Toyota Motor Corp. is bringing its iconic Land Cruiser back to North America next year with slimmer dimensions and a lower price tag.
The world’s biggest carmaker unveiled three variations of its most enduring model in Tokyo on Wednesday. Production will be limited to 5,000 units for the first two months and pricing will start at around $50,000. The trucks will also become available in Japan during the first half of 2024.
The smaller Land Cruiser 70 will return to Japan this winter.
The Land Cruiser has been absent from the U.S. market for three years. The newest iteration of the rugged offroader will be 4.4 inches narrower and 1.2 inches shorter than its predecessor 200 Series — a full-size, luxury sport utility vehicle. It will have up to 8.7 inches of ground clearance.
All three versions — the Land Cruiser 1958, Land Cruiser and the limited-run Land Cruiser First Edition — will be powered by an i-Force Max hybrid powertrain that pairs a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor attached to an eight-speed transmission — playing to Toyota’s strength in hybrids, which are hot sellers in the US.
For off-road and camping enthusiasts, the cars will come standard with a 6,000-pound tow hitch, double-wishbone front suspension, center locking differential, automatic slip differential and an electronic locking rear differential. The hybrid engine produces 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.
There are no plans to build an all-electric model. Toyota has been criticized for its slow embrace of electric vehicles, though newly appointed Chief Executive Officer Koji Sato has promised to expand EV production while continuing to offer a broad range of hybrid and gasoline cars.
Hybrid versions of the new SUV will only be available in the U.S. and China, while diesel and gasoline-powered variants will be sold in the Middle East, Europe, Australia and Japan.
The latest Land Cruiser will be built on the same platform as several Toyota trucks including the Prado, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra, as well as the Lexus LX and GX. The 2024 model will look similar to those offered since 2021 in Japan, where production of the Land Cruiser never ended.
When it was introduced to the U.S. in 1958, the Land Cruiser didn’t exactly take off — only one was sold during its inaugural year in America. Over time it grew in sales and popularity, slowly becoming symbolic of an adventurous, outdoor lifestyle.
The new First Edition is a proper homage to that spirit, equipped with a roof rack, rock rails, round headlamps and mudflaps. It is the latest in a long line of nostalgic re-releases from carmakers looking to cushion their bottom line with adored products.
Ford Motor Co. launched a modern take on the Bronco in 2020 and General Motors Co. electrified its Hummer in 2022. Stellantis NV’s Jeep division, meanwhile, has been making Wranglers since World War II.
Land Cruiser sales had been declining for two decades before Toyota ended production in 2021, the same year the Japanese carmaker announced a new domestic model — the 300 Series.
According to Toyota, the Land Cruiser, the Lexus LX and GX have together sold 11.3 million units as of June.
Nicholas Takahashi, Bloomberg
