Toyota Townace Reviews

Toyota is the world’s largest carmaker and it continues to top sales charts in many markets.In order to stay on top it needs to continually update and refresh its product offerings. To give a glimpse of what’s coming up, Automotive News has detailed what the Japanese carmaker has in the pipeline for North America over the next few years.One highlight is the Kluger - called Highlander in other markets - which is reportedly being reengineered as an electric vehicle (EV) and will retain its current name.Automotive News speculates the reason for this is because sales for the current, internal combustion Kluger in North America have been cannibalised by the larger Grand Highlander.This electric Kluger is reportedly set to arrive at Toyota dealers in the US in early 2026. It’s unclear if it will be offered in other markets.This follows a report indicating the current Kluger is due for a mid-life update that will see it adopt a similar face to the current Camry and forthcoming RAV4, as well as plug-in hybrid power in the Chinese market.Sitting above this Kluger EV is the forthcoming bZ5X which is reportedly on track to start production at the company’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant in the second half of 2025. This likely means a reveal is imminent.Automotive News speculates the bZ5X will be larger than the Kluger EV. This means the former will likely have a larger third row and a large battery pack, theoretically meaning more range.Toyota is also reportedly still working on a Corolla-based unibody ute, which will give the Ford Maverick a proper hybrid rival. It’s not due to launch in North America until 2027.At this stage it’s unclear whether it’ll be offered in markets outside of North America.Toyota is also reportedly working on launching an electric sedan to sit alongside the Corolla and Camry. A North American launch is reportedly unscheduled, but could be in 2027.Models that are reportedly set to be refreshed over the next few years include the bZ4X, Camry, Corolla, Corolla Cross, Crown, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, GR Corolla, GR86, Prado, Prius, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner.It’s expected production of the GR Supra at Magna Steyr’s plant in Austria will end in 2026, though Automotive News reports Toyota could extend its life by sourcing a different engine. The current model has a BMW-sourced engine.Toyota recently detailed the GR Supra Final Edition for markets like Europe, Japan and North America. Toyota Australia, on the other hand, has the GR Supra Track Edition which just went on sale locally.Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan is also reportedly set to remain largely as-is for the foreseeable future, only receiving minor tweaks.Beyond what Automotive News has reported for Toyota’s new product launch calendar in North America, the Japanese carmaker is also set to launch a new version of the top-selling HiLux ute imminently.This new HiLux will reportedly still be based on the IMV-0 platform, which previous versions of this platform have formed the basis of this ute for over 20 years.

The scent of a ute revolution is in the air.Carmakers far and wide are stepping back in time and embracing Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon car-based utes.Toyota is now the latest carmaker to be connected to an SUV-based ute, according to US-outlet Automotive News.It claimed sources said a Corolla-based ute would debut in 2027. This is after Toyota US’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Templin, said: “We’re looking at it”, when quizzed about a small ute, according to The Japan Times."We could really do well in that segment, so we’re trying to do it,” Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, said in a separate interview with The Japan Times. "It’s a matter of timing,” he said.Ford has laid the blueprint for an SUV-based ute — rather than ladder-frame-based workhorses such as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger — with its smash hit Maverick in the US. Hyundai has also found success with its little Santa Cruz ute in the US.Chinese brand Chery is also reportedly working on a SUV-based ute, which could land in Australia wearing a Jaecoo badge.There are several options for a Toyota ute, with it using either the Corolla’s TNGA-C or the RAV4’s TNGA-K underpinnings. The TNGA-K would make sense as it would line-up with the Maverick and Santa Cruz, which are both based on their mid-size SUV equivalents the Ford Escape and Hyundai Tucson.Hybrid power is almost a certainty and there is an opportunity for it to gain plug-in hybrid power borrowed from the recently revealed new RAV4, which is due on sale locally early next year.New plug-in hybrid versions of the 2026 RAV4 use a 2.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to make 201kW in the front-wheel drive versions and 227kW in all-wheel drive variants. A big 22.7kWh battery will provide an electric-only driving range of up to 100km according to Toyota.Conventional hybrid power is available in the new RAV4.It is available in two- and all-wheel-drive layouts and makes 143kW, which is 17kW and 20kW down on the current 2WD and AWD versions respectively. Toyota doesn’t provide total torque figures for its hybrid tech.Digital Artist Theottle on YouTube has given life to a RAV4-based ute in the  above images that show off what the new Toyota ute could look like.

Solid state batteries, the 'holy grail' of EV tech, continues to hit hurdles.

The long-promised electric revolution appears to have been pushed back, at least for a couple more years, with established brands and Chinese newcomers alike doubling down on big ICE-powered SUVs and utes – some without any electrification at all.

