Our neighbour confirms intent to add biggest Toyota in petrol-electric from early next year.

REGIONAL availability of Toyota’s largest issue Landcruiser with a petrol-electric drivetrain has been confirmed, but whether New Zealand customers will get to try it remains unknown.

The long-awaited hybrid variant is so far only available in the Middle East, starting in the United Arab Emirates.

But Toyota Australia has confirmed it will add the powertrain before mid 2026 as an option to the twin turbo eight-cylinder diesel Kiwis have known since late 2021.

Toyota New Zealand has yet to offer comment on the hybrid, but it is presently making changes to the current 300 Series range, with a $151,490 five-seater GR Sport advertised as being on runout.

However another GR Sport for $3000 more is also being offered. It also has the $134,990 VX and $148,490 VX Limited.

Petrol has not been on offer in the biggest Landcruiser wagon since the days of the previous generation Lexus version, which ran a hugely thirsty petrol V8.

Comprising a 3.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 matched with a single electric motor in a “parallel hybrid arrangement” - so, with the motor mounted within the transmission’s housing - the new drivetrain is more advanced than the 48 volt mild hybrid diesel that goes into the new Landcruiser Prado.

The petrol-electric already goes into the Toyota Tundra full-sized utility, already being sold in Australia but not being considered by Toyota NZ. It also runs in a Lexus LX700h, sold to North America and the Middle East.

Toyota Australia intends marketing the electric-assisted edition as a “performance hybrid”, with a focus on power over fuel efficiency and low emissions.

If continuing in this part of the world, the outputs of 341kW/790Nm cited for the LX700h and UAE-spec LandCruiser Hybrid mean it out powers and has more torque than the diesel, which generates 227kW/700Nm.

Combined fuel economy of 9.17 litres per 100 kilometres is claimed for the UAE-market model; the NZ-spec diesel 300 is supposed to achieve 8.9L/100km on the WLTP-3 scale.

The hybrid’s fuel burn translates to over 1000km of touring range in a VXR grade, but it has a 98 litre fuel tank.

The Middle Eastern-spec GR Sport hybrid gets less, as it equips with a 68L tank. A GR Sport diesel here has the same sized fuel tank here as the VX; so, of 110 litres’ capacity.

Performance stats for the hybrid appear akin to those for the diesel, so 0-100kmh in 6.4 seconds.

The UAE market hybrid has a braked towing capacity of 3629kg. The diesel 300 Series is rated to tow 3.5 tonnes here.

The hybrid has a full-time four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case, with a hybrid control system managing the switch between petrol and electric power.

The parallel hybrid set-up means it can use the petrol engine or the electric motor to drive its wheels.

Overseas specs show it to have front, centre and rear electronic differential locks. the LX700 F Sport in North America has a Torsen limited-slip diff.

The hybrid off-roaders use a unique, thinner front crossmember designed to maintain off-road ground clearance, while the spare wheel has been repositioned to allow the nickel-metal hydride (NMH) battery to be installed in the rear floor.

The 10-speed automatic transmission has been somewhat waterproofed to protect the electric motor, with up to 700mm water wading. America sees a rugged Lexus LX Overtrail edition fitted with 33-inch all-terrain tyres.

The UAE hybrid editions span an entry-level GR Sport running 18-inch wheels, chunky front and rear bumpers and black details and a VXR, with hybrid-unique bumpers, chrome trims and 20-inch wheels.