RUGGED off-roader the Toyota Land Cruiser will boast new styling, more comfort and sharper dynamics when new models hit the streets early next year.

The Japanese company says the reworked design preserves the Land Cruiser's identity while the interior changes will raise quality, convenience and ease of use.

And adjustments to the suspension - both the standard set-up and the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System featured on higher grade models - will ensure better stability and ride comfort.

Stand-out feature of the 2014 range is a more prominent grille with metallic or silver finish bars while the new headlamp clusters and daytime running lights now form a single unit which is set higher, making it less vulnerable to damage when driving off-road.

In a neat touch, the lamp units feature discreet Land Cruiser branding and a contrasting black and powder-coated aluminium finish.

At the rear the lamp clusters have been redesigned and there are now new 17 and 18-inch wheel designs.

Inside, fresh trims raise the tactile quality of the Land Cruiser and the dash has been redesigned to make the vehicle's drive systems easier to access and monitor with a 4.2-inch TFT colour screen, plus speedo and tachometer with thinner needles and blue illumination.

In five-door models, access to the third row seats has made been made easier by increasing the folding angle of the second row, and the upholstery has also been upgraded with double stitching for cloth and contrast colour stitching for leather.

And Toyota says the Land Cruiser's safety provisions will be extended with the availability of  blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert systems.

In the UK, Toyota will continue to use its 188bhp 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine, matched to a five-speed automatic transmission, but revised to meet Euro 5+ emissions standards.

Acceleration figures are 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds for the three-door version or 11.0 in the five-door, while CO2 emissions have been reduced slightly to 209 and 214g/km.

Full range details, including prices and spec, will be announced later this year.