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Toyota finds itself in interesting times. While the brand’s market leadership remains seemingly unassailable, changes are afoot.
The impending New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as well as incoming rivals from China and the proliferation of hybrid technology — something Toyota used to be able to claim as a point of difference — will all affect Toyota’s operation in Australia to some extent.
Crosshairs are currently rumoured to be set upon one of Toyota’s iconic models, a 4X4 that’s recently had its line-up culled much to the dismay of traditionalists — the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, or LC70.
The LC70 was once a trusty V8-powered workhorse seen on farms and worksites alike, though as of 2024 its engine choices are limited to a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine borrowed from the HiLux.
For some, this was seen as the beginning of the end for the boxy LandCruiser, which has been around in some form or another since the middle of the 1980s.
The end of the V8 LC70 doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the model altogether of course, but the rumours have kicked off since the V8 was dropped, and Toyota’s denial of the then-impending cull probably won’t help them convince anyone the LC70 is sticking around — even if it really is.
“And of course you will question… you're not too late for the V8,” Toyota Australia Vice President of Marketing and Sales Sean Hanley said in August 2023. “Although our order pause remains in place for now, while we work through with the customers that have been waiting.”
Even as late as December, Toyota told CarsGuide it expected to reopen order books for the V8-powered LandCruiser in 2025, saying "we're at least 12 months away". Then in January, the word was that the future of the V8 was to be determined by “environmental landscape” and “customer demand”.
But by June 2024 the V8 70 Series was properly axed.
The good news is we shouldn’t expect the LC70 as a whole model to drop off the face of the earth within a matter of months, in fact Toyota Australia has even reintroduced a five-speed manual transmission option for the LC70.
“When we discontinued the V8 LandCruiser 70 Series earlier this year, we know there were some customers lamenting the absence of a manual gearbox in the range,” said Sean Hanley.
The return of a decreasingly popular option goes alongside relatively steady sales figures to suggest the LC70 shouldn’t be in immediate danger, but rumours from overseas are mixed on the matter.
After suggestions circulated online of the 70 Series being set for an end once its current domestic orders are filled, Japanese outlet Best Car investigated the matter through its contacts with Toyota HQ staff, dealerships and even companies who work on producing Toyota parts and vehicles.
It found no hint that the end of the LandCruiser 70 Series is locked in for the near future, and was even told by Toyota the recency of a major facelift for the Toyota 4WD means it would simply be too soon to pull the plug.
The story seems to be similar closer to home, too, with Toyota Australia recently having told CarsGuide the 70 Series should be around for “years to come” in response to the online rumours.
"The LandCruiser 70 Series remains the go-to vehicle for anyone that needs serious off-road capability and heavy-duty payload and towing capacity,” a spokesperson said.
“We are confident it will be a vital part of our model line-up for years to come."
Toyota is also not one to limit the options available to its customers here in Australia either — if there's a market for something, it’ll offer it — which is why the arrival of the Toyota Tundra won’t be a threat to the 70 Series’ existence.
In November 2024, Hanley told journalists during a tour of the facility where Toyota Tundras are converted to right-hand drive that there’s no indication the American-style truck’s arrival will eat into the 70 Series’ sales.
Referencing the mining sector specifically, which has a penchant for the 70 Series, Hanley said the Tundra’s not likely to suit the applications where the 70’s strengths come in handy.
“[Tundra’s] just not for them… maybe executive vehicles, that’d be it though,” he said.
“The practicalities of it, they want more off-road capability. Mines also typically don’t operate petrol vehicles. They generally have a diesel structure… so it'll be interesting to see in the future. But typically in the rural areas of Australia, they're still very reliant on diesel.”
So with no other models eating into the 70 Series’ slice of the pie, and Toyota Australia seemingly seeing continued market demand for the veteran 4X4, it seems that all signs are pointing to the model being safe for the time being.
The biggest hurdle Toyota faces with the 70 Series is the incoming NVES, an obstacle that also affects its most popular model — the HiLux.
Toyota’s attitude towards the NVES has been fairly consistent throughout the year: "as long as customers want those cars, car companies will need to find a way to bring those cars to market.”
This is what Hanley told CarsGuide in March 2024.
"The reality is that anybody that truly sits at home and believes that someone's going to stop buying or driving their LandCruiser because the NVES is coming… is kidding themselves."
While Toyota’s insistence the V8 would stick around even as the demise of the 1VD-FTV 70 Series was only months away doesn’t add much weight to its statement that the model will still be around “for years to come”, other clues suggest this time Toyota might be right.
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