The Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial begins life with the same rugged foundations as the Land Cruiser passenger SUV. However, before it is ready for business use, it undergoes a specialist conversion here in Britain.
The work is carried out by a dedicated team at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire. Rear seating is removed and the passenger compartment is transformed into a secure, hard-wearing load area.
The result combines Land Cruiser’s established all-terrain ability with the practical enclosed space required by businesses, landowners and rural professionals.
Why create a Land Cruiser Commercial?
Not every business requiring serious off-road performance needs the open load bed or additional seats provided by a pick-up.
The Land Cruiser Commercial offers a different solution. It retains a comfortable two-seat cabin while replacing the rear passenger area with up to 2,000 litres of enclosed cargo space.
Positioned at the top of the Toyota Professional light commercial vehicle range, it is designed for customers who need dependable all-wheel-drive capability, strong towing performance and secure storage within the vehicle.
The current five-door, long-wheelbase model has a maximum payload of 730kg and can tow braked loads of up to 3.5 tonnes.
Stage one: preparing the vehicle
The conversion begins by removing the rear seats and the associated passenger compartment components.
This creates the space needed for the new commercial load area while retaining the Land Cruiser’s front seating, dashboard, controls and driver technology.
Removing the seats is only the start of the process. The rear of the vehicle must then be adapted to separate the cargo safely from the driver and front passenger.
Stage two: creating an opaque load compartment
A commercial vehicle may carry tools, equipment or other valuable items that should not be visible from outside.
During the conversion, steel inserts are fitted inside the rear window areas. These render the cargo compartment opaque and create a more secure, enclosed working space.
The original external shape of the Land Cruiser remains intact, so the Commercial retains the same distinctive profile as the passenger model.
Inside, the steel panels form part of a robust conversion designed for regular business use.
Stage three: installing the bulkhead
A full-height metal bulkhead is installed directly behind the front seats.
This creates a firm division between the passenger cabin and the load compartment. Its mesh upper section helps retain rearward visibility through the vehicle while maintaining separation from the cargo area.
The supplied photographs provide a close look at this part of the process. They show the bulkhead being positioned, secured and checked by members of the Burnaston conversion team.
Once installed, the driver and passenger retain a comfortable cabin while the entire area behind them becomes dedicated load space.
Stage four: fitting the load floor
The cargo area is finished with a practical, edge-to-edge floor tray.
Its hard-wearing chequered surface is designed to cope with the demands of tools, equipment and working materials. It also provides a consistent floor across the converted rear compartment.
The photographs show the floor lining being carefully rolled into position and fitted around the shape of the load area.
Once complete, the Land Cruiser Commercial provides a cargo space measuring 1,685mm in length and up to 1,286mm in width. Its total capacity is up to 2,000 litres.
Stage five: inspection and finishing
The final stages include checking the fit and finish of the floor, bulkhead and interior steel panels.
The images reveal how hands-on the process is. Members of the specialist team work inside the vehicle to position, secure and inspect the conversion components.
The completed result is deliberately functional. The load area is enclosed, durable and easy to access through the power-operated rear door. The vehicle’s rear side doors also provide additional access to the cargo compartment.
A working vehicle without a basic cabin
Creating a commercial model has not meant stripping away the comfort and technology expected from the latest Land Cruiser.
Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic air conditioning.
The nine-inch multimedia system provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Toyota Safety Sense is also included, alongside features such as Blind Spot Monitor, parking sensors and Safe Exit Assist.
This makes the Land Cruiser Commercial suitable for drivers who may spend a significant part of their working day behind the wheel.
Electrified diesel performance
The current Land Cruiser Commercial uses Toyota’s 2.8-litre diesel 48V powertrain with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 48V system incorporates an electric motor-generator, lithium-ion battery and DC-DC converter. It supports smoother acceleration and quieter, quicker engine stop-start operation while retaining the vehicle’s established working capabilities.
Permanent all-wheel drive and selectable driving modes help the vehicle adapt to different surfaces and conditions.
Crawl Control, Hill-start Assist Control and Downhill Assist Control provide further support away from conventional roads. These features can be particularly valuable for customers working on farms, estates, construction sites or other locations where access may be challenging.
Converted in Britain for demanding work
The conversion process demonstrates that the Land Cruiser Commercial is more than a passenger SUV with its rear seats removed.
Each vehicle passes through a dedicated process at Burnaston. The rear compartment is stripped, enclosed, separated from the cabin and finished with a purpose-designed floor before the completed conversion is checked.
For businesses across Somerset and Devon, it offers an alternative to a traditional van or pick-up. Its enclosed load area helps protect equipment from the weather and keeps it out of sight, while permanent all-wheel drive supports work beyond surfaced roads.
Discover the Land Cruiser Commercial at SCC Toyota
The Land Cruiser Commercial will not suit every business. Its value lies in a distinctive combination of secure enclosed storage, towing strength, off-road capability and everyday cabin comfort.
The SCC Toyota Fleet & Business team can help you compare it with Hilux, Proace and other models in the Toyota Professional range.
Speak to our teams at Roundswell, Taunton or Yeovil to discuss your work, typical journeys, towing needs and load requirements. We can help you decide whether the Land Cruiser Commercial is the right working vehicle for your business.
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