun.
In our experience, these engine-protecting protocols are common in European commercial vehicles. However, it can spring a surprise if you're leaning on the engine to help restrain a big payload on a steep descent and it suddenly changes up a gear.
Even so, the engine-braking performance was good given its sizeable payload.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The GR Sport is a massive car but it doesn’t handle like one. That's not to say it handles like a small car but it doesn't feel like a truck to drive.
The power is effortlessly gutsy and there's no issue keeping your speed consistent on hills. The 10-speed auto transmission manages its gear changes and power hits smoothly. The rumble of the V6 engine is also quite therapeutic when it comes time to tackle an overflowing causeway or muddy road.
The GR Sport feels solidly grounded and even on winding roads, the roll in corners isn’t bad at all. Less so than a Prado, actually.Â
The ride comfort is very good in the GR Sport grade as it has special adaptive suspension and that means that you really aren’t bothered by the road surface. Besides some whistling from the roof racks, there’s also little outside noise and it feels refined in the cabin because of it.
The wide windows and high seating position offers great visibility all around but I'm very aware of how large the car is as I can't see my son when he walks around it. The sensors alert you but make sure all kids are accounted for before you start moving.
Despite its size, the GR Sport is very nimble to manoeuvre with a small 11.8m turning circle and steering that is responsive.
Parking has been no issue for me this week and while the 360-degree view camera is a bit too fish-eye lense for me, its clear and you get used to it pretty quickly.
Safety
Iveco Daily
Heavy commercial vehicles are not eligible for ANCAP ratings but the 50C cab-chassis is equipped with numerous standard passive and active safety features including driver, passenger and curtain airbags, AEB, adaptive cruise control, a suite of nine electronic stability programs and more.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The GR Sport is the only grade not covered by the LandCruiser 300 Series' 2022 five-star ANCAP safety rating.
Toyota doesn’t have any plans to get it rated but it still features all of the safety equipment of its top-spec Sahara siblings.
Standard items include AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree camera system, trailer sway control, parking sensors (front and rear), and a rear parking support brake.
Other safety highlights include an alarm system, SOS emergency call button, stolen vehicle tracking and an automatic collision notification system.
The GR Sport has 10-airbags but misses out on the newer front centre airbag.
There are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points. You can absolutely get three child seats installed but you miss out on a third row due to the grade level. Which might be a bummer for larger families who are wanting this spec.
Ownership
Iveco Daily
Standard warranty is three years/200,000km (three years is short) but the option of up to five years/300,000km is available at extra cost.
Scheduled servicing is every 50,000km/12 months whichever occurs first.
Iveco offers a range of maintenance agreements to help owners manage maintenance costs.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The GR Sport comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and if you stick to your service schedule, you get an additional two years of engine coverage.
There is capped-priced servicing for up to five years or 100,000km, which entails a total of 10 services or two a year as servicing intervals are a pain at every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.
Services are $400 which equates to $800 per year, which is a bit expensive but not outrageous for the class.