The full-sized Tundra and Sequoia’s new hybrid V6 could power the next Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
That’s according to Japanese outlet BestCarWeb, which reports the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 petrol-hybrid powertrain will power the smaller (but still large) SUV, reportedly set to launch in Japan this December.
This powertrain, marketed in the US as the i-Force Max, features a 10-speed automatic with a motor generator, a Power Control Unit, and a sealed nickel-metal hydride battery charged with brake-energy recuperation.
In the Tundra, it produces 326kW of power and 790Nm of torque.
This powertrain has also been rumoured to be slotting in under the bonnet of the LandCruiser 300 Series.
The outlet suggests this will be the only hybrid powertrain in the next Prado, and not the diesel hybrid it reported late last year.
This diesel hybrid powertrain was reported to use a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine mated with a lithium-ion battery and two electric motors.
The Japanese outlet also appears to have ruled out an earlier report that the Prado would use Toyota’s new turbocharged 2.4-litre hybrid four-cylinder powertrain, as seen in models like the Crown, which produces 197kW and 450Nm.
While these reports haven’t noted the future of the standard 2.8-litre turbo-diesel, we would expect a conventional diesel to continue for markets like Australia – indeed, previous reports have suggested a version of the 300 Series’ 3.3-litre turbo-diesel V6 could be offered.
A naturally aspirated petrol engine could also continue in markets like Japan, though Toyota Australia dropped the atmo Prado a few years ago due to the much stronger popularity of the diesel.
The company confirmed in 2021 that hybrid versions of the LandCruiser, Prado, HiLux and HiAce would be due before 2030, and local engineers would be playing a part in development.
The next Prado is expected to move to the new TNGA-F architecture that underpins the LandCruiser 300 Series, Tundra and Sequoia, promising greater body rigidity, safety and dynamics.
It’ll reportedly change little in terms of dimensions, with a length of 4825mm, width of 1885mm and a height of 1850mm on a 2790mm wheelbase – identical to the current car, albeit 40mm lower.
The popularity of the LandCruiser 300 Series and Toyota’s supply struggles have reportedly pushed the Prado’s release further into the future, as it was said to be planned for a launch a year after its larger sibling in 2022.
The current Prado has remained popular both here and abroad despite its age, and could retain its title of Australia’s favourite large SUV this year – provided Toyota can shore up supply, and the Isuzu MU-X doesn’t continue its two-month streak as the segment’s best seller.
Regardless of when the next Prado launches, Toyota will have been beaten to market with a hybrid body-on-frame SUV as GWM readies its Tank 300 for Australia.
The more Prado-sized Tank 500 is also expected to follow, and could offer both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options.
Ford’s new Ranger-based Everest also rides a platform that supports electrification, with both Blue Oval models expected to eventually gain a plug-in hybrid.
