Following an announcement last year of its discontinuation, sales for the Toyota Land Cruiser shot up in the U.S. While many buyers have flocked to Toyota dealerships to get their hands on the last few 2021 models, production of the new generation appears to be underway. That’s exactly what we see in a brand-new set of spy photos.

These photos come courtesy of Chochespias, an online forum where several users have posted close-up images of this unreleased SUV. However, while this model sports a brand-new look, it likely won’t make it to the U.S. market, not as we’d expect, at least.

Why was the Toyota Land Cruiser discontinued?

While the Toyota Land Cruiser is undoubtedly beloved by many, it isn’t exactly a big seller in the U.S. For starters, the cheapest 2021 model has a base price of $85,565. As a result, this large off-roader targets a niche market of wealthy off-roading enthusiasts. To make matters worse, Toyota itself offers other large off-roaders at lower prices.

According to CarSalesBase, a total of 3,147 Toyota Land Cruisers found new homes in 2020. This figure also shows a slight dip from 3,536 units sold in 2019.

As you might expect, such a low sales volume isn’t exactly enough to sustain such a massively expensive product for the U.S. market. In other parts around the globe, this large off-roader sells quite well despite its price tag.

To rub salt in the wound, the Toyota Land Cruiser’s luxurious sibling, the Lexus LX, has outsold it for well over a decade in the U.S. Given the subtle price difference between the two, buyers seem more eager to embrace the luxurious Lexus.

Here is the alleged 2022 model outside of a factory

While we may not get the next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser, it is still worth having a look. As you might imagine, this off-roader’s design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. This means you still get a massive footprint with subtle yet robust design throughout. The largest new addition seems to be a brand-new front grille.

Flanking the massive grille appears to be two massive air intakes that lead to a new set of LED headlights. While this design still looks quite chunky, it welcomes an otherwise aged design approach in the current model.

It is a similar story in the rear end. For this new model, it seems we’re getting significantly larger taillights. They appear to be LEDs to match up with what we see in the front. From there, the rest of the SUV looks quite similar to the current model. As a result, we might see the biggest changes inside and under the hood.

Will the 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser make it to the US market?

It remains to be seen whether or not we’ll get this brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser in the U.S. However, there is no announcement surrounding the cancelation of the Lexus LX. With decent sales figures, the Lexus variant might live on and even get a brand-new generation. As a result, if you want one of these massive off-roaders in the U.S., you’ll have to get one with a Lexus badge up front.