2024 Landcruiser 2.8l Auto TOWING TEST vs the V8 70 series

Summary

Two experienced drivers compare towing heavy caravans with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel Toyota 70 series Landcruiser and a V8 turbo diesel 79 series. Despite expecting the V8 to outperform, they are shocked when the 4 cylinder has no trouble maintaining speed up a steep hill while the V8 struggles. Further testing shows the 4 cylinder uses much less fuel while towing just as much weight. They conclude the 4 cylinder 70 series may be the best towing vehicle in Australia given its fuel efficiency, power and refinements.

Takeaways

• 😲 The 2.8L turbo diesel auto performed much better at towing than the tuned V8 79 series, especially going uphill
• 🚗 The 2.8L used less fuel than the V8 while towing a heavy caravan
• ⛽ The 2.8L got 10.7L/100km non-towing and 22.8L/100km towing 3 tonnes. The V8 got 16.7L/100km non-towing and 22.8L/100km towing
• 🔧 The V8 needed brake and handling upgrades to improve towing ability
• 😡 The drivers were shocked and disappointed at how much better the 2.8L towed compared to the tuned V8
• 🚚 The 2.8L auto diesel felt easier to drive overall compared to the manual V8 when towing
• ↕️ The 2.8L lost power around 80km/hr in tow mode compared to below and above that speed
• 🔙 The auto hubs and torque converter helped the 2.8L reverse better with a heavy caravan
• 👍 The 2.8L performed well for towing in Australia and would be a top choice
• 🤯 The test completely changed the perception of the 2.8L as a good tow vehicle compared to the mighty V8

Q & A

What vehicles are being compared for towing capability in the video?

A 2013 Toyota Landcruiser 79 Series V8 and a 2022 Toyota Landcruiser 76 Series 2.8L 4-cylinder are being compared.

What was the overall conclusion about the towing capability of the 76 Series vs the 79 Series?

The 76 Series with the new 2.8L engine performed better at towing up a steep hill while maintaining speed, and got better fuel economy compared to the 79 Series V8.

How much weight were the vehicles towing during the test?

Around 2.9 tonnes with the caravan, water and gas.

What were the fuel economy figures for the 79 Series V8 while towing?

22.8 liters per 100 km while towing 2.9 tonnes.

How did the drivers swap vehicles during the test?

They swapped at the halfway point of the 80km test route, so each could test both vehicles while towing.

What was the issue noticed with the 76 Series in power mode at 80kph?

It seemed to get stuck in too high of a gear at 80kph in power mode, hurting fuel economy.

How did the auto transmission of the 76 Series affect reversing with a trailer?

Having automatic locking hubs with no manual option made reversing more difficult than the 79 Series.

What accessories did the 79 Series have that added extra weight?

It had larger tires, bigger rolling diameter, and around 200-300kg of extra accessories bolted on.

What improvements did the 76 Series have for braking over the 79 Series?

It had an upgraded brake booster which improved brake feel and performance.

What appeal does the new 76 Series have for the narrator?

The narrator states he has never had interest in the 70 Series before, but is very impressed by the new 2.8L model.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Narrator disappointed that tuned V8 loses uphill towing battle to stock 2.8L

The narrator expresses disappointment that his tuned V8 79 series struggles to maintain 100km/h uphill while towing a caravan, dropping to 80km/h. In contrast, the stock 2.8L 76 series auto easily maintains 100km/h on the same hill. The narrator feels like he's making excuses for the V8's poor performance.

05:02

😟 Narrator impressed by 2.8L's towing ability and fuel efficiency

The narrator is impressed that the 2.8L 76 series can tow 2.9 tonnes and burn the same amount of fuel as his tuned V8 79 series. He acknowledges the 2.8L's superior low-end torque, towing ability and fuel efficiency compared to the V8.

10:02

😊 Narrator concludes 2.8L is best tow vehicle available

The narrator concludes the 2.8L 76 series is one of the best tow vehicles available in Australia. He is excited to test it further with 33" tires, expecting even better fuel economy. The 2.8L's refinement, towing power and price make it very appealing.

15:04

😎 Narrator recommends 2.8L for towing in Australia

The narrator strongly recommends the 2.8L for towing in Australia based on its superior performance over the V8 in testing. He is clearly impressed by its power, refinement and towing ability. Some questions remain but signs are very positive.

Keywords

💡Towing

A main theme of the video is comparing the towing capabilities of different vehicles. Towing refers to pulling a heavy load, like a caravan or camper trailer, behind a vehicle. The video tests how well the new Toyota Landcruiser 76 series with a 4-cylinder diesel engine can tow compared to an older, tuned V8 Landcruiser 79 series.

