Toyota killed off the Land Cruiser in America in 2021, opting not to bring the new J300 model over (you can still get it in Lexus form). We, like many, had a soft spot for the big friendly SUV. The trouble was, no one here bought it. The Land Cruiser was too bloated and too inefficient; and, at nearly $90,000, it priced out Toyota SUV enthusiasts — but wasn't a fancy-enough badge for those who pay that much for an SUV.
However, Toyota did not say they were abandoning the Land Cruiser nameplate altogether. Their initial statement said they would "explore future products that celebrate the Land Cruiser's rich off-road history" and told enthusiasts to "stay tuned for future developments."
Those future developments may happen more quickly than anticipated — perhaps as soon as the 2024 model year. Here's what you need to know.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Toyota confirmed the Land Cruiser will return to America
Toyota
Jack Hollis, head of Toyota's North American sales, told Motortrendit was "likely" the Land Cruiser nameplate would return at some point. And the brand officially confirmed "the legend" will return over social media. Toyota's teaser notably used the Land Cruiser nameplate itself and not the J300 Land Cruiser.
Will the new Toyota Land Cruiser have a six-cylinder engine?
Toyota
Reportedly no. The Lexus GX launched with a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 combustion engine pushing out 349 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. But a reported leak found by Drive showed three engine options for the Land Cruiser, all four-cylinder.
TFL is reporting that — as had been expected for the GX — the new Land Cruiser would get the 2.4-liter inline-four "Hybrid Max" powertrain used in the Toyota Tacoma, the Toyota Crown and the Lexus TX. That engine puts out 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque in the Tacoma.
Lexus noted that a hybrid option for the GX was coming. If the Drive report is correct, it seems plausible that the GX and Land Cruiser will share the 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain and that it will be the only option on the Land Cruiser.
Toyota did not reveal too much detail with the darkened silhouette. But the image suggests a grille that will pay homage to the FJ40. It looks like it bears considerable resemblance to the 2024 Lexus GX and is considerably smaller than the international J300 model.
If the vehicle is due to arrive in 2024, we could expect a reveal as soon as late 2023. Toyota teasing the vehicle's return in June could indicate an earlier timeline. The 2024 Tacoma arrived fairly soon after Toyota began dropping hints.
The Land Cruiser nameplate probably won't be the J300 Land Cruiser
Lexus
Automotive News and TFL both have Toyota basing the new American Land Cruiser on the next-gen Land Cruiser Prado (Toyota's smaller, cheaper Land Cruiser). Toyota would presumably drop the "Prado" for the American market. Japanese reports suggest Toyota may just call it the Land Cruiser 250 in Japan.
The Lexus GX has been a twin of the Land Cruiser Prado, traditionally. So the just unveiled 2024 Lexus GX on the TNGA-F platform should offer a preview of what a new Land Cruiser would look like.
Judging from the report, the new Land Cruiser sounds like more "what Toyota should have done with the FJ Cruiser" than a straight-up FJ Cruiser revival.
Will the new Land Cruiser get a TRD Pro version?
Toyota
Toyota has not confirmed a TRD Pro Land Cruiser yet. But Drive reports that the Land Cruiser will have a "flagship, hardcore off-road variant in the same vein as the TRD Pro versions" of Toyota's American pickup lineup.
Does bringing the Land Cruiser back make sense?
toyota
We'll see. Toyota has too much brand equity in "Land Cruiser" not to use it. The J200 model had its issues — bloated body and price point — that made it not quite a fit for the American enthusiast market. A lighter, more off-road oriented and less expensive "Land Cruiser" could be a far better one.
The major question is how a revamped 4Runner will fit in with the new Land Cruiser. According to Drive, the new Land Cruiser will be more of a niche off-road vehicle than the 4Runner. We could see it start with a price in the $50,000 to $60,000 range to slot above the 4Runner.
