40 years on the market and 15 years since its last major update, but is the 2024 model the 70 Series we’ve been waiting for? Or is Toyota just keeping it on life support?
It doesn’t matter which way you slice the pie, Toyota’s iconic 70 Series line-up has been one of the most successful vehicles of all time for the company. Sure, it’s never sold in the sheer quantities of the more refined cousin, the HiLux. It’s also never really had the prestige of the larger 60, 80, 100, 200 and now 300 that it’s sold alongside. But when you can kick start a production run when Bob Hawke was PM and near on 40 years later still be manufacturing the same vehicle with relatively minor changes, you must be doing alright.
While the 70 range has had minor tweaks and major body styles in the last four decades, it’s been 15 years since its last major overhaul that introduced that thong-slapping V8 rumble we’ve all grown to love or hate. Now, with its latest update, and as close to an all-new-look as it gets for a 70 Series, Toyota has introduced a drivetrain and tech sheet promising to make the 70 just that little bit nicer for serious outback touring and hauling your caravan to that dream billabong side campsite.
Toyota has a storied history with powertrains in the 70 Series. First released in 1984, it’s been powered by everything from 2.4L four-cylinder petrol engines to the 4.5L V8 turbo-diesel we’ve all come to love. Of course, that’s not to mention all the other quirky oddities over the years, like petrol V6s and even a 2.5L five-cylinder lifted from an Alfa Romeo for a brief period in the 80s. So it should come as no surprise then that despite the 70 trending up in capacity and cylinder count over the last few decades, that a four-cylinder found its way between the rails again.
The offender this time is none other than Toyota’s 1GD-FTV, a 2.8L common rail turbo-diesel lifted directly from the significantly lighter-duty Toyota HiLux. Punching it at 150kW and 500Nm or torque, it actually outmuscles the older V8 with 151kW and 430Nm. Paired with the new six-speed automatic transmission (a first in over 30 years for the 70), the more refined 70 promises a significantly more civilised and user-friendly driving experience. Something RVers will no doubt love on the big lap. It’s understood Toyota will still be offering the V8 version and five-speed manual gearbox, but with the order books officially closed on those for the foreseeable future.
There’s no official word yet from Toyota Australia, but that same 2.8L/automatic combo is also being optioned up with a mild-hybrid 48V system in both the 2024 Prado and HiLux so don’t be surprised to see it transition over to the 70 as well. Power remains the same with that combo, but fuel economy gains will be welcome for tourers after range over grunt.
While we do love to sling a little proverbial at the 70 for being over-priced and under-spec’d, we do appreciate Toyota’s efforts to meet modern safety, emission, and NVH expectations while still retaining the character of a good old school 4×4. On the inside, even with the latest updates, Toyota has stayed true to that degree.
The big ticket item immediately is the inclusion of a larger touch screen in-car entertainment system with a 6.7-inch display and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It might sound like techno-wizardry at first, but being able to quickly and easily connect on and off-road mapping, podcasts, and music is something any road-tripper can surely appreciate. It’s tied into a new steering wheel lifted straight from a HiLux that gives phone and stereo control with on-wheel buttons and controls for the 4.2-inch dash mounted multi-information display. Cruise control is still on a separate stalk.
Toyota hasn’t mentioned it or released any specs, so it’s hard to know the exact details. But the official press images show a drastically overhauled gauge cluster with a speedo styled near identical to the original 40 series cluster, a serious nod to the lineage of the 70. That updated cluster will also display notifications for lane departure alerts, speed sign recognition and the automatic high-beam. More tech, but tech that makes life on the road easier.
The dash itself has changed very little in the update bar a few key changes. In a move bound to offend somebody somewhere, the cigarette lighter and ashtray have been removed, something simply unheard of in 1984 but passably acceptable in 2024. In their place are additional storage and a slew of power outlets, including USB-C ports presumedly linked to the stereo.
If you’ve been expecting a serious stylistic overhaul on the 70 you haven’t been paying attention… for around three decades. Short of the major overhaul coinciding with the V8s introduction 15 years ago, every update on the 70 platform has been incremental. You could near enough unbolt a door from a ute in 2024 and bolt it onto a wagon from 1984.
Largely, the exterior styling remains the same across the line-up. Toyota has only publicly released images of the Aus market dual cab, but the Japanese market wagon they’ve shown tells the same story. Same body, new front end. That means a wider, more squared-off design with the return of round headlights. Unfortunately no 7-inch sealed beams. Instead it’s a simulated design with LED halos, giving the effect in a grille throwing back to the 80s. Complete with bold TOYOTA badging rather than the bean in a sombrero adorning Toyota’s front ends for the last 30 years.
That front grille design pairs up with an old-but-new looking chrome bumper, new guards, and a new bonnet to suit. Those larger side indicator markers tell us the 70s increased GVM is here to stay, something that allows owners to carry more weight and Toyota to avoid fitting side intrusion bars to meet updated ADRs.
There’ll be no updates to the trim level or body designs in this update, so expect Workmate, GX, and GXL levels with a dual cab, single cab, wagon and troop carrier option. We were a little hopeful Toyota would go all in on the retro-revival with a short wheelbase soft top model to rival the Wrangler and Ford’s U.S.-based Bronco.
There’s no official pricing listed yet, but with the additional tech and automatic transmission, expect a slight bump over 2023 pricing.
Have Toyota finally made the decision to make the rear wheel tracking match the front wheel tracking which they made wider when they introduced the V8. As you mentioned, it was 15 years ago so you would think that that would be more than enough time to make that small design change.
How does Toyota justify charging more for a 4 cylinder compared to a V8?