💡Fuel economy

An important consideration when towing heavy loads is fuel economy - how much fuel the vehicle burns while towing. A major finding is that the newer 76 series has much better fuel economy than the V8 while towing a nearly 3 ton load.

💡Torque

Torque refers to rotational power or twisting force. The video praises the torque of the new 76 series, meaning it has powerful and consistent pulling power even when towing uphill.

💡Compression braking

Compression braking uses the vehicle's engine to slow down, especially when traveling downhill while towing. The video finds the 76 series has better compression braking than the older V8.

💡Low range

Low range refers to extra low gearing that helps with slow speed towing maneuvers. The older V8 has the option to select low range, while the newer auto-locked hub 76 series does not.

💡Reversing

Reversing while towing a heavy trailer is challenging. The video compares reversing capabilities, noting the auto transmission in the 76 series helps compensate for no low range.

💡Auto-locked hubs

The newer 76 series has auto-locked hubs always engaged in 4WD, while the older V8 allows manually unlocking hubs. This impacts reversing and maneuverability.

💡Hill climb

A highlight of the video is testing how well each vehicle can climb a long, steep hill while towing. Surprisingly, the 76 series climbed much faster and easier than the tuned V8.

💡Transmission

A key difference noted is the 76 series has an automatic transmission while the V8 is manual. This impacts ease of driving, torque delivery, and temperature management.

💡Power mode

The 76 series has a power mode to optimize torque and performance for towing. At most speeds it helps, but a weakness is found at exactly 80 km/hr in power mode.

Highlights

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The results provide critical insights into disease pathogenesis that may guide development of new therapies.

Transcripts

I feel like you're looking for excuses

running a little bit I don't know how to

feel about this I got to sound a little

bit

disappointed as much as I want to say

the 2.8 toes really well I don't know

that it

will comparing Towing from stock to

stock has been dumb to death we all know

that the V8 is a slug in stock form I've

decided to pin up the tuned V this is

tuned for towing against the stock new

2.8 automatic which of these two

machines has better fuel economy when it

toes and why this sucks for reversing a

trailer and does the auto get too hot

when it TOs and for deeper Insight I've

invited my mate Harry who has 3 years

880,000 K Towing just about everything

with the 2.8 lader PR I want to feel if

the power is different I want to feel if

the gearbox feels any different if

they've made any improvements or if it's

basically just a PR with crappy Le

spring combining my 10 years experience

towing with a v870 series ultimately

will this do a good enough

job let's find out for this Tony T I've

chosen an 80 km route 40ks is there 40ks

is back this route passes over a

well-known big Long Hill that will test

anyone towing a caravan or even a camper

trailer so it's not just my input Harry

and myself will swap vehicles at the

halfway mark this allows us both to get

an in-depth feel of how each vehicle TOS

but also how it feels when it doesn't

tow during the test the towing vehicle

must maintain 100 kmph as long as it can

to calculate fuel down to the liter we

are filling up at the end of both runs

and to monitor temperatures on a 2.8 70

series Auto we have a scan gauge fixed

and looking at it the entire time there

were some huge surprises during this

Towing test and some were hard to

believe for both of us at the start of

this whole thing I thought this was

going to be quite predictable in my mind

this test was it was already made up you

honestly you could have I would have bet

any money I would have bet my pra that

that thing would smoke it up the

hill knowing how heavy this Caravan is

because I've towed it with the v871 just

recently I have my doubts how the 76 is

going to handle going up this hill and

here we go we have started I'm sitting

at 100 I'm going to try my best to

maintained at

100 it's doing it pretty good but it um

it's definitely chilling the fuel going

up as you'd expect anyway hovering just

over 600 now and I'm still feeding it

pretty much maintain 9700 kph the

hallway so power-wise it seemed like you

kept up stayed at 100 all that kind of

stuff yeah stayed at 100 the whole what

maybe 97 I dropped to did you miss the

manual did you miss being able to kind

of lock it into a gear or did you find

it all right just as I was thinking that

in my head it it it went from 5ifth to

4th

and then sort of just powered up it just

did what you wanted it to do it did what

you would have done yeah these things

really start to pull at 1800 and they're

surprising but the auto is quite well

tuned it does hold it in that sweet spot

quite well I found it got to a point

where the egts went all the way up to

600 didn't really go further and then it

just dropped back felt like it was

running out of p and I was like here we

go and then gear down and just going

that's pretty impressive for the 76

series considering it is 2 and 1/2 ton

dry and just the 3 ton with water and

gas on board I'm expecting this thing

because it's tuned to do this easy will

it do better or will it be on par with

the 76 500

EGT um boosting hard losing power

dropping down to

90 I'm at, 1700 RPM in

6th sharpen down to

80 that's really interesting the 7 6

held 100 the whole way

[Laughter]

