Cup Holder & Drink Holder Upgrades for the 70 Series
Toyota built the 70 Series to go anywhere and do anything. What they did not build it to do - for most of its production life - is hold your coffee. The interior is deliberately stripped back with no armrests and no centre console storage on most variants, and earlier models came with no cup holders at all. For a vehicle designed around durability and capability over comfort, that philosophy makes sense. But it creates a genuine daily-use problem for owners who spend hours at a time behind the wheel on long outback drives, touring routes, or simply commuting between properties. A cup holder is a small thing until you do not have one, and then it is the thing you notice every single drive.
Why Toyota Left the Cup Holders Out
The 70 Series cabin design reflects a vehicle built to a brief that prioritises simplicity, serviceability, and robustness over creature comforts. The dashboard is functional and sparse. The door cards are basic. The centre floor area is occupied by the gearbox tunnel and transfer case selector. Toyota's view has always been that the 70 Series is a working tool first, and that additional comfort features add complexity, cost, and potential failure points to a vehicle whose value is partly in having very little that can go wrong.
That logic is defensible when the vehicle is being used as a station ute or a fleet workhorse. It is less defensible when the same vehicle is someone's primary touring rig covering the Gibb River Road, or the daily driver for a family in rural Queensland covering 300 kilometres between the property and town. The 70 Series population in Australia sits across both extremes - and for the touring and daily driving contingent, fitting a cup holder solution to the cabin is one of the first modifications on the list. The factory omission is so well-known in the 70 Series community that aftermarket solutions have become a proper product category in their own right.
The Two Best Cup Holder Solutions for the 70 Series
There are two distinct approaches to solving the cup holder problem in a 70 Series, and they suit different needs and priorities. The first is a door-mounted solution: aftermarket armrests that attach to the window sill of each door and incorporate a cup holder into the armrest pad. The second is a centre console solution: a console extension that bridges the gap between the front seats and includes retractable cup holders as part of the integrated unit. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive - many owners run both - but understanding what each does will help you decide where to start.
Door-Mounted Cup Holder Armrests
Our Cup Holder Armrests Pro are the most popular cup holder solution for the 70 Series and address two problems at once: the lack of a place to rest your elbow on long drives, and the lack of anywhere to put a drink. The armrests mount to the door using a magnetic attachment system that holds them firmly in position during driving but allows them to be removed and repositioned without tools. Each armrest includes a built-in cup holder with non-slip padding inside to grip the bottle or cup and prevent movement on corrugated roads and rough terrain - where a drink holder that lets your travel mug bounce free is worse than no holder at all.
The Cup Holder Armrests Pro are made from sturdy ABS with a synthetic leather finish, which handles the heat, dust, and UV exposure of an Australian cabin without cracking or discolouring over time. They are sold as a pair covering both the driver and passenger sides, and the cup holder opening accepts containers up to 7.5cm in diameter - which covers most travel mugs, 600ml water bottles, and standard takeaway cups. The fitment covers all 70 Series variants from the 71 through to the 79, both single cab and dual cab configurations.
Centre Console with Retractable Cup Holders
For a more comprehensive interior upgrade, the Centre Console Armrest Pro solves the cup holder problem as part of a broader console solution. The unit mounts over the factory console and raises the armrest height by 14cm, bringing the elbow rest up to a natural position for most drivers rather than having to reach down to the low factory surface. Retractable cup holders extend from the console face when needed and fold back flush when not in use, keeping the centre area clear. The padded top surface provides a proper arm rest for long drives and the console adds usable interior organisation to an otherwise bare floor area.
This solution suits owners who want to address the centre console situation as a whole rather than just the cup holders specifically. It is a more involved installation than the door-mounted armrests but still requires no drilling or permanent modification to the vehicle.
