Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Land Cruiser: A never-ending journey through the decades

The Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Land Cruiser are among the rare vehicles to have actively lasted 50 years. The half century has just been passed in the case of the Golf while the Cruiser is 72 years on the go.

First to the Golf. This family favourite celebrated 50 years of production at the weekend, and is likely to continue for some time – until 2028 – when the electric-only ninth generation takes over.

It is said the EV will be the most ­radical reinvention of Volkswagen’s cars to coincide with the dramatic transformation of the brand.

But before that, the current model will continue to set records as it has been revised and will go on sale by July.

It gets new hardware/software, next-generation infotainment system, intelligent IDA voice assistant and ChatGPT integration. The new plug-in hybrid version has a pure-electric driving range of around 100km.

The line-up from launch will include mild hybrid (eTSI), plug-in hybrid (eHybrid1 and GTEi), turbocharged petrol (TSI) and turbocharged diesel (TDI). And the GTi gets more power.

My first real encounter with a Golf was in recommending it to a friend after we’d driven it from the forecourt of a major outlet in the midlands.

Alas it was to be a bad buy and I’ve learned the hard way that the tail-pipe emissions can tell you an awful lot more than standing like a donkey gazing under the bonnet.

The diesel version always appealed to me as being the best combination of compact car and frugal driver, though the boot size was never an award winner.

I’ve driven dozens of Golfs in the intervening years, either as an owner or as part of my work as a motoring journalist, and there is no doubt it was a different proposition to most of its rivals. Solidly built and always commanded above average trade-in values.

Land Cruiser: Last week I promised you I would be back with driving impressions of the latest Land Cruiser from Toyota.

Before that, key facts. It is powered by the revised 2.8-litre diesel engine (204bhp, 500Nm torque), it has a towing weight of 3,500kgs and overall length is 4,925mm.

Big, powerful and quiet it was rock solid, with its body-on-frame set-up on the new global GA-F platform. It is designed to take you “anywhere and everywhere, and bring you back safe and sound”.

I was driving the passenger version which will only account for a small proportion of buyers.

The vast majority will buy the commercial for the hard graft on the farm or anyone needing a vehicle for tough terrain work.

That’s not to say commercials will be any less comfortable on the road. Clever additions to the suspension and a much nicer inside made for a smoother drive.

The roads were narrow but of good quality and the Cruiser took little effort to stay on course.

The real fun started on the rocky roads equipped with prominent potholes and tyre-nibbling stoney juts. The 4x4 took them all in its stride. Next up we plunged into smelly quagmires and steep muddy, slippery slopes around a challenging course.

I felt challenged by the course but with crawl function (you can vary its speed), all sorts of cameras, feedback, an excellent suspension and sensors, my job really was to steer and get the angles correct for sharp upturns..

The number of assists is extraordinary and were wondrous in their effect, especially to see the vehicle stop for a few seconds half way up a steep incline to take its bearings and decide how quickly it would continue with the remainder. Then it would apply power to the wheels and off we would go. This left the longest impression.

The other memorable item was the under-body camera showing you exactly where the wheels are for accurate placement.

Being the first Cruiser to have electric power steering, it was easy to manoeuvre though I felt it was a bit light on the road. Overall, it was an impressive piece of work and made me feel confident it could “go anywhere”.