Toyota could be sharpening its off-road arsenal with a smaller and more affordable Toyota LandCruiser FJ, according to reports from overseas.
Set to target the entry-level market, the Toyota LandCruiser FJ, as it’s said to be named, will undercut the more expensive Toyota Prado, which has become prohibitively expensive for some buyers. The new Prado is priced from AUD$72,500 plus on-road costs, and as a result, some buyers have started considering cut-price Chinese alternatives like the GWM Tank 300 to replace their beloved workhorse.
If the brand were to introduce a cheaper Toyota LandCruiser, it would surely become its biggest weapon, and some reports suggest it might be announced before the end of 2024.
Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing chief, Sean Hanley, didn’t go as far. He told CarsGuide, “We’ve had no dialogue about those vehicles in Australia at this point,” but he didn’t rule it out either, saying, “From a conceptual perspective, we’re very excited, and it just again shows that the company hasn’t been sitting still. It’s actually busy looking at alternatives, and we’d welcome any opportunity to bring those types of vehicles to this market.
“So all of these things now will become more real and more visible in the future, I think,” he continued.
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Toyota trademarked the LandCruiser FJ name back in March 2024, which suggests that the FJ name could be applied to this smaller model. Of course, it can’t carry a LandCruiser nameplate without serious off-road credentials, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it based on a ladder frame chassis, similar to the Toyota Prado.
That said, the Land Cruiser FJ would be smaller than the Toyota Fortuner and Prado, and reports from Japan suggest that the wheelbase would be around the Corolla Cross (length 4490mm x width 1825mm x height 1620mm). Technically speaking, the underpinnings could also be shared with the HiLux Champ Ute, and the styling would be as rugged as any Land Cruiser, albeit within a smaller canvas.
From the conceptual renders shared by the editorial team at Best Car Japan, we should expect chunky bumpers, thick cladding, and an upright stance that befits a mini 300 Series LandCruiser. Further design details could include large off-road-spec tyres and a tail-gate-mounted spare wheel. The styling was adopted from the Compact Cruiser EV concept, which was unveiled a few years ago.
Like the HiLux Champ, the ‘Baby Land Cruiser’ will most likely have a no-nonsense cabin design with a steely-eyed focus on functionality. However, expect it to have all the basic creature comforts such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, digital driver display, and all of the important safety features that would be needed for certification into our market.
Engine configurations will be based on their specific market preferences, but a petrol-hybrid powertrain would most likely make the cut for markets like Australia, potentially the 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid from the RAV4 that produces 163kW of power and 227Nm of torque. Meanwhile, a naturally aspirated 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol with 120kW could also be offered in countries like India, which will surely be a key market for this vehicle.
Reports from overseas say the Toyota LandCruiser FJ will undercut the Prado and Fortuner in pricing, and that means a sub-$50k starting price for the base model vehicle before it’s globally unveiled as early as the end 2024, with deliveries starting in Japan shortly thereafter before other markets are considered. Knowing how long these vehicle timelines are, even if it was unveiled today, the small Toyota LandCruiser wouldn’t arrive in Australia until at least the second half of 2026.
Toyota Australia is yet to confirm any specifics about this rumoured vehicle. However, the Toyota LandCruiser FJ nameplate has been registered in Australia, which means off-road fans could have a bargain Toyota SUV with this hallowed badge in their drive-way. Stay tuned for more details on this!
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