The rugged Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series has been awarded the full five-star safety rating from independent crash-testing authority, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), along with the current-generation Toyota Prius.

However, the five-star safety rating applies to single-cab variants only, which saw the addition of curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag as part of a 2017 upgrade, along with changes to the bonnet and seat designs.

Meanwhile, the wider Landcruiser 70 Series range receives stability control, traction control, hill-start assist and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) as standard for 2017, though non-single-cab variants are currently ‘unrated’ - the pre-update range had a rating of three stars.

“It is encouraging [that] Toyota has responded to consumer demand, particularly from commercial and fleet buyers, and implemented design changes and safety upgrades to improve the Landcruiser’s safety rating,” said James Goodwin, ANCAP’s CEO.

“This competitive pressure has resulted in a two-star jump for the Landcruiser 70 and will have a tangible effect on the safety of worksites and more broadly, Australasia’s vehicle fleet.”