It feels like 2021 all over again with strong demand comprehensively out-stripping supply for a popular Toyota model. And this time it’s the 70 Series GXL Wagon automatic.But rather than global supply chain disruptions or customs-related shenanigans, this time around it’s simply a matter of short-term supply exceeding current demand for the tough 4WD five-seater.Toyota Australia has confirmed “strong customer demand and relatively low production levels” have forced it to pause customer orders for the LandCruiser 70 Series GXL Wagon automatic variant as of July 17, 2025.But the brand said the sales pause only affects this single model, adding it has good supply of all other LandCruiser 70 Series variants with some models in stock ready for immediate sale and others open to order for delivery within two to four months.Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the decision to pause availability of the auto GXL Wagon “would provide customers with more certainty around delivery times for existing orders”.“We know in the past, particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic and during the global semi-conductor supply shortage, vehicle supply challenges caused a degree of frustration with our customers with wait times for delivery of new vehicles being extended significantly.“We never want to be the cause of that frustration again so together with our dealer network, we are committed to carefully managing any supply issues to provide complete transparency for customers when issues outside our control arise.“We continue to work with our parent company in Japan to optimise production and supply levels of all Toyota vehicles to ensure we can deliver and satisfy Australian customer demands,” Hanley said.Offered in Wagon, Troop Carrier and Double Cab Chassis form in GXL trim, as well as a Troop Carrier and Double Cab Chassis in the WorkMate grade, all LandCruiser 70 Series models are now powered by the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine used in its HiLux ute sibling.The WorkMate Wagon and all Single Cab Chassis models are offered with six-speed automatic transmission only, while others in the line-up offer a choice of five-speed manual or the auto.The launch of an updated four-cylinder LandCruiser 70 Series in late 2023 signalled the beginning of the end of the rugged body-on-frame off-roader’s previous 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 engine.But despite the recent departure of that long-serving powerplant Toyota says it has seen the appeal of the 70 Series grow across the range, although according to industry statistician, VFacts, registrations of the ‘Landcruiser PU/CC’ are down just over 15 per cent year-on-year for the first six months of 2025.

Surprising reports out of Japan suggest Toyota could be about to build what could be the word's toughest people-movers, with international media now referring to the "LandCruiser of vans".

The head of Nissan in Australia has revealed he would buy the latest version of the ageing Y62 Patrol now rather than wait for its Y63 replacement to arrive late next year, because there will not be another one like it.Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, believes that, as the last of the affordable V8 SUVs on the market, putting one away for a rainy day may end up being a prudent investment.“Personally, selfishly, this is the car to buy, now,” he said.“That’s the one I would keep and not sell, because I think residual values are going to go through the roof, because I think that’s what people are going to want… if I was into any sort of boating, or any sort of camping or any sort of boating.”Humberstone may have a point, with Patrol sales down only 4.2 per cent year-to-date in Australia, compared to nearly 38 per cent for the much-newer (and V6 twin-turbo-only) Toyota LandCruiser 300, in an Upper Large SUV segment that has stumbled 27 per cent.While the international car-industry veteran is quick to point out the advances that the upcoming all-new Y63 Patrol with its twin-turbo V6 will have over its 15-year-old Y62 predecessor, he admits that the V8 will be missed.“The Y63 is an amazing vehicle,” he explained. “But I’m old-school still. I have to manage my conscious with one electric car and then one V8, and then I can say I’m neutral, I’m doing my bit for the environment in that way.”So, why is Nissan even releasing an updated old Patrol when a new one is already on sale in other parts of the world, including in the Middle East and in North America (as the Nissan Armada)?Humberstone revealed the facelift coming out at this time was always part of a larger plan, to maximise its appeal and give consumers both existing and new-to-the-series a reason to revisit the Y62 in 2025… especially now that Toyota does not offer a V8-powered LandCruiser as an alternative.“It was a little bit more strategic, because at the end of the day, we were aware of our Y63, we were aware of the kind of demand that would generate, and we wanted to optimise on the specification,” he said.Furthermore, Nissan timed the MY25 Patrol launch very carefully, so there is still up to 18 months before the Y63 Patrol – which has yet to be produced in right-hand-drive guise – arrives in Australia, making the purchase now and then again for another one from 2027 justifiable in the minds of consumers as well as commercially prudent for the carmaker.“On the run out of the V8, we were aware of what the competitors were doing,” Humberstone said. “We had a pretty good idea of what was happening with the V8 space in the V8 market.“So, we knew we'd have a window of opportunity, and we wanted to optimise on the (partly redesigned for MY25) dash, and the technology on the vehicle as best as we could.”Nissan’s big step up in ownership, that includes the availability of a conditional 10-year/300,000km warranty and lower-priced servicing, as well as having an in-house finance arm to facilitate the buying process, have also played a part in the MY25 Patrol strategy.“So, building up the spec, arguably giving the best product, or the best version of the Patrol V8 at the end of its life cycle is…strategic,” Humberstone added.

