Tag Archives: Toyota

News

Toyota’s 2025 Sales Surge Proves Pragmatism Still Wins in America

In a year when the auto industry continued to argue about EV adoption rates, pricing pressure, and what Americans really want to drive, Toyota quietly did what it does best: sell a lot of cars. Toyota Motor North America wrapped up 2025 with U.S. sales totaling 2,518,071 vehicles, an 8.0 percent increase over 2024, reinforcing the idea that consistency, affordability, and broad appeal still matter more than hype.

Nearly half of those vehicles—47 percent, to be exact—were electrified. Toyota moved 1.18 million electrified vehicles in 2025, marking a 17.6 percent jump year over year. That number includes hybrids, plug-ins, and EVs, and it underscores Toyota’s long-standing strategy of betting on gradual electrification rather than an all-in EV gamble. The result? Strong growth without alienating traditional buyers.

A Strong Finish, Even with an Electrified Pause

The fourth quarter told a slightly more nuanced story. Toyota sold 652,195 vehicles, up 8.1 percent, but electrified sales dipped 1.9 percent compared to Q4 2024. That mild slowdown carried into December, when overall sales climbed 10.3 percent, yet electrified vehicles were essentially flat on a volume basis.

That’s less a warning sign and more a reality check. Toyota’s hybrid-heavy portfolio continues to outperform pure EV strategies in a market where charging infrastructure and pricing still matter. Buyers may be pausing on full electrification, but they’re clearly not pausing on Toyotas.

Toyota Brand: The Main Engine Keeps Pulling

The Toyota division did most of the heavy lifting, finishing the year with 2,147,811 vehicles sold, up 8.1 percent. December alone saw an 11.8 percent increase, proof that staples like the Camry, Corolla, and RAV4 remain deeply entrenched in American driveways.

The formula isn’t complicated: recognizable nameplates, proven reliability, and pricing that still dips below the psychologically important $30,000 mark. Throw in a redesigned Tacoma and a hybrid RAV4 that continues to sell itself, and Toyota’s success feels less surprising and more inevitable.

Lexus: Quiet Confidence in the Luxury Lane

Lexus may not grab headlines the way German luxury brands do, but its numbers tell a compelling story. The brand posted 370,260 sales in 2025, up 7.1 percent, with steady quarterly growth and a modest December bump.

Luxury buyers are increasingly tech-focused and electrification-curious, and Lexus appears to be threading that needle without overreaching. Its growth suggests that a calm, quality-first approach still resonates in a segment often obsessed with performance stats and screen size.

The Bigger Picture

Toyota’s 2025 performance reinforces a lesson the industry keeps relearning: Americans value choice. Not everyone wants a full EV. Not everyone can afford one. Toyota’s mix of hybrids, gas-powered stalwarts, and selective electrification gives buyers options—and it’s paying off.

As Andrew Gilleland, Toyota Motor North America’s senior vice president of Automotive Operations, summed it up, affordability and accessibility remain central to the brand’s momentum. In a market chasing the next big thing, Toyota’s biggest strength may be its refusal to abandon what already works.

And judging by the numbers, it’s working just fine.

Source: Toyota

NEW CARS

Toyota Electrifies the Hilux While Keeping Its Work-Truck Roots

The Toyota Hilux has survived just about everything short of atmospheric reentry. It’s slogged through floods, clawed its way out of mud pits, and famously endured being dropped from a Top Gear crane—though, notably, not from a helicopter. Now Toyota is testing the Hilux with a far more existential challenge: staying relevant in a future where diesel is no longer king.

At this week’s Brussels Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the Euro-spec ninth-generation Hilux in two new flavors: a mild-hybrid diesel and the first-ever fully electric Hilux BEV. Both trucks debuted earlier in Asia, but their arrival in Europe signals something bigger. This isn’t just an update—it’s Toyota hedging its bets.

One Truck, Many Futures

Toyota calls it a “multipath strategy,” which is corporate shorthand for “we’re not betting everything on one powertrain.” And for many Hilux buyers, that means business as usual. The familiar 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel lives on, now paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Output remains 201 horsepower (204 PS), and the truck retains its crucial stats: a 2,205-pound payload and a 7,720-pound tow rating.

In the UK and most of Europe, Toyota expects this mild-hybrid diesel to be the volume seller—even after the EV arrives. It’s smoother and slightly cleaner than before, but more importantly, it doesn’t ask loyal Hilux owners to rethink how they work.

Some markets will even get a non-hybrid diesel, proving that Toyota still understands where the Hilux earns its living.

The Electric Hilux: Tough, but Compromised

The real headline, of course, is the Hilux BEV. Powered by a 59.2-kWh battery and dual motors—one on each axle—it delivers permanent all-wheel drive and instant electric torque. The front motor produces 151 lb-ft of torque, while the rear contributes 198 lb-ft.

Range is quoted at 160 miles on the WLTP cycle, which sounds underwhelming until you realize this is a ladder-frame pickup, not a sleek crossover. In urban use, Toyota claims up to 236 miles, which makes the BEV Hilux plausible for city-based fleets and short-haul work.

There are trade-offs. Payload drops to 1,580 pounds, and towing capacity falls sharply to 3,530 pounds. That’s a big hit for traditional truck buyers, but Toyota is clearly aiming the electric Hilux at businesses focused on emissions, taxes, and running costs—not livestock trailers.

