The Toyota Landcruiser needs no introduction. It has a global reputation of being an indestructible SUV and hardcore off roader. The 2022 LC300 is a huge step up from its predecessor and there is already strong demand for it globally. Toyota Japan has already received thousands of bookings for the popular SUV and other regions such as UAE are lapping it up as well. However, there is a catch when buying the SUV.
What’s the catch?
According to local reports, Toyota Japan is making its customers sign a contract which states that the SUV cannot be re-sold within a year of purchase. One of the reasons is to prevent buyers from re-selling it at a profit to buyers from other countries. Due to limited supply, Toyota wants the vehicle to be only sold to genuine customers for personal use. The more significant reason is that Toyota doesn’t want it to be resold to buyers in other countries where it could be used for illegal activities which would be a threat to society. Customers who breach the contract will be banned from buying a Toyota for an unspecified amount of time.
Toyota LC300: A quick recap
It might have retained the body-on-frame structure but the new Land Cruiser is based on a new platform. The TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform also underpins the 2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck. Another major overhaul which the Land Cruiser has received is in its engine department. To please the environmentalists around, Toyota has dropped the V8 engine and now the LC300 can be had in just two engine options. The first one is a twin-turbo V6 3.5-litre petrol unit that can generate 409 horsepower and a peak torque of 650 Nm.
This new engine actually has 30 more horsepower and 80 Nm of more torque than the older engine. There is also a diesel engine option with a 3.3-litre twin-turbo unit. It is capable of churning out 305 horsepower and an impressive torque of 700 Nm. Coming to the updated cabin now, it gets a new 12.3-inch touchscreen floating infotainment head-unit with connected car technology, heated and ventilated seats, a digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, adaptive cruise control and various other features.