Petrol power will return to the Toyota LandCruiser in Australia after more than five years, through a new hybrid variant announced in the Middle East.
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The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Hybrid has gained petrol-electric hybrid power - with more power and torque than the diesel – due in Australia in the first half of next year.
Toyota Australia is marketing the electric-assisted LandCruiser as a “performance hybrid”, with a focus on power over fuel efficiency and low emissions.
It uses a 3.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 matched with a single electric motor in a “parallel hybrid arrangement”, shared with the Toyota Tundra pick-up sold in Australia, and a hybrid Lexus LX offered overseas.
It is a departure from other Toyota hybrid passenger vehicles, which use two electric motors – and proudly wear ‘Hybrid’ badging in Australia, a badge not explicitly stated in Toyota’s local media bulletin.
The V6 hybrid system develops 336kW and 790Nm combined in Middle Eastern examples – more than the 3.3-litre turbo-diesel V6 (227kW/700Nm), and the non-hybrid petrol V6 in other markets (305kW/650Nm).
In the Tundra and LX, the electric motor develops 36kW, so it is intended for short bursts of low-speed driving on battery power, or taking the load off the engine at other times, rather than propelling the vehicle in most scenarios like an electric car.
Fuel economy is yet to be confirmed, but if the related vehicles are a guide, it may only trim consumption by 5 to 10 per cent.
Overseas models are fitted with a 1500-watt household power socket in the cargo area for powering external electrical devices.
Australian models appear to miss out on a unique front bumper applied to the hybrid in Middle East – with a sportier design – and it remains to be seen if ‘HEV’ badges are fitted to local models.
Few other details have been announced about the hybrid system, but Toyota promises it “has been extensively tested in the world’s harshest environments including the deserts and mountains of the Middle East”.
Prices are yet to be confirmed, though it is likely to command a premium over the standard 300 Series, which is priced from about $100,000 to $150,000 before on-road costs.
The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser hybrid is due in Australia in the first half of next year.
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
