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It’s baaaack! Get ready for the return of the Toyota Land Cruiser! Find out what we know, what we expect, and what we hope to find out.
The Return of the Land Cruiser
If you make your way to the Land Cruiser portion of Toyota’s website, it says, “After over 60 years of off-road adventures, the Toyota Land Cruiser has been discontinued, making 2021 the vehicle’s last model year.” Granted, the Land Cruiser wasn’t discontinued in other areas, but it was discontinued in North America. Well, for anyone who was disappointed at the time, there’s good news! The Toyota Land Cruiser is back. Technically, it’s not back yet, but it is coming back. Toyota posted a short video to Instagram and Facebook with variations of the Land Cruiser nameplate on different colored vehicles.
Is It a Real Return?
No, Toyota isn’t just paying homage to the Land Cruiser in some kind of anniversary celebration. Yes, the Land Cruiser is really coming back. One of the posts included the text, “Nothing better than a comeback story. The legend returns.” Another said, “Did you really think we’d be gone for long? The legend returns.” At least we know that Toyota isn’t just playing with emotions here. The Land Cruiser is officially slated for a return.
Additional Details are Scarce
We know the Land Cruiser is coming back, but we’re not sure exactly when. One has to assume it would be pretty soon. An unofficial news report says it will be available in 2024. That same unconfirmed said this revived Land Cruiser won’t be the J300, currently available in the Middle East. Apparently, the 70 series, also currently sold overseas, won’t be the new Land Cruiser model either.
Instead, the new Toyota Land Cruiser will be very similar to the Lexus GX, which was based on the Land Cruiser Prado in European countries. The Land Cruiser and Lexus models have quite a history. Previous Land Cruiser models were based on the larger Lexus LX. This time around, however, the Land Cruiser will supposedly be based on the smaller Lexus GX.
The 2024 Lexus GX kicks off the third generation for that vehicle. This SUV is going to have 33-inch all-terrain tires and 18-inch wheels. It’ll be powered by a 3.4L twin-turbo V6 that makes 349 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. It will also eventually have a hybrid powertrain option. These details give us a good idea of what to expect in the new Toyota Land Cruiser, too.
It will be a switch from the most recent Land Cruiser. The 2021 Land Cruiser was powered by a 5.7L V8 engine, which was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. That model generated 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. It also had 18-inch wheels.
One thing is very clear: with more than 25,000 social media likes on the Land Cruiser announcement, there are plenty of people excited about a new Land Cruiser. As we wait for additional details to be released, review every previous version in Toyota Land Cruiser Generations: Through the Years, learn more about the Land Cruiser 40 in our list of the Top 10 Best Jeep Alternatives, or find out which vehicle is better in our Budget Buy: G-Wagon vs Land Cruiser comparison.