up it's a serious Hill I can't get over

80

now gear down and

up I can't break 80 in the 79 I just

can't I am genuinely

shocked I'm in fourth gear as well just

just not enough there that is wild I

mean it's it is a bloody nasty Hill it's

a long one it is but this thing just did

at

100 yeah I know that's the biggest shock

of this whole thing look I have cracked

100 before on this hill and that's

Towing smaller trailers but I'll never

turn a caravan up a hill like this so

but like like for like same day same

weight same conditions and it can't do

it and this can is just mind block it

just it just started falling away slowly

it got to this point where it's like it

wouldn't do anymore and then just slowly

dropped I even GE back to third at one

stage yeah right I going to ask if you

did third yeah I did third for a short

time it was revving his nuts off and

then I went back to four and then it got

me like an extra 2K per hour and it went

back again surely no one expected that I

don't know how to feel about this I got

to say I'm a little bit disappointed

it's like it's like your child

disappointing you with something that

they should be a to do and I look at it

I can't be mad at it but I don't know

what happened it just I've never towed

up a hill like that with a big Caravan

like that and it just lost its guts like

it wouldn't go any further and I don't

really want to tune it any harder but

then you put it against the stock 2.8 l

automatic and it just holds 100 the

whole way it's phenomenal the egts

didn't get too high in this it just got

to a point where it's like just I got no

more power for you

basically I feel like you're looking for

excuses running little bit

I feel like I am looking for excuses

yeah I do sounds like a lot of excuses

to me it sounds like the four-cylinder

pulls it up the hill faster than the E

cylinder and I think that's pretty much

all there is to it yes the tires are

bigger on that car but the ratios

actually make up for it so this was

doing less revs overall it just pulls

harder what do you say if you thought

that was surprising why we see the fuel

figures the fuel calculations which will

be towards the

end downhill control I have to say that

yeah okay I I agree with you not even

Shadow of Doubt yeah proper engine

braking the handling is better it just

it feels much more solid going downhill

for sure so with the 2.8 you trying and

your gear down the van just pushes you

down the hill it just doesn't really do

anything I'm not basing that on that car

I'm basing that on my car and I think

that's a pretty fair thing to say

um it just doesn't have as much

compression as the big V8 so this is

definitely better for compression

breaking but even going downhill without

a trailer you have to feed a bit of yeah

acceleration to keep up the speed so you

actually do it's quite weird you could

go to manual on that and I have done

that flick it over I do all the time and

then you can control it but you have to

this runs away a lot more yeah it does

and then the handling is not as good so

it's

worse told you power Hall mode when you

have a power button inside your vehicle

you generally just get longer revs and

snap your throttle turns out this does a

little bit more than that it completely

changes the vehicle Dynamics and here's

Harry's thoughts coming from a PR and

comparing it directly to a pra the towle

mode is weird it drives very differently

to this it holds gears for heaps longer

uh the temperatures in it definitely

stay much cooler but it's sitting at

like 28 2900 RPM mine doesn't really do

that mine kind of sits a bit lower sort

of 2500 and seems to pull quite well

there's also this real dead spot when

you take off it's like it's actually

fine Off the Mark which my PR is not at

all it's really slow Off the Mark mine

goes really well off the mark and then

this one goes well off the mark and then

dies for like 500 RPM and then goes

again the dead spot Harry is talking

about is the 80 km per hour during power

and Hall mode it just

this vehicle in Hall mode does not like

to sit in 80k per hour it gets stuck in

a in a fourth gear really revving high

and I can see on the fuel gauge that

it's sucking fuel I actually switched it

back to normal mode because it toes

better at 80 kmph without Hall mode it's

weird but anything above 80 and under 80

is excellent you got to use that button

especially if you're towing something

heavy like 2.9 T quite impressive except

for 80kph that

[Music]

