Is this the end of Toyota LandCruiser 70 series? Rumours circulate online of production ending for the beloved ute as long wait times for the 4WD persist in Australia

Following Toyota’s decision to cease production of the iconic V8 LandCruiser 70 Series this year, rumours about whether the model might soon be on the chopping block altogether have circulated online.

These rumours have caught the attention of BestCar, a Japanese automotive publication with close ties to industry sources.

The publication recently identified one rumour, which has done the rounds on X and YouTube, from a LandCruiser enthusiast account in Japan called MIDDELED5.

A video posted by the account — translated to English — suggests Toyota will cease sales of the 70 Series in Japan once all current domestic orders are fulfilled, citing information obtained by the author from a local sales executive.

In Japan — one of the vehicle's few right-hand drive markets outside of Australia — the sales backlog for a 70 Series is reportedly well into 2026, according to BestCar, which means if the rumours are true local sales could come to a close that same year.

The 70 Series is also no longer available for lease in Japan through KINTO, Toyota's vehicle subscription service, with its name being wiped from the line-up of available Toyota vehicles to rent.

2016 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series

Toyota previously the announced the 70 Series would be available for rent through KINTO when the brand announced its reintroduction into the Japanese market last November, with 400 units allocated for domestic sale per month.

That said, there has been no official confirmation from Toyota that it plans to discontinue the 70 Series anytime soon. The end of production could just impact the Japanese market, but BestCar also found no evidence of this upon contacting local dealers.

CarsGuide similarly canvassed Toyota dealers across Australia who acknowledged wait times of up to 18 months for the new four-cylinder variant, though none suggested that they had received any word of production ending.

In a statement, a Toyota spokesperson said to CarsGuide: "The LandCruiser 70 Series remains the go-to vehicle for anyone that needs serious off-road capability and heavy-duty payload and towing capacity. We are confident it will be a vital part of our model line-up for years to come."

The current-generation LandCruiser was unveiled in Australia last year when Toyota announced the introduction of a four-cylinder powertrain, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, for the first time in the 70 series’ history.

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series WorkMate Single Cab Chassis

In July, Toyota announced production of the iconic V8 70 Series would cease, while simultaneously announcing it would introduce a five-speed manual transmission option across the four-cylinder range in an attempt to allay consumer backlash.

It has remained extremely popular despite going four-cylinder-only, but as the oldest vehicle in Toyota’s line-up the 70 Series is bound to have an expiry date in the not-so-distant future, particularly as New Vehicle Emission Standards come into effect next year.

But when exactly that will occur remains just rumours — at least for now.