Toyota’s Off-Road SUV Mashup Brings Us the Land Cruiser FJ
Many fondly remember the Toyota FJ Cruiser and admire the Land Cruiser for its full-size off-road prowess. Later this year, we could see a mashup of these two models in a smaller 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser version. This new model will be called the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ.
When will we see this new Toyota Land Cruiser FJ?
This new model in the Land Cruiser SUV lineup is considered the “baby” version of the Toyota SUV. It should arrive near the end of the year, but CarScoops presented an official teaser last August. During this teaser, the company put the FJ model next to the classic 70 version, the current 250 model, and the 300 series version. The 300 series model isn’t available in the United States, but this new FJ model will make its way to our shores.
What models will the new Land Cruiser FJ compete with?
The target of this new Toyota SUV is the same market as the Ford Bronco Sport. This means the new Toyota Land Cruiser FJ is hitting the market as a compact off-road crossover. Unlike the Ford model, the new Land Cruiser won’t utilize a unibody architecture.
Instead of moving to a new build, the smallest Land Cruiser SUV will maintain the ladder frame platform. the Toyota Hilux Champ pickup truck already utilizes this platform.
What should we expect from this new compact off-road SUV?
The new Land Cruiser FJ model should have enhanced noise, vibration, and harshness features. This SUV will also provide impressive driving dynamics, pushing this Toyota SUV toward more affordable drivers as an excellent off-road option.
Could this new SUV use traditional gas engines or hybrid powertrains? Reports from Japan inform us that Toyota has abandoned plans for hybrid powertrains in this small SUV. Of course, this goes against what Toyota offers in most trucks and large SUVs recently.
The same report from Japan suggests the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ uses a 2.7-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine. This system delivers 161 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, sent to a full-time 4WD system through a 6-speed automatic transmission.
This new Toyota SUV is a compact, rugged off-roader
There’s still much to learn about what this new Toyota Land Cruiser FJ should bring to the market. This new rugged off-road should debut as early as December 2024. After this debut, the SUV will arrive in Japanese markets in spring 2025, followed by a global rollout.
Expect to learn more about this new Toyota SUV mashup as we come closer to its arrival.
Source: CarScoops