Toyota has just proven it can sell a lot of electric cars.The bZ3X was launched in China several months ago, with prices starting at about the equivalent of A$24,000. That’s a shockingly cheap EV.It is also slightly cheaper than the BYD Atto 3 in China, which is a better comparison, indicating it would be closer to $40,000 if it ever landed here.It has proven immensely popular in China, with more than 20,000 units delivered to customers and a total of 30,000 orders, according to the brand’s official Weibo social media post.Toyota Australia’s sole electric car, the bZ4X, is not a strong seller with only 427 units finding a new home through the first six months of this year.The bZ3X is produced by Toyota’s joint venture with Chinese maker GAC. It shares its underpinnings with GAC’s Aion V electric SUV, which was due to go on sale in Australia this year.In China the bZ3X is available with three different sizes of lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries: 50kWh, 58kWh and 68kWh. Driving range is either 430km, 520km or 610km depending on the size of the battery. All these ranges are calculated using the more lenient China Light-duty vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC), expect range to be about 20 per cent worse if using the benchmark WLTP measurement. It is powered by a single electric motor that makes either 150kW or 165KW, depending on the variant, and drives the front wheels.It is also fitted with advanced self driving technology, which is a major selling point in China. Inside there is a huge 14.6-inch central multimedia display and a smaller digital driver display.Toyota has given no indication the bZ3X will be sold outside of China, but if it continues t be a red hot seller, it may prove too good to ignore.

Toyota makes a lot of different cars, but we want more. Where’s the small off-roader? A baby LandCruiser? Where’s the reborn Celica? And where’s the new-gen Tarago? Don’t even get me started on the missing electric cars, either…You’d think that for the most successful and biggest selling car company in the world Toyota wouldn’t have a single gap in its line-up. We can forgive the likes of Subaru or Mitsubishi for having missing pieces, but Toyota? Nope, I’m not buying it. Toyota has more than 22 models on sale in Australia and it could probably discontinue half of them and still hold onto the No.1 spot. It’s easy: lose Corolla Cross, same with bZ4X, put Fortuner out of its misery, same with 86 - it was good but the party’s over, Camry is part of a dying species in mid-size sedans, Supra now exists for Supercars but it should go, Tundra is prohibitively expensive, same for the Yaris and the C-HR was never going to work, was it?That leaves HiLux, RAV4, Kluger, Prado, Corolla, Camry, Kluger, LandCruiser in both 300 and 70 Series forms and the Yaris Cross. More models than most brands and the combined annual sales of them all is about 210,000, which would still make it far and way the biggest-selling car brand in Australia.That makes it easier to see what essential models might be missing. A mini LandCruiser is one.We’re talking a Suzuki Jimny rival and if the rumours are true the LandCruiser FJ is on the cards for Toyota, with the brand not planning to use the TGNA platform that underpins the Prado and LandCruiser 300 but the IMV-O platform used in emerging markets.Next is one gap in the line-up so obvious that before anything else it should be filed — a people mover. The family favourite Tarago was retired in 2019 and replaced by the Granvia, which while plush was more airport transfer shuttle than practical suburban people mover that could rival the Kia Carnival.The Granvia’s sales were woeful and last year only 112 were sold, compared to 10,080 Kia Carnivals. The Granvia was the wrong choice and Toyota should have brought in the Alphard people mover, which already had an importer fan following in Australia despite it never being sold here. It would be hard for Toyota to sit and watch Kia have the entire national people mover market all to itself and it would be wise to get Alphard here and start stealing some sales back. Should it be renamed a Tarago? Sure why not, just hurry up and get it here.Finally, can we talk about a two-door Toyota sportscar that isn’t a BMW? Don’t get me wrong, I love the Supra. It looks delicious and it’s great to drive, but I think Toyota is big enough to do its own sportscar. Again the rumour mill says a reborn Celica is coming. A mid-engined 300kW petrol four-cylinder powered, 1.2m tall GR Celica with a strange-looking windscreen. I’m here for it.So that’s just three cars Toyota’s sorely missing from a line-up that’s too fat. Don’t even get me started on how Toyota needs a mid-sized SUV with seven seats — A RAV4 7 — to compete with the Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sorento.  And then there’s the complete lack of electric vehicles, but that’s another opinion piece.  

Mazda has globally revealed its new third-generation CX-5 mid-size SUV ahead of it arriving in Australia in 2026.