Toyota Land Cruiser gets hybrid tech, but diesel lives on

The new Toyota Land Cruiser is getting a 48V mild-hybrid system that’s designed to deliver “smoother, more comfortable performance both on and off-road,” but very importantly, the company says, in no way compromises the 4x4’s “ability to operate in extreme conditions and rough terrain”. 

Every new Land Cruiser sold in the UK, including the newly announced Land Cruiser Commercial van, will eventually feature the mild-hybrid set-up. It pairs the big SUV’s existing 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine with an electric motor-generator and a 48V lithium-ion battery. It’s the same system used in the Toyota Hilux Hybrid, and can contribute an extra 16bhp and 65Nm of torque.

The main benefit is a quicker, quieter and smoother engine stop-start system, which will help when in town or heavy traffic, but the set-up also gives smoother and more consistent acceleration through the rev range to provide a more comfortable driving experience. Toyota even claims the hybrid system enhances the Land Cruiser’s already immense ability to tackle obstacles off-road. 

The motor-generator is used to recharge the hybrid system’s battery, so drivers don’t have to worry about finding a plug out in the wilderness. It’s able to recuperate energy when the Land Cruiser is slowing down, with the regen function improving efficiency, Toyota says; it should also create more “natural-feeling deceleration”.

Handily, the instrument display will show drivers if the hybrid system is recuperating energy or assisting the engine.

To protect the electrified assistance from whatever Land Cruiser owners want to throw at their vehicle, the motor-generator has been mounted high up on the engine block ensuring that the 4x4 can still wade through water up to 700mm deep. The battery has also been protected against water, while a filter helps prevent the build-up of dust in the cooling paths and a fan is meant to maintain the unit’s performance in high temperatures.

Because this new set-up is more compact and less complex than Toyota’s ‘self-charging’ full-hybrid system, the brand can add the mild-hybrid set-up to cars’ existing powertrains more easily, and without the need for significant modifications or re-engineering.

Toyota hasn’t announced pricing for the new Land Cruiser Hybrid 48V, but it has said that the first examples will be arriving here early next year. However, we don’t expect that they will cost much more than the outgoing, solely diesel-powered version, which already starts from £77,845 – £15,000 more than the rival Land Rover Defender 110.

Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial

As well as announcing the new hybrid powertrain, Toyota has also launched a new Land Cruiser Commercial as its rival to the Land Rover Defender Hard Top van. 

It’s designed specifically for customers who need serious off-road capabilities, but not the load-carrying or extra passenger space offered by the Hilux pick-up truck. Behind the metal bulkhead is up to 2,000 litres of cargo space, and the Land Cruiser Commercial can tow up to 3.5 tonnes.

Order books open on the 1 August, with prices starting from £52,729 (excluding VAT), and standard kit including 18-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, heated steering wheel and a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Auto Express Find A Car can help you find the best deals out there on a new Toyota Land Cruiser or top prices on used Toyota Land Cruiser models...