Key highlights
- Toyota’s new secondary immobiliser costs $1735 fitted for LandCruiser 300 and Prado 250 models
- The system requires a separate security fob to be present before the engine can start
- Toyota says similar anti-theft measures could eventually be considered for more models
If you own a LandCruiser 300 Series or a Prado 250 Series, Toyota’s just given you a new way to make life harder for car thieves. The brand has rolled out a secondary immobiliser as a Toyota Genuine Accessory, designed specifically for these two models and aimed at owners of vehicles already on the road.
It’s not a cheap fix, mind you. Fitted, the system costs $1735, and the installation itself takes around five hours. On the plus side, it’s backed by whatever’s left of your new-car warranty, or two years from installation, whichever runs longer.
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How does the new Toyota Anti-Theft Immobiliser work?
The setup is refreshingly simple in concept, even if the tech behind it isn’t. A key-ring security fob (plus a spare) has to be present alongside your normal key for the engine to fire up. No fob, no start, full stop. There’s also a steering column light and an external sticker so thieves can see at a glance that a car’s been fitted with the extra layer of security, which in itself can be a handy deterrent.
Toyota Australia says it’s not aware of any thefts using sophisticated bypass devices on vehicles already fitted with its 2025 security upgrades, which is a promising sign the tech is doing its job.
Why does Toyota’s anti-theft upgrade matter for Australian drivers?
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Australia’s dealing with what Toyota itself calls a genuine “societal challenge” around car theft, and the brand’s bestsellers have been squarely in the firing line. Thieves have been getting into vehicles’ electronics to bypass factory security and, in some cases, disabling GPS tracking on the Prado through Toyota Connected Services, which is a pretty unsettling reminder that modern security is as much a software battle as a physical one.
The numbers back up the urgency. Victoria alone recorded a 25 per cent jump in motor-theft claims in 2025, topping 12,500 claims, with costs blowing out 37 per cent to $243 million, more than Queensland, NSW, SA and WA combined. Nationally, theft claims were actually only up 2.5 per cent, and would have fallen 10 per cent if you strip Victoria’s numbers out. That tells you exactly where the problem is concentrated.
The HiLux, Corolla, RAV4 and LandCruiser were all among Victoria’s most-stolen vehicles last year, alongside older favourites like the Commodore and Impreza. Some of the thefts have even been linked to alleged international crime syndicates, including one Queensland Police disrupted in December 2025 after a spate of Toyota thefts in Brisbane, reportedly the same crew believed to have shifted operations from Victoria.
Toyota’s next steps to fight vehicle theft in Australia
Toyota’s not stopping at immobilisers. It added a steering wheel lock to its accessories catalogue back in January 2026, now priced at $210, built from automotive-grade steel. The brand’s also been vocal about wanting tougher regulation, pushing for an outright ban on devices built purely for stealing cars, while still supporting legitimate access for locksmiths and mechanics who need similar tools for honest work.
Toyota hasn’t confirmed which models might get secondary immobilisers next, but it has said the tech is being considered more broadly across the range, following its rollout to the 300 Series, Prado and HiLux through 2025, and now extending to newer models like the RAV4.
Is the Toyota secondary Immobiliser worth It?
For LandCruiser 300 and Prado 250 owners, $1735 is a serious outlay just to keep your car where you parked it. But given how aggressively these models are being targeted, and how costly a stolen car (or a stolen GPS-disabled Prado) can be, it’s the kind of investment that’s hard to argue with, especially if you’re driving in Victoria.
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