Crucially, the fundamentals remain intact. The BEV keeps the body-on-frame construction, 8.4 inches of ground clearance, and a genuinely impressive 27.6 inches of wading depth. There’s even a dedicated off-road drive mode tuned specifically for electric torque delivery and regenerative braking.

Not Just Electric—Hydrogen Is Coming Too

If that weren’t enough, Toyota has also confirmed that a hydrogen fuel-cell Hilux is in development—and already being tested publicly. Yes, the same truck once known for hauling bricks and sheep may soon carry a fuel-cell stack. Whether hydrogen pickups make sense at scale is still an open question, but Toyota clearly intends the Hilux to outlast whatever powertrain trends come and go.

Cyber Sumo Styling and a Modern Cabin

Both the mild-hybrid and BEV versions wear Toyota’s new “Cyber Sumo” design, reportedly developed by the brand’s Australian team. It’s more angular, flatter, and bolder than before, giving the Hilux a tougher, more modern presence—though not everyone will love the look.

The EV stands out with a blanked-off grille and a subtly redesigned silver bumper insert, but otherwise the two trucks are visually similar.

Inside the crew-cab-only cabin, the Hilux finally catches up to modern expectations. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sits alongside a matching touchscreen, and the steering wheel comes straight from the new Land Cruiser. There’s smart storage, dashboard-mounted cupholders, and a full suite of safety tech—balanced, refreshingly, by plenty of physical buttons for things you actually use while wearing gloves.

When Can You Buy One?

UK sales begin in June, with prices expected to land in the coming months. Toyota has already hinted they’ll be higher than the outgoing model, which should surprise exactly no one.

Still, the bigger story isn’t the price—it’s longevity. By offering diesel, mild-hybrid, battery-electric, and eventually hydrogen power, Toyota is making sure the Hilux doesn’t just survive the electric transition. It adapts.

And if history tells us anything, betting against a Hilux is rarely a smart move.

Source: Toyota

Restomod

Toyota Restomods the Land Cruiser Prado

The Land Cruiser badge still means something inside Toyota, even now that the U.S. has moved on to the new 250 Series. But Toyota isn’t ready to let the old iron fade quietly into the classifieds. Instead, it’s giving the previous-generation 150 Series—sold stateside for years as the Lexus GX—a factory-backed glow-up that feels part restoration, part restomod, and part philosophical exercise.

Dubbed Newscape, the update targets the long-running Land Cruiser Prado built between 2009 and 2023. Though production has ended, Toyota is offering a comprehensive facelift that touches both the exterior and interior, effectively giving the old SUV a second act. In some configurations, it even looks tougher than it ever did when new.

The idea debuted as a concept at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, but enthusiasm apparently convinced Toyota to put it into production. The Prado Newscape is set to make a return appearance at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon—this time with a price tag and an order sheet.

The project was developed by Toyota’s Conic Pro division in collaboration with an unlikely group of partners: The North Face, biotech firm Spiber, and Toyota’s own Corde by brand, which specializes in customizing used vehicles. The broader goal is sustainability—extending the life of older vehicles through factory-approved updates rather than pushing customers straight into new ones.

Buyers get two visual flavors. The Graphite Gray version leans into the overlanding aesthetic, with matte-black bumpers, bolt-on fender extensions, and Mango Orange accents highlighting the fog lights and rear tow hook. The Meld Grey alternative dials things back with body-colored bumpers, black trim, and Saffron Yellow detailing. Both versions come standard with a roof rack, rear ladder, mud flaps, and a fuel door stamped with The North Face logo—because collaborations demand visibility.

Seventeen-inch matte-black alloys and 265/65R17 all-terrain tires are standard across the board, giving the Prado a properly rugged stance. It’s not a mechanical overhaul, but it doesn’t pretend to be one.

Inside, the updates are subtler but more interesting. The seats are reupholstered in Brewed Protein fiber, an eco-focused material developed by Spiber, and wear The North Face branding. New Toyota floor mats round out the cabin changes, reinforcing the idea that this is a refresh, not a reinvention.

The Newscape kit goes on sale in Japan on March 7, 2026, but compatibility is limited. It’s only offered for TX-grade Prado 150 models built between September 2017 and April 2024, and only if they left the factory with black fabric seats. Gasoline and diesel engines are both supported.

Pricing starts at ¥3.96 million (about $25,300) for Graphite Gray and ¥3.85 million ($24,600) for Meld Grey, plus another ¥150,000 ($960) in miscellaneous costs. Add the roughly ¥4 million ($25,600) required to buy a used Prado in the first place, and you’re staring at a total near ¥8 million ($51,200).

That’s a tough sell when a brand-new Land Cruiser 250 starts at ¥5.2 million ($33,300) in Japan—and even the larger, more advanced Land Cruiser 300 undercuts the Newscape build on price.

Which raises an awkward question. If sustainability is the mission, does it make sense to spend more money refurbishing an older SUV than buying a new one outright? Toyota seems to think the answer is yes—at least for buyers who value preservation over progress, or who simply want to keep a familiar, well-proven Land Cruiser alive a little longer.

In that light, the Prado Newscape isn’t about logic. It’s about loyalty—and Toyota is betting that still counts for something.

Source: Toyota Conic Pro