Toyota Land Cruiser 2026 News

Will the current war in Iran mean a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles? My view is no, it won’t directly cause a ban on combustion cars. But the ban is still coming and the Middle East conflict will fastrack it. For starters a date has already been set for ban on petrol and diesel cars in the United Kingdom, where from 2030 sales of new vehicles with combustion engines will cease. The European Union has a 2035 ban but previous to the Iran war this was watered down.China, which in February was our main source of vehicles, is also focused on building and developing electric cars.As for Australia, only the ACT has set a goal of phasing out the sale of new combustion powered cars by 2035.That could all change now and by this I mean be fastracked.Until now the reasons for switching to electric vehicles were mainly ethical and environmental, with emissions and cleaner air being the carrot. The problem is nobody really  wants to eat a carrot, even if it’s good for us. But faced with the prospect of not eating at all because the weekly fuel bill for two cars is now $300 and the price of groceries is going up because of the soaring cost of transport, that really changes things.Interest in electric vehicles has never been this strong. We can see it in real time by the traffic coming to carsguide.com.au and we know our competitors are witnessing the sharpening of this focus on EVs, too.Towards the start of 2025 there had been a slow down in global interest in EVs and a renewed take up of hybrids. The price premiums attached to electric cars, the limited driving range and lengthy charging times were to blame, but all things early adopters, and even slightly later ones, were willing to endure. The rest of the car buyers were too put off by the downsides of EVs and stuck with the convenience and familiarity of petrol or perhaps bought a hybrid. But now the price of convenience appears to be reaching a point where suddenly an EV sounds like a good idea. At the time of writing 95 RON premium unleaded was $2.70 per litre. An increase of about $1 per litre or 60 per cent in the space of a month. The prohibitive cost now of petrol combined with the looming threat of Australia running out of it in less than three weeks, plus reports of servicing stations already running dry now make an electric car suddenly seem like not such a bad idea after all, even to the most hardcore fans of fossil fuels.The problem is bigger than just consumers not being able to afford petrol, it’s the soaring cost of goods, which are distributed through Australia’s enormous freight network that relies on diesel.The Australian government is responsible for setting such low minimum fuel reserves all in the name of a free market. The current situation could see it either mandate that the industry maintain a higher level or reduce the risk entirely of being held hostage like this again and ban petrol and diesel car sales in favour of electric ones, which can be powered by a fuel we can produce ourselves.The second option wouldn’t be the choice of the $6 trillion-a-year global oil and gas industry. And an industry that’s worth that much has enormous sway.But then the collapse of entire economies wouldn’t be the choice of most governments.Decoupling from oil and gas is impossible in less than 50 or even 100 years. Whether we like it or not the industry pervades every part of our lives. Killing the industry would also see the collapse of entire economies.Plenty of car companies are ready for electric vehicles, especially new Chinese brands, but for many vehicle manufacturers EVs are a side hustle.This scenario play into the hands of new electric brands such as Zeekr with the 7X mid-szied SUV, BYD with the Sealion 7 SUV and even the established Koreans such as Kia with the EV3 small SUV.Does it mean the end of diesel SUVs such as the LandCruiser? Possibly, unless Toyota has an electric version up its sleeve ready to be pulled out in the next 10 years.So what you'll probably see is the EU and UK setting new firm deadlines for the discontinuation of sales for new cars with combustion engines at about 2035 or sooner. Australia will likely follow suit.Industry, freight and agriculture will be exempt until hydrogen infrastructure is in place and that will take much longer.What we may see in the short term is a temporary ban on the use of petrol and diesel passenger cars in order to preserve fuel stock for industry, freight and vital services such as emergency vehicles. That’s a real possibility if the war moves into an uncontrolled phase.So while the permanent ban of new petrol and diesel cars won’t be directly caused by the Iran war, it will be a catalyst for the ban. In the meantime, it’s probably wise anyway to purchase an EV anyway and provide a bit of security and future proofing for your own household, not to mention saving thousands in fuel bills each year.