sucks right set of brakes

go down from 100

braking I personally found this being

slightly better it has a brake booster

see how well this pulls

up this feels slightly

better but pretty close handling when

braking was much better and then the

actual braks were better so big

difference in the way it handles braking

though like the way it moves around and

stuff like that definitely for the

audience watching this has upgraded

brake booster and it was absolute crap

before as a stock you have to upgrade as

a stock V8 those things don't stop I'll

tell you what when I first upgraded it

they had nothing on the back I nearly

ate the steering

wheel the fuel figures are in now we've

done this the proper way we haven't

relied on the instrumentation in the

vehicles actual diesel in the tank and K

by GPS the 79 series not Towing is

16.7 the new 70 2.8 L Auto not Towing is

10.7 so that's 6 L per 100 better than

the 79 when it comes to Towing it went

up another 6 L per 100 so that went up

to

17.6 and that went up to

22.8 let's compare these figures the

4-cylinder 76 series General driving

Burns 10.7 L per 100 compared up to the

V8 16.7 LP 100 km 4cylinder 76 series

toes 2.9 T at 16.6 L per 100 that is

impressive V8 79 series

22.8 L per 100 km that means the 76

series can tow a caravan just under 3

ton and burn the same amount of fuel as

my tuned V8 mate whats to go with the

fuel where does it all go see the black

on the trailer yeah true yes the V8 is

tuned so you'd think you'll have burn

more fuel well not when it's tuned for

towing as stock mode actually burns more

fuel when towing and it runs really hot

in stock form on the other hand we do

have to consider the extra 2 to 300

kilos of accessories bolted to my 79

series V8 the bigger tires the bigger

rolling diameter but I kind of feel like

I'm making excuses here it shouldn't

impact it that much considering that the

76 can tow and then burn as much as a

tuned V8 most V8s getting around out

there do burn that much fuel that's what

surprises me because it's a big donk

normally when you put a bit of weight on

this you load them up they don't change

that much in the fuel consumption but

man when you toy something that big it

makes a big difference we all look to

the big V8 as a good Towing vehicle but

we never really think about fuel

efficiency now that there's something

else out that has a smaller engine and

can actually tow better and burns less

fuel we are in interesting times when it

comes to Towing

vehicles and then the performance like

no one saw that coming no one saw that

coming like Nei both of us were like all

right how much worse is the

2.0 like the tune the tune

V8 like it's unbelievable it's actually

genuinely like

shocking the BR shows in this finger is

awesome well it turns out the best way

to make a 79 series go well is Chuck

four of the cylinders in the bin and do

this this thing pulled better up the

hill than the 79 you can blame all the

tires you bloody well want it pulled

harder it did better it's a really good

tow vehicle we are playing a bit of leap

frog with the camera car and every time

I go to take off

again it takes off really nice actually

so you can get out with a good amount of

speed pulling out in traffic or pulling

off the side of the road um this one

gets off the mark better you reckon yeah

but I reckon that one gets to kind of

highway speeds at 800 much quicker than

that f with the 79 you got to really

play with that clutch you can't give it

too much that change between first and

second yeah you you have to nail it with

a load on the back because if you if you

change it the wrong time and that you

get that completely stuck this is easier

to get get up to Pace it's definitely

easier just Mash your foot you're good

so the inexperience drivers like

100% reversing with these two vehicles

the manual locking hub I can set it to

three I can go low range I can reverse

first here's what I mean with the older

style this being a 2013 I have the

option to go free or locked so when I'm

in four-wheel drive high or low inside

the vehicle it is not engaged unless I

go locked now it's in four-wheel drive

go to three you have a 3 and 1/2 T

Caravan on the back or a three time

Caravan on the back you now have low

range gearing in two wheeel drive and

you can reverse up so much easier that's

why it's so good having this option here

the auto unlocked version you have no

choice there's no way of putting it into

free auto or locked will give you

four-wheel drive which kind of sucks

however the automatic does make up for

it a little bit so the only thing he got

going for it is is it's being Auto you

can use the torque converter a bit and

just rest on the accelerator to try and

move it I'd actually put it in Hall mode

cuz it it it moves quite well in Hall

mode it's not too bad it's a lot better

than a manual in the same situation I

reckon a manual with auto hubs would

suck extra badly as Harry mentioned

having the Auto locked hubs on the new

V8 manual is an absolute balls up they

actually put this into place since

[Music]

2016 what do you think of this as a

towing tour mate if I was going to get

one to to in

Australia I think it might be one of the

best on the market um it's tough It's

very refined now it pulls hard big

statement and it's for the price I've

never ever ever had an appeal there's

never been any appeal to me to get a 70

series until this wow wow I I've got no

words I've got no words I mean this just

being clearly better the whole way

through the tires the 33s the 35s the

33s I got no doubts about but I still

want to know how it behaves yeah but the

35s that's that's where I have my doubts

there are still some questions to be

answered but the signs are bloody good

yeah they are pretty good aren't they

they are pretty good aren't they I'm

getting excited we got the 33s they're

going to go onto this Beast very soon I

want to know how much fuel this burns

with 33s now if you want to know more

about the 2.8 and my in-depth thoughts

about it head over to the forward drive

podcast in fact just two days ago I

released my in-depth thoughts about the

towing with this vehicle and the 79

series and there are Huges more episodes

over there already so check it out the

full drive podcast there'll be a link

somewhere