Toyota Land Cruiser 300: Diesel or Hybrid, is it worth the price difference?

Gas prices may seem like they’re back to normal, but tensions in the Middle East that still haven’t gone away, and the uptick in electrified vehicles across different segments, make it very tempting for people to switch over.

In the case of full-size SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 now has a hybrid version that was recently introduced at the 10th Philippine International Motor Show, now coming in two variants: a range-topping 3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T, and the 3.3 V6 ZX A/T, which now serves as the base variant.

On the surface, these two may look very similar, with the hybrid ZX HEV variant, priced at Php 6,930,000, and the diesel-fed ZX, which starts at Php 5,758,000. Is the Php 1,172,000 difference worth it for you?

Dimensions

There’s no getting around it: these two are almost exactly the same.

Dimensionally, the only difference is that the Land Cruiser 300 HEV sits lower by 10mm, with a lower ground clearance of 6mm. This shouldn’t still be enough to hinder its off-roading capabilities, but the most off-road these Land Cruisers might see are the unpaved parking lots around the metro.

	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	3.3 V6 ZX A/T
Wheelbase	2,850mm	2,850mm
Length	5,130mm	5,130mm
Width	1,980mm	1,980mm
Height	1,945mm	1,955mm
Ground Clearance	234mm	240mm
Seating Capacity (including driver)	7	7
Wheels	20-inch alloy	20-inch alloy
Tires	265/55 R20	265/55 R20

Exterior and Interior

The HEV differentiates itself from the diesel with an aero kit with black accents, alongside the requisite HEV badging, but it should be easy to look for the body kit in the aftermarket.

Otherwise, the two are exactly the same, down to the five colors available in Attitude Black Mica, Gray Metallic, Silver Metallic, Dark Red Mica Metallic, and Precious White Pearl, which is a Php 15,000 premium.

As for the interior, the HEV compromises with reduced cargo space in the trunk, thanks to the battery found behind the third row, requiring Toyota to fit a deck board for a flat surface for cargo, and the second row seats are now a 60:40 split and tumble setup, losing the 40:20:40 split-folding mechanism and sliding rails.

Standard exterior and interior equipment are as follows: 

EXTERIOR	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	3.3 V6 ZX A/T
Headlights	Automatic Full LED with sequential turn signals	Automatic Full LED with sequential turn signals
Taillights	Split-Type Full LED with Sequential Turn Signals	Split-Type Full LED with Sequential Turn Signals
Fog Lights	Front LED and Rear Bulb-Type	Front LED and Rear Bulb-Type
Side Mirrors	Power-Adjust, Auto-Fold, Reverse-Linked with Memory and Heating Function	Power-Adjust, Auto-Fold, Reverse-Linked with Memory and Heating Function
Body Kit	Yes, with Jet Black finish	No
Side Steps	With	With
Towing Hitch Receiver	With	With
Rear Spoiler	20-inch alloy	20-inch alloy
Sunroof	With	With
Roof Rails	With	With
Roof	Body-Colored	Body-Colored
INTERIOR	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	3.3 V6 ZX A/T
Interior Color	Black, Black and Beige (optional)	Black, Black and Beige (optional)
Seat Material	Leather	Leather
Seat Adjustment	8-way Power with Memory (Driver)Six-way Power (Front Passenger)	8-way Power with Memory (Driver)Six-way Power (Front Passenger)
Second Row Seat Adjustment	60:40 Split and Tumble	40:20:40 Split and Tumble with Slide
Third Row	50:50 Split, Power Fold Flat with Deck Board	50:50 Split, Power Fold Flat
Seat Heating and Ventilation	Driver, Front Passenger, and 2nd Row Passengers	Driver, Front Passenger, and 2nd Row Passengers
Steering Wheel	Power Tilt and Telescopic with Memory	Power Tilt and Telescopic with Memory

Tech and Convenience Features

The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is well-equipped, and with a recent update, it introduced a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, a widescreen 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and six USB-C ports for charging across the cabin. No surprises here, as the two essentially have feature parity for tech and convenience.

