Family focused reviews and advice for everything family car related.

Off-road for beginners and the experienced, plus camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes

Utes, commercial vehicles and tow tests

We make it easy to compare design, practicality, value and more

Buying used? Here's what to look out for and buy smart

Our experts pick the top models

What's happening in the automotive world

Get to know the personalities behind the team every week

The stars of the latest big events

The most interesting hints of what's to come

What's been recalled and why. Are you affected?

The latest and future car tech from around the world

We're here to help you with any car issues

Looking for tips on how to carry or travel with your family?

How To, off-road tips and adventure travel destinations

Not just utes. Detailed advice for you - the tradie - on what car is right for you and your job

Looking for an answer? Our automotive experts are here to help

If you're wondering, we've probably got the answer

Unsure of your car's maximum towing capacity? We've listed all relevant models here.

Wondering how much air to put in your tyres? Our database has the answer

Everything you need to know to keep you and your family as safe as possible

Helpful advice before you finance your next car

Tips for getting the right insurance and how to make a claim

Everything you need to know when sizing up your new car

No matter what else the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series turns out to be, it can be relied upon to be a proper off-roader.

But, as with nearly every model over the years, the new version is fitted with wheels and tyres bigger than the previous generation.

Sometimes that’s a question of necessity such as when, in the early 1990s, the facelifted 80 Series LandCruiser got bigger brakes and, therefore, larger 16-inch wheels to allow for clearance.

But at other times, the move to a bigger wheel and tyre package is all about fashion.

Either way, where does that leave 300 Series buyers when it comes to proper off-road rubber?

Actually, the news is pretty good, even in the case of the range-topping Sahara VX model and its monster wheel-and-tyre combo.

Given that the new base-model 300 Series will ride on 17-inch wheels, and the GXL, VX and GR Sport will use an 18-inch combination, there’s not really any controversy nor any real lack of choice for buyers looking to upgrade from the showroom-spec tyres to something more meaningful.

For all-terrain-style tyres, there are plenty of 17- and 18-inch choices from brands such as BF Goodrich, Cooper, Mickey Thompson, Hankook and many more.

All of these tyres are tried and proven, and while different off-roaders have their personal preferences, these are all known quantities.

The same goes for mud tyres which are likewise available from the same brands, also with plenty of choice.

And the elephant in the room? The Sahara ZX with its 20-inch tyres?

Toyota has admitted that this model is aimed at the owner who appreciates the on-road luxury and presence of a 300 Series over and above its off-road capacity.

But that doesn’t really account for some Aussie owners who do, indeed, want those qualities but still expect off-road ability into the bargain.

Again, though, off-road tyre retailers have no doubt they can provide both all-terrain and mud tyres for the 20-inch fitment from the same brands.

It has been pointed out, however, that the 20-inch fitment has already been seen on Lexus LX models and, in the case of those owners going bush, the option has often been to downsize the rolling stock to a 17 or 18-inch wheel to allow for an off-road tyre with a bigger sidewall (especially useful for when running at low pressures in sand).

But will the Sahara ZX be fitted with bigger brakes that require the 20-inch wheel for clearance?

At 20 inches, the Sahara ZX has the largest tyre and wheel package of any LandCruiser to date.

It seems a bit unlikely with any car maker now taking every opportunity to streamline design and production costs by sharing as much detail across as many models as possible.

The Sahara ZX is likely to be a tiny percentage of total LC300 volumes, too, so a major change like a brake upgrade for that model alone is unlikely.

However, it’s also true that some wheel makers, including ROH, have been busy designing wheels in, say, a 17-inch fitment that allow for the sort of brake-caliper clearance normally only seen with an 18-inch rim.

This is clever design at its best and could point the way for LandCruiser owners if there is a brake-size problem.

Toyota’s other move with the 300 Series – and one that might be met with more enthusiasm – is a shift back to a six-stud wheel.

LandCrusiers moved to a five-stud wheel with the model-change to the 100 Series in 1998, to howls of protest from its customers.

Not only did the earlier six-stud wheel match those of the main competition (Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Patrol), it also matched the wheels fitted to many off-road camper-trailers and caravans, giving owners the chance to carry two spares rather than two for each half of the rig.

The move back to a six-stud wheel fixes that and could also conceivably bring the base-model LandCrusier into line with the Toyota Prado and some HiLux models which use a six-stud 17x7.5-inch wheel and tyre package.

The sticking point will be the rim’s offset (the distance between the mounting surface of the wheel and the centreline of the tyre).

In the Prado and HiLux, the offset is +25mm, but until we take a tape measure to the new 300 Series, we don’t know any more than that.

For the record, the current 200 Series LandCrusier uses a +60mm offset.

The other question mark hangs over the size of the wheel studs. The five-stud Toyotas use a 14mm stud, while just about everything else on the market with a six-stud wheel uses a 12mm stud.

Either way, with a Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) of 6x139.7, the LandCrusier has come full circle. And, 20-inch wheels notwithstanding, that’s not before time for many owners.

Are these mercy killings, or the cruel hand of fate? Not all short-lived cars...

The Hyundai N Vision 74 is unquestionably the coolest concept car of 2022 - but...

When General Motors shut down Holden in 2020, it was clear that one of the...