Game over for mini Toyota LandCruiser FJ, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Patrol and every other 4WD wagon as 2025 BYD Leopard 5 hybrid looms

The much-anticipated Toyota LandCruiser FJ ‘baby’ four-wheel-drive wagon hasn’t even been revealed yet, but its biggest threat is already looming for Australia.

Expected sometime next year, and said to be called the Leopard 5 (or maybe Leopard Seal 5 if the brand’s fascination with sea animal names continues), it is BYD’s international version of the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 5.

Looking like a cross between the latest Toyota Prado and Land Rover Defender, the newcomer is set to usher in a new level of affordable electrification for buyers seeking a family-friendly five-seater 4WD SUV wagon.

Much like what the Ford Everest SUV is to the Ford Ranger ute, the Leopard 5 is based on the Shark 6 ute, which goes on sale in Australia from October 29.

Among a host of other components, they share body-on-frame construction with ‘Cell-to-Chassis’ battery structural integration for improved packaging and increased rigidity, as well as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain with vehicle-to-load capability – handy for powering generators or even a home during a blackout.

As a result of their similarities, both have simultaneously undergone extensive testing for Australian homologation here and in China, according to one BYD spokesperson.

However, key differences in local chassis tuning due to their separate roles in the market also means that BYD has prioritised the Shark 6 for release in Australia first, particularly as it will enjoy a clear run as the sole PHEV ute, ahead of the GWM Cannon Alpha Hi4T PHEV and Ford Ranger PHEV grades launching in Australia by about the middle of next year.

While unable to confirm the Leopard 5’s arrival at this point, BYD importer EV Direct CEO, David Smitherman, said that he is extremely keen to see the electrified 4WD wagon here sooner rather than later.

“I've put my hand up for every vehicle that's in in the range,” he told CarsGuide at the launch of the Shark 6 ute in Marysville, Victoria, last week.

“And, of course… we're saying we want SUVs. We want utes in the marketplace, and we need to have larger 4WDs (like the Leopard 5).

“(So) absolutely, yes… we have a multitude of vehicles coming, and we're pushing really hard because we know that's the way we grow the business (in Australia).”

Measuring in at 4.9 metres long, 1.97m wide and just over 1.9m high, and with a wheelbase of 2.8m, the Leopard 5 is only slightly shorter and narrower than the imminent J250 Prado, which starts from $72,500 for the GX and blows out beyond $100K on the road for Kakadu.

Now, going on the Shark 6’s lofty equipment levels and sub-$60,000 price promise (that won’t be revealed until the end of this month), the Leopard 5 would likely mirror the $87,400-plus Prado VX for features, yet be priced closer to the LandCruiser FJ. The latter, due soon, is rumoured to be in the $50,000 to $60,000 region, taking on the equally more-compact GWM Tank 300 Hybrid that kicks off from $55,990-driveaway.

And, to refresh, the Toyota is diesel-only at this point while the GWM is available in ($9000-cheaper) petrol as well as aforementioned hybrid guises.

Plus, while the Leopard 5 may be beaten to market in Australia by GWM’s marginally longer Tank 500 Hi4T PHEV also due sometime in 2025, it would likely cost considerably less, since the Tank 500 hybrid currently begins from $66,490-driveaway.

BYD, then, is attempting to reframe value-for-money perceptions in the Prado class, just like it has already with the Sealion 6 PHEV amongst midsized SUVs and, we’re assured, the Shark 6 PHEV in the ute segment.

Like the latter, the Leopard 5 uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine as part of BYD’s DMO (Dual Mode Off-Road) Super Hybrid system. The engine charges a 31.8kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery that powers an electric motor on each axle, though it does also drive the front wheels when extra muscle is required.

Chinese-market models deliver a combined 500kW of power and 760Nm of torque, which is enough for a 0-100km/h claim of a lightning 4.8 seconds.

Ease off the throttle, and the Leopard 5 could return up to 1200km on a single tank and charge, as well as 125km of EV-only range, though these figures are not WLTP.

Whatever, BYD’s momentum in Australia would only multiply with a plug-in hybrid-powered 4x4 wagon offering sensational pricing, economy, flexibility and features.

With such a formidable foe emerging, Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan and other legacy SUV manufacturers cannot afford to rest on their laurels.