	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	3.3 V6 ZX A/T
Instrument Cluster	12.3-inch fully-digital	12.3-inch fully-digital
Heads-Up Display (HUD)	With	With
Infotainment	12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto	12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Audio System	14-speaker JBL premium sound system	14-speaker JBL premium sound system
Rear Entertainment System	With	With
USB Ports	Type-C (6)	Type-C (6)
Climate Control	Quad-Zone Automatic with nanoe Air Purification	Quad-Zone Automatic with nanoe Air Purification
Inside Rear-View Mirror	Auto-Dimming	Auto-Dimming
Wireless Phone Charger	With	With
Tailgate	Power Tailgate with Hands-Free Function	Power Tailgate with Hands-Free Function

Powertrain

It’s now a choice between a gas-fed or diesel-fed V6 powertrain.

The ZX uses the F33A-FTS, a twin-turbo diesel V6 which has proven itself ever since the Land Cruiser 300 was introduced, and has a gutsy 700Nm, which should be useful when going off-road or going up steep inclines with the SUV fully loaded.

The ZX HEV’s motor, the V35A-FTS, has been used in previous models like the Lexus LS 500, the GX550, and the LX 700h, the Land Cruiser 300’s more posh sibling. It offers significantly better refinement, produces way more horsepower, nearly matches the torque figures (off by 50Nm), thanks to the electric motors. 

There haven’t been any official range figures yet, but the two should be evenly matched in terms of efficiency, and the HEV now also comes with electric power steering instead of hydraulic power steering.

	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	3.3 V6 ZX A/T
Engine	3.5-liter V35A-FTS Twin Turbo V6 with electric motor	3.3-liter F33A-FTV Twin Turbo V6
Fuel Type	Gasoline	Diesel
Power	415 horsepower	306 horsepower
Torque	650 Nm	700 Nm
Transmission	10-speed automatic	10-speed automatic
Drivetrain	4×4	4×4
Power Steering	Electric	Hydraulic

Safety

	3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T	Toyota Land Cruiser 300
Advanced Driver-Assist Systems (ADAS)	Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Automatic High Beam	Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Automatic High Beam
Camera	360-degree Camera with Terrain-View	360-degree Camera with Terrain-View
Parking Sensors	Front and Rear	Front and Rear
Airbags	7 (Including Driver’s Knee Airbag)	7 (Including Driver’s Knee Airbag)
Anti-Lock Braking System	With	With
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution	With	With
Stability Control	With	With
Traction Control	With	With
Hill Descent Control	With	With
Hill Start Assist	With	With
Emergency Stop Signal	With	With
ISOFIX	With (2nd Row)	With (2nd Row)
Anti-Theft	Immobilizer and Alarm	Immobilizer and Alarm

Pricing

To reiterate, the diesel-fed 3.3 V6 ZX A/T, starts at Php 5,758,000, while the 3.5 V6 ZX HEV A/T is priced at Php 6,930,000. Precious White Pearl adds another Php 15,000, but it seems that most Land Cruiser buyers get their SUVs in this color. 

Diesel vs. Hybrid

Go for the diesel if you find yourself taking long, frequent trips out of town, especially in places where the roads aren’t as manicured as those within the city. Couple this with the heavier hydraulic power steering, more flexible second row and cargo area, and the slightly better ground clearance, and there are valid reasons you would want to go for the diesel variant instead.

As for the hybrid variant, it offers significantly better refinement in terms of the powertrain, thanks to the electric motor and gasoline V6, alongside a lighter, easier steering feel that may prove to be controversial with purists out there.

In the end, whether you should go for the diesel variant or hybrid variant, it’s all pretty much down to your preferences and in this case, budget.

^{Photos by Sam Surla}