Everything We Know About The Tiny Off-Roader

Toyota has been building “Land Cruiser” into a sub-brand with a family of vehicles. The flagship J300 Land Cruiser, sold as the Lexus LX in America, leads the lineup. The next tier down is the Land Cruiser Prado, which Americans can buy as the Lexus GX or the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Base Trim Engine: 2.4L Turbo Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain: Four-Wheel Drive

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The Prado currently serves as the entry-level to the Land Cruiser sub-brand, but reports say Toyota is developing an even cheaper, entry-level Land Cruiser called the Land Cruiser FJ. Here’s what we know about it so far.

This article takes a look at what we know so far regarding the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ, which could join the line-up as a cost-conscious alternative to the off-road-ready 4Runner model.

2007 toyota jf cruiser front close up blue

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Toyota Has Not Confirmed The Land Cruiser FJ Yet, But…

Toyota has not given official confirmation that a Land Cruiser FJ is in the works, but the brand did hint at it strongly. During the global launch for the new Land Cruiser in 2023, Toyota revealed three future vehicles in a background slide. None of them were named. However, Toyota has revealed two of them already in concept form: the electric Land Cruiser SE and the Land Hopper, a three-wheeled mobility vehicle. We’re still waiting for the third vehicle, a smaller SUV, which resembles the reported Land Cruiser FJ.

Reporting has uncovered some official actions. Toyota has filed a patent application for a vehicle in the Philippines that resembles the aforementioned SUV the brand teased. And we also know Toyota filed a trademark application for the name “Land Cruiser FJ” in Japan.

What Will The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ Look Like?

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ tease — Toyota/YouTube

The patent renderings and teaser offer a good idea of what to expect aesthetically from the Land Cruiser FJ. There’s some resemblance to the Compact Cruiser EV concept. There are also some similarities to the Land Cruiser and the GX in there. Like the old FJ Cruiser, it has a chunky C-pillar. But unlike the FJ Cruiser, the Land Cruiser FJ should have conventional, front-hinged second doors.

Land Cruiser FJ Rumored Dimensions

Length	173.6 in
Width	73 in
Height	73.6 in
Wheelbase	101.5 in

Rumored figures from Japan suggest the Land Cruiser FJ will be a short, boxy SUV. At 173.6 inches long, the Land Cruiser FJ would be 20.2 inches shorter than the 2025 Land Cruiser or 0.1 inches shorter than a two-door Ford Bronco. At 73 inches wide and 73.6 inches tall, the Land Cruiser FJ would be about five inches narrower and 2.5 inches shorter than the Land Cruiser. It would have a 101.5-inch wheelbase, 10.7 inches shorter than the 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 1.1 inches longer than the two-door Bronco.

If those dimensions are correct, the Land Cruiser FJ would qualify as a “baby” version of the Land Cruiser. But it would still be far closer to a two-door Wrangler, two-door Bronco, or Land Cruiser than a Suzuki Jimny.

Land Cruiser FJ Platform And Engine

Per reports, the Land Cruiser FJ will use a body-on-frame setup: Toyota’s IMV 0 platform. That platform offers affordability and, in what will probably be a running theme for Toyota for the rest of the decade, flexibility. That platform can support combustion, hybrid, and all-electric powertrains as needed. The speculation is that Toyota will initially offer both gas and diesel engines, depending on the market. The gas engine would be Toyota’s 2.7-liter 2TR-FE engine, which was the base four-cylinder plant in the second and third-generation Toyota Tacoma. That would pair with either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. Though if the Land Cruiser FJ comes to America, it will probably be as a hybrid.

When Will The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ Arrive?

Reporting has vacillated on the timing for a Land Cruiser FJ launch, but the latest speculation suggests Toyota will unveil the Land Cruiser FJ at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, which is in late October. A debut then would see the production Land Cruiser FJ hitting dealers in some markets in early 2026. A potential hybrid-powered Land Cruiser FJ could take longer to develop for North America.

Will The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ Come To America?

That is the question. Toyota has not confirmed whether the Land Cruiser FJ is coming at all, let alone to America. Speculative reports about the future vehicle have mentioned that Toyota is planning to bring it to the United States. But the Land Cruiser FJ sounds like a vehicle Toyota typically would not bring to America: small body-on-frame SUV, platform that isn’t currently available in America, built in Thailand. Those are the sort of vehicles that tend not to be worth the effort to meet stringent American safety and emissions regulations. There are two main factors to consider about Toyota bringing the Land Cruiser FJ to America.

Will There Be Demand For The Land Cruiser FJ?

Toyota has not given the Land Cruiser FJ a full reveal yet, but if it matches the vehicle described, the demand should be there. The Land Cruiser FJ would meet several needs for Toyota. Few things are more popular than Toyota body-on-frame off-roaders. Getting a reasonably equipped Tacoma or 4Runner is now a $50,000 proposition. Intense popularity for these vehicles translates to exceptionally high resale values for used models. Toyota could use an entry-level off-road option that mortals and younger people can afford.

Toyota could also use a fun, affordable car in general. The Corolla Cross, while estimable in many ways, is not that. Ditto for the standard Corolla and the Prius. And the GR86 is bound to be a niche vehicle. Toyota has been trying for years with the Venza and now the Crown Signia to make a second SUV work, helping to carry the RAV4’s load. An alternative to trying to offer a bit more luxury could be making a more off-road-capable SUV. The Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco have also grown beyond the means of many buyers. A small, simple Toyota could help Toyota undercut both of those vehicles.

Can Toyota Get The Land Cruiser FJ To America At An Affordable Price?

Even if Toyota’s North American operation sees the opportunity for the Land Cruiser FJ, affordability may be the crucial question. Speculative reporting suggests that the Land Cruiser FJ will be affordable, starting below $30,000 in Japan. American versions of Toyotas tend to be more expensive. But this vehicle needs to start in the $30,000 to $35,000 range – around $10,000 below the basic 4×4 4Runner – to work.

Hitting that price point would have been tough before the Trump administration tariffs. With tariffs in their current form, it’s hard to see Toyota doing that without leaning on its hybrid battery plants in America and building it domestically. But if Toyota sees game-changing potential for a Land Cruiser FJ, it may be worth the effort.