View the Full Cup Holder Range
Cup Holder Options at a Glance
| Product | Mount Location | Cup Holders | Fitment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cup Holder Armrests Pro | Front door sills (pair) | 2 (one per door) | All 70-79 Series | Driver + passenger cup holders with armrest comfort |
| Centre Console Armrest Pro | Centre console (between seats) | Retractable, centre-mounted | 79 Series (2012 onwards) & 76 Series | Full centre console solution with armrest + storage |
Why Magnetic Attachment Matters
The magnetic mounting system on the Cup Holder Armrests Pro is worth understanding because it addresses a real-world concern that simpler adhesive or clip-based systems do not handle as well. The magnets hold the armrest firmly against the door during normal driving and on rough terrain - the grip is strong enough that the armrest does not shift during corrugated road travel or moderate off-road use. But the magnetic system also allows the armrests to be removed easily when needed: if you need to access the window winder or door controls, or if you want to remove the armrests for cleaning or to allow a passenger to use the full door area, you pull the armrest away without tools and without leaving any permanent marks on the door panel.
This is a meaningful advantage over adhesive-mounted solutions. Adhesive door armrests look clean when installed but create a commitment - if the adhesive fails, or if you want to remove the unit to access something behind it, you are dealing with residue and potential damage to the door card. The magnetic system gives you the security of a fixed-position armrest with the flexibility of a removable one, which suits 70 Series owners who use the vehicle for multiple purposes and do not want to permanently modify the interior.
Which Cup Holder Is Right for Your 70 Series?
For a single cab 79 Series or 76 Series wagon used primarily for touring or daily driving with two occupants, the Cup Holder Armrests Pro front pair covers the essentials - both driver and passenger get an armrest and a cup holder, the installation takes minutes, and the cabin is noticeably more comfortable on long drives.
For owners who want to address the full interior situation - no armrest, no cup holders, no centre console storage - fitting the Centre Console Armrest Pro alongside the door-mounted Cup Holder Armrests Pro gives the 70 Series an interior that functions at the level you would expect from a modern vehicle without adding anything unnecessary or changing the fundamental character of the cabin. The result is a vehicle that is just as capable as standard but significantly more liveable on the long drives that define how most Australian 70 Series owners actually use their vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 70 Series LandCruiser come with cup holders from the factory?
Earlier 70 Series LandCruisers left the factory with no cup holders at all - one of the most commonly noted interior omissions across the 70 Series community. Toyota has begun addressing this in more recent updates, but pre-facelift models across the 76 Series wagon, 78 Series Troopy, 79 Series single cab, and 79 Series dual cab came with a bare, spartan interior where cup holders simply were not part of the specification. Aftermarket solutions remain the standard answer for owners whose factory setup falls short.
Will cup holder armrests fit my 70 Series without drilling?
Yes. The Cup Holder Armrests Pro use a magnetic mounting system that attaches directly to the door sill without drilling, adhesive, or any permanent modification to the vehicle. Installation takes around five minutes per pair and can be reversed at any time. No tools are required. The magnetic attachment is strong enough to keep the armrests secure on corrugated roads and off-road driving without any additional fastening.
What size bottle or cup does the 70 Series cup holder fit?
The Cup Holder Armrests Pro hold containers up to 7.5cm in diameter. This covers most standard 600ml water bottles, regular travel mugs, standard takeaway coffee cups, and 500ml cans. Wider-base thermos bottles and large 1-litre bottles may not fit in the holder comfortably. Non-slip padding inside the holder keeps the container from bouncing around on rough roads.
Do the cup holder armrests fit all 70 Series models?
Yes. The Cup Holder Armrests Pro fit all Toyota 70 Series variants from the 71 through to the 79, covering all years and body styles in production. The door sill profile is consistent across the 70 Series family, so a single product fits the 76 wagon, 78 Troopy, 79 single cab, and 79 dual cab without any model-specific variation.
Can I fit both the door armrests and the centre console cup holders?
Yes, and many owners do. The Cup Holder Armrests Pro mount to the door sills and the Centre Console Armrest Pro sits between the seats - the two products do not conflict with each other and complement each other well. Running both means the driver, passenger, and centre area are all addressed, giving the cabin a comprehensive cup holder and armrest solution rather than a partial one.
Are the cup holder armrests suitable for outback and off-road driving?
Yes. The magnetic attachment holds the armrests securely enough for corrugated road driving and moderate off-road use. The non-slip pad inside the cup holder prevents drinks from bouncing out on rough surfaces. The ABS and synthetic leather construction handles Australian heat and UV exposure without cracking or deteriorating. For extreme off-road conditions where the vehicle is at significant angles or experiencing heavy impacts, removing drinks from holders before tackling the rougher sections is always good practice regardless of the holder design.
