Toyota’s venerable 4.5D-4D V8 engine has officially reached the end of the line, with this turbodiesel motor having now exited the Land Cruiser 79 range in South Africa…
- 4.5D-4D V8 engine has been put out to pasture
- 1VD-FTV motor was in production for 18 years
- Toyota thus no longer sells a V8 engine in SA
Pour one out for Toyota’s venerable 4.5D-4D V8 turbodiesel engine. Yes, what was the Japanese brand’s last surviving 8-cylinder motor has officially reached the end of the line in South Africa, having been retired from the Land Cruiser 79 range.
Back in December 2023, Cars.co.za exclusively reported that the “1VD-FTV” powerplant – a 32-valve DOHC engine generating peak outputs of 151 kW and 430 Nm, delivered to all 4 wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox – would be put out to pasture in August 2025. Turns out our sources were spot on…
Yes, having kept a close eye on Toyota South Africa Motors’ website for some time now, we recently noticed the 4.5D-4D was no longer listed on the Land Cruiser 79 page. So, we asked the Japanese giant’s local division to confirm whether the V8 had indeed been discontinued.
Toyota’s statement on the 4.5D-4D V8
“We can confirm that the 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel engine in the Land Cruiser 70 Series is being discontinued. This decision aligns with the global direction set by Toyota Motor Corporation as part of a broader strategy to modernise the powertrain line-up and introduce more efficient powertrain solutions,” Toyota SA Motors told Cars.co.za in a statement.
“The alternative powertrain – a proven 2.8-litre turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine – delivers 150 kW of power and 450 Nm of torque [in manual guise, with 500 Nm offered in auto form], an increase of 20 Nm over the outgoing V8. This engine has also been specifically engineered to offer greater torque delivery with improved efficiency and fuel economy, ensuring it remains highly capable for the demands placed on the 70 Series,” Toyota SA Motors concluded.
As a reminder, the 4.5-litre powerplant was available in both the single- and double-cab body styles, last priced at R1 019 600 and R1 108 100, respectively. Interestingly, the V8 mill was dropped from the Land Cruiser 76 station-wagon range in 2024 (again, just as our earlier report suggested).
With this news, the Land Cruiser 79 portfolio shrinks to 7 derivatives. The 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder (1GD-FTV) turbodiesel engine introduced at the extensive model update in early 2024 and mentioned by Toyota above powers 3 of these derivatives (with 2 boasting an automatic transmission), while the familiar 4.0-litre V6 petrol unit (170 kW/360 Nm) and the long-in-the-tooth 4.2-litre straight-6 diesel motor (96 kW/285 Nm) soldier on to make up the balance.
Of course, the 4.5D-4D engine – which debuted globally way back in 2007 so was in production for some 18 years – also did duty in Toyota’s long-running J200-generation Land Cruiser 200. The Land Cruiser 300 that replaced this model, however, switched to a twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 (F33A-FTV) turbodiesel heart.
The J70-generation Land Cruiser itself has been in production for more than 40 years. From what we can tell, it’s still the oldest “new” model range available in South Africa, having been sold here in its current form (more or less, anyway) for well over 2 decades. Despite its advanced age, the Land Cruiser 79 bakkie continues to prove extremely popular locally, with sales in H1 2025 even surging 45.0% year on year to 2 897 units.
Find a used Toyota Land Cruiser 79 on Cars.co.za!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why was the Toyota 4.5D-4D V8 engine discontinued in South Africa?
A: Toyota says its 4.5D-4D V8 turbodiesel engine was discontinued in South Africa as part of a global strategy by Toyota Motor Corporation to modernise the powertrain line-up and introduce more efficient and modern solutions.
Q: What engine effectively replaces the 4.5D-4D V8 in the Toyota Land Cruiser 79?
A: The Toyota 4.5D-4D V8 turbodiesel engine in the Land Cruiser 79 range was effectively replaced by a 2.8-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine. This new engine delivers 150 kW of power and 450 Nm of torque (in manual guise).
Q: How long was the Toyota 4.5D-4D V8 engine in production?
A: The 1VD-FTV, or 4.5D-4D V8 turbodiesel engine, was in production for approximately 18 years. It debuted globally in 2007 and was used in both the Land Cruiser 79 and Land Cruiser 200.
Related content
Why the Toyota Hilux Legend 55 isn’t a ‘widebody’