Thousands of the recently-updated Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series have been recalled due to a transmission issue.A Department of Infrastructure notice confirms the recall relates to 11,019 examples from all variants of the 2025 model year LandCruiser 300 Series. “Due to a Transmission Control Module (TCM) programming issue, the transmission may rev faster than intended causing a loss of motive power and transmission fluid to leak,” the notice reads. “A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source could lead to a vehicle fire whilst driving.“A loss of motive power whilst driving and/or a vehicle fire could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and/or damage to property.”A spokesperson for Toyota Australia said the recall was part of a global mandate from Toyota, with no incidents reported Down Under yet. Toyota will contact affected owners in writing to organise an appointment at a Toyota dealership to rectify the issue free of charge. The LandCruiser 300 Series recently had its price increased by $1000 across the range, with the starting price, before on-road costs, now $99,340 for the base GX variant.The updated model impacted by this recall was launched in the middle of 2025, with a hybrid model launching in Australia next month.A recall is also out for 569 examples of the Lexus LX500 and LX600 four-wheel drives in the 2025 model year.The Lexus LX is built on the same platform as the LandCruiser and shares many of its mechanical elements.  

The large SUV category (starting under $100K) in the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards brings together one of the most varied groups of models from the super modern, fully electric high-performance to the super capable, off-road beasts. But all have a family focus with practicality at an affordable price.Our shortlist saw entrants from Chery, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Polestar, Skoda, Toyota and Volkswagen.Now it’s time to announce our final top three, including the winner. First up are the two runners up in alphabetical order, then the category winner.Seven-seat upper-large SUVs aren’t unique but fully electric ones are and the Kia EV9 was not just the first of its kind to come to Australia, but it is also a truly outstanding car and that’s why it has easily made it into our top three.CarsGuide reviewers love how the EV9 provides all the practicality and space that an upper-large SUV should with an advanced electric architecture and a package that feels high quality and stylish.“I think it’s one of the cars of the decade,” said CarsGuide Contributing Journalist Byron Mathioudakis.“I still look at it and it stuns me and I just think it’s beautifully packaged … it’s a Range Rover for Kia money. Korea should be so proud of that car.” While the EV9’s futuristic looks were loved by the team, some thought the high price might put people off. The Toyota LandCruiser helped spark the world’s fascination with SUVs decades ago with its ability to take families on adventures to places regular cars had no hope of ever reaching. But while there’s a multitude of other SUVs out there now, the latest-gen LandCruiser 300 Series is still one of the very best, which is why it’s here on our top-three list.    CarsGuide News Editor Dom Tripolone said the LandCruiser 300 was one of the vehicles that did its job well: “It does what it says on the box. It’ll last a long time.”The team mentioned the good resale value of the LC300, its reputation for reliability and that its intended buyer who wants to go off-road or go anywhere will absolutely love it.Hyundai’s new-gen Santa Fe shocked many with its wildly different look to the previous model when it arrived in late 2024.But, while the design was polarising, CarsGuide reviewers couldn’t deny that this was an outstanding SUV in almost every other way.  “It genuinely achieves everything it sets out to do,” said CarsGuide Deputy News Editor Tom White. “I also love the design of it – it’s superb.”With a choice of hybrid and petrol powertrains in both front- and all-wheel drive, the Santa Fe is comfortable and easy to pilot in the city or on long haul trips. Available in six- and seven-seat formats, the Santa Fe caters impressively well for families with its practicality and space, plus with its extensive features list and affordable entry price represents excellent value for money.

Toyota Australia has increased the asking price of a number of its popular SUV models.From January 1, 2026, the Toyota C-HR, LandCruiser Prado and LandCruiser 300 Series all received price hikes of up to $1500, depending on the model and variant.“Toyota is committed to keeping price increases to a minimum. These changes came into effect recently due to increased costs and inflationary pressures both here and overseas,” said a Toyota Australia spokesperson.The 2026 Toyota C-HR is now priced from $46,940 before on-road costs to $58,890 before on-road costs. Pricing for the entire line-up is $1500.The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser Prado is now priced from $73,200 before on-road costs to $100,690 before on-road costs. Pricing is up $700 across the line-up.The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series $99,340 before on-road costs to $147,160 before on-road costs. Pricing is up $1000 across the line-up.Pricing tables for all three Toyota models are at the bottom of this story.This is the first time the current-generation Prado has received a price rise in Australia since it was introduced in late 2024.Since it first launched, Toyota introduced a five-seat version of the popular GXL mid-spec variant following criticism of the compromised boot space of the seven-seat versions.The Prado was also the third best-selling Toyota model in Australia during 2025, behind only the popular HiLux and RAV4.While the existing LandCruiser 300 Series with its 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine almost already reaches $150,000 before on-road costs, it’s expected to surpass this with the forthcoming 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol ‘Performance Hybrid’ GR Sport and Sahara ZX trims.While the first-generation Toyota C-HR was a sales success, sales of the current second-generation which was introduced in 2024 have been notably softer.During 2025 a total of 2892 examples were sold which is up 2.3 per cent year-on-year. However over the same period Toyota also sold 12,686 examples of the similarly sized Corolla Cross.This is likely due to the fact the current C-HR is much more expensive than it was. It’s now sourced from Turkey instead of Japan and as a result incurs a five per cent import tariff.2026 Toyota C-HR pricing:2026 Toyota LandCruiser Prado pricing:2026 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series pricing:

Large SUVs are the big, spacious heroes of suburbia, favoured by families with more than a couple of kids and picked for their adventurous and sporty looks when probably a people mover would do.Of course, there are the large SUVs that aren’t just tough looking but incredibly capable off-road, too. Then there are those which are fully electric, and bring supercar acceleration to something that feels like the size of a small house.As part of our ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, here are our top 10 large SUV model ranges from the sub-$100K category in alphabetical order and why they made the cut. Our top three, including the category winner, will be announced February 6.Chinese carmaker Chery brought its flagship Tiggo 9 seven-seater SUV to Australia in late 2025 and in one grade only - the Ultimate.CarsGuide reviewers found the Tiggo 9 to be outstanding value for money, but also standing out is its ‘Super Hybrid’ system which offers a large battery, fast charging and a long combined range with excellent fuel efficiency.Add to this a superbly comfortable ride and you can see why the Tiggo 9 has made our shortlist.  Hyundai’s Santa Fe quickly became an Aussie family favourite after it was launched here 25 years ago. Loved for being spacious and affordable, this large SUV became safer, better to drive and more refined over the years until we come to today’s fifth-generation model, which is the best yet.The Santa Fe is a three-row large SUV available in both petrol and petrol-hybrid powertrains. It has some fierce rivals in this large and affordable SUV segment, but CarsGuide reviewers loved the way it combines practicality and value for money with style and refinement that can withstand all the spills and rough treatment delivered by families.  So much kudos needs to go to Kia for launching its largest SUV ever - the EV9 - as an all-electric model only. A brave move that even made the EV9 unique in its segment as the first fully electric, seven-seat, upper-large SUV on the market.CarsGuide reviewers found the EV9 to be practical, superb to drive with outstanding levels of comfort and performance, and while it can be pricey there’s large fast charging batteries, with long ranges and vehicle-to-load power capability.Add to all this the futuristic chiselled looks and you have an SUV that’s bravely different, and beautifully fit for purpose.The Land Rover Defender is iconic. Famous for being the choice of transport for decades of hardcore adventurers to royalty and everyone in between, not many SUVs can combine prestige and off-road prowess like the Defender. The new Defender is a far more luxurious affair than the early Land Rover Series 1 from the 1940s that started the whole off-road SUV thing, but the blocky looks are still reminiscent of its agricultural ancestor.CarsGuide reviewers found the Defender to be comfortable and great to drive, with excellent practicality but fuel consumption can be high and towing capacity less than rivals.Available in a short- and long-wheelbase, with a choice of powerplants from supercharged V8s to hybrids the Defender is an exceptional go-anywhere luxury SUV.The Polestar 4 is a prestige electric coupe-style SUV that arrived in Australia in 2024, causing chins to wag due to its complete lack of rear window, and a digital review mirror.The rear window controversy was good publicity for the brand which arrived in Australia in 2022 with its Polestar 2 sedan but had seemingly gone off the boil with the arrival of a multitude of new Chinese electric SUVs.At 4.84m end to end, the Polestar 4 is about a finger’s length longer than the Tesla Model Y, but more expensive and would see its rivals as Audi’s Q6 e-tron Sportback and BMW iX3.  CarsGuide reviewers found the Polestar 4 to have an impressive driving range, excellent performance, great styling… but that lack of back window and the digital rear view mirror, not so great. The new-generation Skoda Kodiaq arrived in 2025, bigger and more refined than the previous version, even if the styling appeared to have barely changed. CarsGuide reviewers found this seven-seater to be practical with excellent cabin storage and packed with loads of standard features, making the Kodiaq excellent value.Superb to drive with great handling and a comfortable ride, the Kodiaq is the alternative to more mainstream rivals such as the Mitsubishi Outlander or Toyota Kluger.  Toyota’s seven-seat large SUV has also been on the shopping list of Aussie families since 2003 and while there’s more rivals to pick from than 20 years ago, the Kluger remains popular.CarsGuide reviewers found the Kluger to be spacious, practical, effortless to drive and with a fuel efficient hybrid powertrain, it is also outstanding value for money and comes with low servicing costs and Toyota’s reputation of reliability.Aussie Klugers are made in right-hand drive at Toyota’s Indiana plant in the United States.  Toyota’s LandCruiser 300 Series is a legend in its own time, acclaimed worldwide as one of the most capable large off-roaders, that’s comfortable, and with an exceptional reputation for reliability.With rivals such as the Nissan Patrol and Land Rover Defender, CarsGuide reviewers found the LandCruiser 300 Series to not only be great off-road, but also have good on-road manners, too. Reviewers noted, however, the high price tag and the need for better off-road tyres.The new-gen Toyota LandCruiser Prado arrived in late 2024 amid high expectations given the popularity of the previous modelsThe new Prado had a completely new retro cool look, but also a higher price tag. Still CarsGuide reviewers found the Prado very effective off-road and a big improvement over the previous gen with an increased towing capacity of 3500kg. But CarsGuide reviewers also found the Prado to be underpowered and not as good value for money as a Ford Everest or Isuzu MU-X.   Volkswagen's Touareg is a large, luxurious SUV that’s closely related to Audi’s Q7 but without the higher price.While all Touareg’s are five-seaters only, CarsGuide reviewers found it to be practical, full of sophisticated tech and refined in design and quality.A plug-in hybrid in the sporty R grade is available but CarsGuide reviewers found energy consumption to be high and EV driving range to be low.

