The Toyota Land Cruiser has been through wars, deserts, floods, and the occasional school run. And now, it’s got a 48-volt hybrid system tucked somewhere inside, a bit like hiding a Fitbit inside a rugby player.
Toyota has confirmed that this new mild hybrid Land Cruiser – officially part of the new J250 generation – will be the only version on sale in the UK starting next year. No word about it coming to India. No more pure diesels, just this slightly electrified giant. Before you get nervous about batteries and buttons, take a breath. This isn’t a Prius in an off-roader costume.
So, what’s under the bonnet?
You still get a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. What Toyota’s done is bolt on a 48V motor-generator and a modest battery pack. No plugs, no EV mode, and definitely no silent sneaking through forests. This is a hybrid in name, not in range.
Power figures remain nearly identical to the outgoing version: 204bhp and 500 Nm of torque. Toyota says the battery can add a slight boost at low speeds – approximately 16bhp and 65Nm when starting off – which should help when rock crawling or towing something impressively large.
Off-road? Still silly good.
Toyota’s engineers clearly know their audience. The motor-generator is mounted high on the engine, which means the Land Cruiser still wades through 700mm of water without complaint. The battery is waterproof and comes with a dust filter. And the belt that runs the generator? It’s reinforced with aramid and cotton. Sounds more like a rally-grade hammock than a mechanical part.
So yes, you can still point this thing at a mountain and expect it to keep going, 48 volts or not.
When and how much?
Pricing hasn’t been revealed just yet, but expect it to be a touch higher than the outgoing diesel model. Deliveries for the UK market are set to begin early next year, with the hybrid being the only available option.
India? No official word yet. But considering Toyota’s diesel-hybrid Hilux rollout earlier this year, don’t be surprised if this system finds its way to our shores in some form. Given Toyota’s appetite for durability over dramatics, it’ll likely be a quiet update rather than a confetti cannon.
The Land Cruiser remains the Land Cruiser. Adding a 48V system hasn’t made it any softer, less capable, or complicated. If anything, it’s just slightly smoother at low speeds and marginally more efficient on the books.
And most importantly, you still don’t need to know what “kilowatt-hours” mean.
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