The adventure began with a “cuppa” coffee and a hot air balloon ride. The three balloons gently lifted off the dry Highveld landscape like gentle giants floating through the sky. It’s not every day you get to stop and watch life pass you by, especially from 2000 feet above the ground.  The adrenaline from the ride was a great way to set off on our off road adventure.  The significance of the balloon ride will bare greater relevance shortly… Violin music fades out…

…And Indiana Jones sound track begins…

Our play toys for the day were both newly updated models in the Land Cruiser range. The ‘Old School’ 70 series which is a 4x4 cult car and the super cool updated FJ Cruiser.

What goes up must come down. But sitting in the seat of my metallic cinnamon khaki blend double cab 79, I questioned the laws of gravity before releasing the clutch. So I turned up the theme music to Indiana Jones in my head and threw caution to the wind. What’s a 75 degree hill ascent for a 4x4 beginner? Apparently, a walk in the park for the 4.5-litre V8 diesel Land Cruiser. So I made it up, now it was time to come down. Perched 10 meters above what can only be described as safe ground, I maneuverer the nose of the double cab and placed it in direct line for its descent. ‘Are you joking’ was the noise being bantered in my head, ‘we are going to die!’ No,’ just edge forward and release both your feet for the clutch and break’ said the voice of my instructor Derrick. We made it, I’m brilliant! Not quite, the Land Cruiser 70 Series is so capable and competent that both the ups and downs of advanced 4x4’ing are a piece of cake for these machines. A number of second, third and even four grade obstacles were made child’s play for the more manually operable 79 vehicle.

The FJ Cruiser on the other hand is equally as capable as the 70 Series vehicles but takes a New Age approach at climbing up and down the obstacles. While taking photographs of the FJ, I had a rather comical thought. This is the love child of a Hummer and a Mini, weird right? But my initial thought stemmed from the fact that I believe the FJ is truly iconic because it is a one of a kind. It is a mix of Old Spice brute and cartoon character lovability. More than just a pretty face, this vehicle is capable of gliding in silence on a highway and it flattens out the corrugated sand surfaces on a dirt road better than any Russell Hobbs iron. The FJ mixes the best of both worlds; it makes day-to-day driving a pleasure and is a fantastic adventure vehicle. It features a host of Harry Potter electronic aids similar to the ones fitted to his flying broom stick, all of which are standard to the revised model. The FJ also features a huge petrol tank capacity of 159-liters. Can you image filling it to the brim? Why use a credit card, when you could trade the value of a full tank with that of a Kruger Rand. It should come in handy because its 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine can become thirsty pulling this big boy around.

I’m a city boy at heart and the idea of weekend adventures in REAL 4x4 vehicles seams more of a fantasy rather than a reality. Some of you reading this article, and I hope more after reading it, get to experience true Toyota Land Cruising. The 70 series is a serious 4x4 vehicle and its customers know it. There are confirmed orders for 1300 units already which means they are selling as fast as the Japanese manufacturer can make, pack and ship the rock crushing cruisers. The khaki wearing, bundu-bashing professionals who have placed the orders can expect to pay from R 449 200 for the 4.2-liter diesel to R 587 500 for the double cab 4.5-liter V8 diesel.  Though the vintage looking Land Cruiser won’t win any beauty pageants, it is possibly one of the most capable 4x4 vehicles on the planet.

The FJ’s Diesel Jean wearing, urban jungle worriers can expect to pay R 462 200 for this iconic hill climber. I have a great respect for the FJ and if I were to spend R 460 odd thousand rand would very seriously consider spending it on the FJ. The only downside of the car would be its day-to-day fuel consumption, but there would be no way you could drive this car with a smaller eco-friendly four cylinder engine.

As easily as the hot air balloon made its ascent and descent through the sky, so did the Land Cruisers through the rocky terrain. The Toyota team’s metaphor for their new and updated Land Cruiser range was very appropriate.

Land Cruiser is certainly not just hot air!

Land Cruiser Web Link

Find me on twitter @danielcalbacho