The 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 has fingerprint identification engine start button

It appears that the all-new 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 will be offered with two different engine start button – a regular start-stop button, and a fancier one that recognizes the pre-registered driver’s fingerprint.

Curiously, this feature was not mentioned during the Land Cruiser 300’s global reveal in Dubai earlier today, but a closer look at the photos provided by Toyota Motor Europe revealed a slightly different interior from the Middle East specifications car that was used for the global unveiling.

The European specifications appears to have a different engine start-stop button, with a fingerprint identification sensor in the middle.

The feature is not the first of its kind though. Hyundai beat Toyota to it, in the US-market Hyundai Santa Fe, in December 2018.

Presumably, the Land Cruiser 300’s fingerprint recognition function will be offered in countries where security is a concern (detailed specifications will only be announced later).

Curiously, the Land Cruiser is one of the most stolen cars in Japan and this new feature will be a welcomed upgrade there.

Preliminary information from Japanese dealers suggests that the Land Cruiser 300’s fingerprint identification feature can store up to 10 registered drivers.

But what happens with valet service then? We are not too sure about that scenario but for Toyota service centres in Japan, there will be a designated person and process to start the car without the owner, but Toyota isn’t saying much about that for now.

To recap, the latest generation Land Cruiser 300 has dropped its signature V8 engine. It is now powered by either a 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel (309 PS / 700 Nm) or a 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol (415 PS / 650 Nm), both paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The switch to a smaller V6, plus the new TNGA-F ladder frame chassis has reduced the SUV’s weight by 200 kg. It also has a slick near-VR-like Multi-Terrain Monitor, which gives the driver a real-time view of the road surface beneath the vehicle.

Overall dimensions and wheelbase of the car remain unchanged from the previous Land Cruiser 200, which Toyota says is already at the optimum ‘golden ratio.’

For the first time ever, there’s also a GR variant of the Land Cruiser, identified by its blacked out grille.

Also read: Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series debuts – Super King drops V8 for V6, now with Dakar rally input