Toyota Land Cruiser 80 vs. Land Rover Discovery II Off-Road Battle
Intense off-road battle takes place in ridiculously deep and intimidating mud bog. Which will rise victorious?
It’s a rivalry that has never been properly settled. A Toyota Land Cruiser 80 and a Land Rover Discovery II have been butting heads since the dawn of the age of Off-Road capable SUVs. Toyota’s Land Cruiser was (and still is) quite possibly the Disco’s biggest competitor, due to the drive train and engine features that made them so capable. Though, as properly shown in the above video, the forests of Turkey are a good place to set that rivalry to bed.
But first, it wouldn’t be a proper battle if we didn’t know who is challenging who in Off-Road Turkiye’s video. The Toyota Land Cruiser J80 (or, 80 series) debuted in 1989. European and North American models featured a full-time four-wheel drive system with an open center differential that was lockable in 4Hi, and automatically locked when shifted into 4Lo. The engine in this Land Cruiser is the turbo diesel straight six-cylinder engine that made 167 hp and 266 ft lbs of torque. It doesn’t seem like a lot for a large SUV that weighs over 4,500 lbs, and it isn’t. However, when paired with the right aftermarket add-ons, it stirs up a recipe for greatness.
The Cruiser shown in the video has a snorkel in order to traverse through deep waters without fear of hydro-locking, a lift kit, and large bogger tires. In fact, the tires are 40″ tall. In the video, it’s clear how there’s an advantage to fitting the Cruiser with tires that tall.
On the other side of the ring, there’s the Land Rover Discovery II. From the looks of it, the Toyota’s opponent is a series 2 Discovery II. Similar to the Land Cruiser, the Disco comes from a long lineage of Off-Road masters. Land Rover Discovery’s were used in the European military and police for a very long time, due to their impressive on and off-road capabilities. This particular Discovery comes with Land Rover’s straight-five turbo diesel that makes 136 hp and 221 ft lbs of torque. Despite the numbers, the engine and transmission combo was revered for generating and keeping high levels of usable torque at low rpms. The modifications to this Discovery are similar to the ones on the Cruiser: 37″ tires, a snorkel, reinforced bumpers, and an aftermarket exhaust.
The Land Rover is also similar to the Cruiser in terms of the drivetrain layout. The main difference is, unless the owners of this particular Discovery added it on afterwards, the Disco did not come with a center locking differential. However, it did come with an advanced traction control system and Hill Descent Control. Also like the Cruiser, it came with full-time four-wheel drive and two-speed transfer case shifter. So, when looking at the numbers, these two competitors are very similar. Even in weight. This model weighed just over 4,500 lbs.
So what does all that mean when they’re pitted against each other in an off-road battle? Well, a lot. Realistically, with numbers and options so similar, it all comes down to the driver. Which made this video intense and fun to watch. In the Discovery, plumes of black smoke would come from the driver’s read side of the car when power was being drawn. Both cars would get stuck in ruts, but their tall tires never ceased to pull them out. Though, a first, it looked like the Land Cruiser was having a tougher time. In a narrow section of mud, momentum and skill got the Land Rover across the mushy section in the blink of eye, while the Cruiser kept having to reverse and try several different lines to pull itself out of the rut.
That was until the mud got even deeper. The Land Rover, which looked like it might reign victorious, started to have trouble. No matter how heavy the driver was on the accelerator (and they were not shy about that), the Disco wouldn’t budge. Reverse attempt after attempt, it took the Land Rover many attempts to get through. Sliding every which way before reaching the end of the deep bog.
When it was the Land Cruiser’s turn, it made the tough terrain look like child’s play. The taller tires and smooth operation of the driver only got the Cruiser stuck once. They were able to back up the nimble but giant truck and get it across the bog in one smooth (but slippery) motion. The driver kept to revs high and the wheel as straight as they could, leaving the Land Rover’s reputation behind it.
Both cars are more-than capable of hurling their lumbering bodies across terrain this tough, and possibly even tougher. Both trucks have reputations that proceed them, as well. Both were fun to watch conquer this landscape. Though, a wise man’s money would have been on the Cruiser.
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