The 2026 update is the biggest change since the Frontlander launched. The front end adopts Toyota’s new “hammerhead” design with slim LED headlights, and the cabin moves to a 12.9-inch floating touchscreen (10.25-inch on entry trims) with an 8.8-inch driver display and a Snapdragon 8155 infotainment chip on most trims. For a buyer in Riyadh, Almaty or Accra, it reads as a new car, not a carry-over.

Under the skin the recipe is unchanged in the best way: Toyota’s 2.0-litre Dynamic Force engine family, front-wheel drive, MacPherson front suspension and a 2,640 mm wheelbase shared with earlier model years. Parts commonality with the wider Corolla Cross family makes the Frontlander easier to service than many newer Chinese brands — an argument dealers can use on the showroom floor.

The hybrid now produces a combined 147 kW (200 PS), up from 144 kW on the 2024 model, and returns 4.56–4.58 L/100 km on the WLTC cycle. The petrol version keeps the 171 PS 2.0-litre engine with a CVT that simulates 10 steps. Both run on RON 92 petrol or higher, which matters in markets where 95-octane fuel is not available everywhere.

Every 2026 trim includes Toyota Pilot level-2 driver assistance with full-speed adaptive cruise, lane-centring and autonomous emergency braking, plus a reversing camera, keyless entry and start, and LED matrix headlights on all but the two entry petrol trims. That standard equipment level is what makes the 2026 model attractive for ride-hailing and corporate fleets as well as retail.