GIVEN all their recent troubles with sticky accelerator pedals and dodgy brakes, it may not seem the best time to be singing the praises of a Toyota.

However, amid all the furore and confusion surrounding the recent mass recall of vehicles, it should be remembered that there are many models from the Japanese giants' stable that were not affected.

One of those is the Land Cruiser which, over more than 50 years, has become an almost iconic brand for the firm, symbolising the build quality and reliability of which it is so proud.

That reputation may have taken something of a hit in recent months - and it may take some considerable time to repair the damage - but the trusty Land Cruiser should not be tarred with the same brush.

Because climbing behind the wheel of the Land Cruiser is like slipping into your favourite armchair or pulling on an old pair of slippers - it feels comfortable, safe and secure. It's just a good fit.

The dash may not have all the bells and whistle of some of it's contemporaries, but it's simple, well laid out and everything is easily accessible.

The cabin is spacious, light and airy and there's plenty of room for both front and rear seat passengers... and the spec level on the top-of the range LC5 I drove provides almost all the comforts of your lounge!

There's triple zone climate control, heated front seats with electric adjustment and memory package, leather upholstery, a sunroof and a rear seat entertainment system which means the kids will stay quiet on long trips as they can relax and watch their favourite DVDs.

The system can be operated using a remote control, but can also be switched on and off from the front seats.

As well as opening and closing the screen, the remote can be used to adjust it to four different viewing angles while auxiliary inputs enable video cameras and games consoles to be played through the system and individual headphone jacks let rear passengers use the system without disturbing the driver.

On top of this there is a premium JBL multi-speaker sound system and a hard disc drive which, as well as powering the satnav, allows for the storage of around 2,000 music tracks, effectively creating an on-board jukebox.

As I said, all the comforts of home.

Third row seats with curtain airbags are standard in all but the entry level LC3 model and fold completely into the load space floor, can be raised independently and (on LC4 and LC5 models) at the touch of a button with the power option.

As well as the versatile and impressive boot space, storage options are scattered all around the cabin including the overhead sunglasses holder which, with it's built in conversation mirror, allows you to keep an eye on those pesky kids in the back.

The cavernous storage space under the centre console arm rest can even function as a cool box on LC4 and LC5 models.

And to ensure your enjoyment of all these home comforts while on the road the ride in the Land Cruiser is impressively smooth and quiet.

While you won't be winning any drag races, the 3.0-litre diesel engine, coupled with a five-speed automatic gearbox, accelerates smoothly and cruises so effortlessly on the motorway that once or twice I found myself, after glancing at the speedo, having to touch the break to avoid undue attention from the traffic cops.

But the power unit doesn't grumble at lower speeds either and is more than happy ambling along in traffic around town.

You'll get just under 35 miles per gallon on average with emissions 0f 214g/km and there is an eco-drive indicator on the dash which lets the driver know when the accelerator is being used most efficiently.

Of course, it is as an off-roading behemoth that the Land Cruiser is probably best known and the LC5 has gadgets aplenty to see off all types of landscape.

A multi-terrain select function alters acceleration, traction control and braking to suit off road conditions and can be set for mud and sand, loose rock, mogul and rock.

The multi-terrain monitor works in conjunction with multi-terrain select and uses four external cameras to show live images of the terrain around the vehicle which may be out of sight to the driver on the dashboard screen.

There is also crawl control, multi-terrain ABS and adaptive variable suspension with active height control.

Sadly, the nearest I got to testing these all-action capabilities was to tackle the last of the winter snow on the school run.