Toyota Australia has responded after Queensland Police alleged an international crime syndicate was targeting its vehicles in the Brisbane region.Between October 20 and December 2, 60 high-end Toyota vehicles, including LandCruisers and Prados, were stolen with the intent to ship the vehicles to the United Arab Emirates, according to Queensland Police. The vehicles were valued at about $9.0M.Several of the vehicles were recovered in Melbourne and Queensland before they headed overseas.Queensland Police have arrested seven men and charged them with more than 300 offences.Brisbane Detective Acting Inspector Russell Joyce said, “This was an extremely complex operation with a disciplined international syndicate allegedly targeting vehicles for personal gain.“The QPS is sending a strong message that offences of this nature will not be tolerated, and police will be relentless in their pursuit of any alleged offender,” he said.Toyota Australia said it has worked closely with the Queensland and Victorian Police to identify the devices used in the thefts.The company said it had implemented security enhancements to counter their effectiveness.In a statement Toyota Australia said, “Toyota is committed to continuously improving vehicle security and has progressively introduced advanced protective measures across its range.“In 2025, Toyota took further steps to enhance security on several models, including the New HiLux, LandCruiser 300 and LandCruiser Prado providing owners with even greater peace of mind,” the statement said.Toyota is going a step further and developing factory approved genuine accessories, which include an additional immobiliser, to combat the issue.The Japanese carmaker is also working on a process to prioritise owners affected by theft to receive replacement vehicles as soon as possible.

The future is bright.

The LandCruiser is Toyota’s longest-running production nameplate and it has had many iterations over the years.

China's GWM is set to launch a new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine option in the Prado-rivalling Tank 500 SUV in the second half of 2025. It will also feature in the related Cannon Alpha ute.Orders for the new-generation Nissan Patrol Y63 will open in Australia late in 2026, ahead of first deliveries in 2027.An update for the Suzuki Jimny three-door will see it return for local sale in early 2026. It will feature safety technology that's already present in the Jimny XL five-door.A new petrol-electric hybrid powertrain will join the LandCruiser 300 Series line-up in the second half of 2026. A version of this engine already features in the Tundra pickup. Want to know what other new models are due in 2026? Check out our rolling coverage by clicking on the links below. Best EVs Australia 2026Best Small Cars Australia 2026Best Ute Australia 2026Best New Cars 2026 AustraliaBest Family Cars Australia 2026Best Hybrid Cars Australia 2026Best SUVs Australia 2026

Toyota could be about to shake the foundations of one of its most iconic badges forever, according to reports.