Toyota Will Hybridize the Land Cruiser

Right now, there’s a rumor going around the auto industry that Toyota will debut the 2021 Land Cruiser this year with a hybrid powertrain. It’s not shocking that the old off-roader is finally getting a good working-over, but instead that it will use at least one electric motor. File this under “not shocking news” because Toyota is the automaker that has created a hybrid version of just about every production vehicle in its lineup.

Toyota was the automaker to bring electrification into the mainstream, lest everyone forget. It’s only been a matter of time before the Land Cruiser, Sienna, 4Runner, and Sequoia joined the hybrid party.

It doesn’t really matter who started this rumor, because quite frankly it could’ve been anyone. At this point you could choose any of the few Toyota model lines to not offer hybrid tech and say it will introduce such a thing. Only some of those are North American-specific lines, so people living internationally wouldn’t care as much about those.

Anyway, a hybrid Toyota Land Cruiser sounds great. After all, the big SUVs guzzle the gas, and having all that torque from electric motors when going through thick mud could really come in handy. Just don’t expect Toyota to make the Land Cruiser super sleek or soft in any way, because it will probably continue on muscular and rugged, just like it should.