The Toyota Land Cruiser Remains a Hot Seller in Japan

Japan’s Best Car magazine reports that Toyota has announced it is “no longer taking orders for the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 (LC300) gasoline engine version.” In fact, this situation has been ongoing since 2023, extending into the 2025 updated model.

However, the announcement does not mention the diesel engine version. When Best Car contacted Toyota, the company confirmed that Japanese customers can still order the diesel-powered Land Cruiser, specifically the high-end ZX and GR Sport trims.

Nonetheless, Toyota candidly stated that the number of orders they can accept is extremely limited. While not disclosing specific figures, the automaker emphasized that the production allocation for the diesel Land Cruiser is significantly lower than that of previous gasoline versions.

Best Car subsequently contacted several Toyota dealerships around the Tokyo area, and it was confirmed that placing an order is, in theory, possible but still challenging.

The reason for this difficulty is that customers who have long-standing orders for the Land Cruiser, initially opting for the gasoline version, will be given priority to switch to the diesel version if they wish. This leaves almost no opportunity for new customers to purchase the vehicle.

Additionally, many customers who initially chose the gasoline model are now shifting their orders to the diesel version. As a result, the waiting list, which was already long, has grown even longer.

The fact that orders are technically open but extremely challenging to secure has left many Japanese consumers disappointed. Previously, Toyota had declared its efforts to reduce delivery times, but the situation does not seem to have improved.

In related news, Toyota recently introduced a hybrid version of the Land Cruiser LC300 in select international markets. This electrified variant is expected to be launched in Japan soon.

According to industry experts, the introduction of the hybrid model could signify that Toyota will reduce production or even discontinue the diesel version in Japan altogether.

In the Vietnamese market, the Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 is offered exclusively with a turbocharged 3.5L V6 gasoline engine, producing 409 horsepower and 650 Nm of peak torque.

With a price tag of 4.58 billion VND, the Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 is positioned as a luxury SUV, competing with German brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. The Japanese SUV has been well-received by Vietnamese customers, and there was a time when its price was inflated by up to a billion VND due to high demand and limited supply.