The upgraded Land Cruiser could ditch the V8 in favor of a hybrid powertrain.
Toyota finally announced that the 2022 Land Cruiser 300 Series will make its debut in April 2021. By doing so, Land Cruiser enthusiasts can soon expect an official statement regarding rumors it might be making a comeback to the United States. A lot more questions should be answered closer to the release of the 300 Series Land Cruiser in Australia and other overseas markets.
The Land Cruiser 300 Series will be the first thorough redesign of the off-road legend in 13 years, back when the 200 Series made its debut. The full-size SUV will still have a body-on-frame design for better rugged terrain capabilities, but with improved features to make it even more off-road-ready. Toyota is expected to improve the Land Cruiser’s 4WD system and suspension compared to the previous-generation.
Regarding the powertrain, Toyota will finally be discontinuing the big, naturally-aspirated V8 in favor of a 3.3-liter turbo diesel or twin-turbo V6 hybrid and non-hybrid powertrains, the former being used in its more expensive sibling, the Lexus LX. With most Toyotas getting the new GR sporty treatment, we hope to see the same on the new LC 300 Series, since a GR makeover could easily make it the most capable off-roader in Toyota’s line-up.
However, these improvements will probably not see the light of day in the United States. The decision could come due to the redundancy created by Toyota’s American line-up of off-road or SUV options, with the Sequoia and the Tundra being more affordable SUVs, catering to daily driving and off-roading customers respectively. Also, the Land Cruiser’s demand has seen better days with the competition faring better in terms of value and features for the experience it provides.
The new Land Cruiser 300 Series is expected to be $7,000 more expensive than the current-gen 200 Series. The LC Prado is expected to launch later on in 2022. Will that be enough to keep the legendary SUV alive?
More details to come soon.
