The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ is likely to eventually get a diesel engine for the India market.

While the current offering is only equipped with a 2.7L naturally aspirated petrol engine, Toyota South Africa’s President and CEO Andrew Kirby has stated that there is “a good likelihood” of the SUV getting a diesel variant. However, this variant will not be coming anytime soon in South Africa.

Diesel appeal

The Land Cruiser FJ is a body-on-frame C-segment SUV. It sits beneath the Toyota Fortuner and is often used for long-distance driving, highway driving, towing and off-roading. Many buyers like to get diesel engines for vehicles in this category due to their high low-end torque, improved fuel economy and pulling power.

Unfortunately, this lack of diesel has been one of the main issues with the Land Cruiser FJ. While the petrol engine does offer enough power, buyers who expect the easy-going nature of the diesel engine have not been keen.

Current engine

The current Land Cruiser FJ is sold globally with the 2TR-FE 2.7L Naturally Aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine. It comes with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and part-time 4-wheel drive.

It offers 122 kW (164 hp) at 5200rpm and 245 Nm of torque at 4000rpm. While this is a decent figure for a naturally-aspirated petrol engine, the Land Cruiser FJ suffers from its body-on-frame platform and off-road focused features.

The lack of turbocharging means the engine does not offer the instant low-end power many buyers are looking for from an off-road focused SUV. This has been an issue in markets like South Africa and Australia.

Likely diesel engine

Toyota South Africa’s President and CEO Andrew Kirby spoke to Cars.co.za and stated that there is “a good likelihood” that the Land Cruiser FJ will include a diesel engine. Kirby also noted that it would offer “a big difference” in performance.

However, he did state that this will not happen anytime soon. It will have to be a few years down the line for South Africa.

Likely diesel engine in India

Reports show that in India, the Land Cruiser FJ will be offered in petrol, petrol electric hybrid and petrol electric plug-in hybrid form. The petrol engine will use the 2TR-FE engine, while the hybrid variants may use a tweaked version.

If Toyota decides to create a diesel engine globally, then it may eventually be offered in India. However, there is no confirmation of this happening. With India becoming increasingly focused on electrifying their vehicles, Toyota may choose to focus on petrol hybrid instead.

Expected release in India

The SUV is expected to be produced at TKM’s manufacturing plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. It is expected to be released in India sometime in 2028.

As with other Toyota models in India (excluding Maruti Suzuki), the Land Cruiser FJ will be offered at a high price point. Rumours suggest that the base model variant will start at around ₹30 lakh ex-showroom. This would put it above most mid-size SUVs and closer to the Fortuner.

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Why Diesel?

A diesel engine would help with one of the biggest issues the Land Cruiser FJ has, which is its low-end torque. Diesel engines generally offer high torque figures at lower rpm, which would improve highway and mountain driving, towing and off-road.

A diesel version would also provide better fuel economy for Indian buyers. With it being a large body-on-frame vehicle with four-wheel drive components, a diesel engine would help make it feel easier to drive over long distances.

Petrol Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid

While a diesel engine variant may take longer to arrive, Toyota will likely offer electrified versions. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants would offer great fuel economy, reducing emissions and providing a smooth drive in cities.

The hybrid version would be great for driving in Indian cities due to the stop-start nature of driving. The plug-in hybrid would offer some electric driving for short journeys, while also providing the flexibility of a petrol engine.

Competition in India

If Toyota do release it in India, then it will be competing against other tough SUVs like the Mahindra Thar, Force Gurkha and potentially other body-on-frame SUVs. However, with the expected high price and Toyota branding, it will likely sit in a higher market than those vehicles.

A Diesel engine would help push it against its competition, since many buyers will want the extra torque, fuel economy and long distance driving capabilities. If it doesn’t get a diesel engine, then Toyota will need to heavily rely on the hybrid tech, brand and unique design to justify the high price.

The Land Cruiser FJ may eventually get a diesel engine. The executive comments prove that they are considering it. However, it looks like buyers will have to wait a few years.

The FJ is expected to be released in India with a petrol hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine, somewhere around 2028. It may eventually get a diesel engine if Toyota decide that there is enough demand for it. The biggest question mark will be what powertrain Toyota will offer.

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