I see Stockholm disappearing behind me in the rear-view mirror. I am heading north, towards Åre. The roads are beginning to be lined with snow, and the evening light hangs low like a heavy lid over the forests on both sides of the road. It's one of those days when a car's character is really put to the test - and that's exactly what's happening.

I've driven a lot of cars in my life. But few cars give you the same feeling as sinking behind the wheel of a Toyota Land Cruiser. It's big, but it's not just a question of external dimensions. It's a feeling. Like stepping into a suit of armour, a safe cocoon of metal, made to handle whatever is thrown its way.

The height is the first thing I react to. You don't just sit high - you sit majestically. Most other SUVs suddenly look like raised estate cars when you drive round them. The ground clearance isn't just there for show, but a reminder that this car is built to climb over logs and rocks, wade through rivers and scramble where the tarmac ends.

The motorway past Uppsala has treacherous ice patches, but the Land Cruiser feels unshakeable. The steering is surprisingly fine-tuned, with a calmness and weight that inspires confidence. The four-wheel drive does its job quietly. This is a car that laughs at bad weather and just drives on, unconcerned about whether the evening outside the windows is increasingly turning into a winter night.

The music from the speakers fills the cabin. I turn up the volume and let my favourite songs flow through the high-quality sound system. The infotainment system is easy to use, modern but not overly technical. It does what it's supposed to, without distracting from the important thing: the driving.

When I turn off the motorway and take on the winding, snow-covered roads of Jämtland, the suspension really shows its strength. It swallows the bumps in a way that means you never feel exposed to the terrain. But it's when I take a detour off the tarmac that the Land Cruiser really comes into its own. I press a button, let the car adapt to the surface, and suddenly it feels like it's in its element.

The 2025 Land Cruiser brings a range of improvements that reinforce its iconic reputation. It has been given an updated design that is both modern and classic at the same time, where retro-inspired lines meet robust functionality. Under the bonnet is a new turbo diesel engine with improved fuel efficiency and more torque, perfect for heavy haulage and demanding terrain. Toyota has also fine-tuned the chassis for even better comfort on long journeys and a more responsive driving experience. The infotainment system has become faster and more intuitive, and for the first time, advanced driver assistance systems are offered. Fortunately, the speed warning system can be switched off relatively easily with a button on the steering wheel. 

The Land Cruiser is not just a car. It is a legend. It's a machine that has travelled through jungles, deserts and mountain ranges all over the world. It has carried adventurers, explorers and soldiers to places where other cars would have given up long ago. There's something comforting in knowing that this car is built to last. Not for five or ten years. But forever.

We arrive in Åre on time. The Land Cruiser runs like a train in the snow, except that we are guaranteed to arrive on time (unlike the trains in Sweden). I turn round and look at it one last time. It looks the same as when I picked it up, untouched and ready for the next journey. 

The 2025 model year Land Cruiser brings a range of improvements that reinforce its iconic reputation. It has been given an updated design that is both modern and classic at the same time, where retro-inspired lines meet robust functionality. Under the bonnet is a new turbo diesel engine with improved fuel efficiency and more torque, perfect for heavy haulage and demanding terrain. Toyota has also fine-tuned the chassis for even better comfort on long journeys and a more responsive driving experience. The infotainment system has become faster and more intuitive, and for the first time advanced driver assistance systems are offered, making the Land Cruiser even more useful both on the road and in the wilderness.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Price: 949 900 SEK

Engine: 2.8 L Rak 4, diesel. 

Power: 205 hp, 500 Nm. 

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive.  

Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds.

Top speed: over 175 km/h.

Weight: 2 560 kg.

Dimensions (length/width/height): 4 925 x 1 980 x 1 935 mm.