In an interview with a media outlet, Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia's Sales & Marketing head, challenged the prevailing narrative that diesel engines are on their way out.

Despite the trend of many car manufacturers worldwide discontinuing diesel in favor of petrol hybrids and EVs, Hanley asserted,  It’s got a while to go, diesel, so it’s not going to die off anytime soon.

He emphasized the continued relevance of diesel, especially for heavy vehicles, acknowledging the need for adaptation to stricter emission norms. Hanley highlighted Toyota's recent introduction of a 48-volt mild hybrid system paired with its 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine in the Hilux pickup truck, with plans to extend this technology to other large SUVs like the Fortuner and new-gen Prado.

While acknowledging the need for diesel engine technology to evolve, Hanley suggested exploring alternatives such as synthetic diesel fuels. He emphasized the importance of carefully considering diesel's role in the future automotive landscape, stating, Diesel as we know it today is an interesting source of fuel that served us all very well, including Toyota. It’s not going to die off in a minute – you’ll still be able to fill your car up with diesel for the next 10 years.