Toyota unveiled its new Land Cruiser hybrid on August 2. The world's biggest automaker said it is planning a North American comeback for the Land Cruiser with two new hybrid models, one big, one small(er).
Toyota ended sales of the Land Cruiser in the U.S in 2021 after selling around 3,000 a year. Compare that to the 407, 739 Rav4s sold in the U.S the same year, the Land Cruiser’s high sticker price and the fact it had not been redesigned for over 10 years. It was not a surprise the aging SUV having lost market share to the luxury SUV market, was pulled from the N.A market ( it left Canada in 1996).
The new Land Cruiser will be built in Japan at the Tahara and Hino plants on the same fully-boxed frame that underpins the new Tundra, the 2024 Tacoma and the Lexus GX. The new look harks back to the original 1950s designs.
The’ Base Edition’ is a 1958 version with round headlights reminiscent of the FJ40 and FJ60; the second version the’ Land Cruiser edition’ comes with square headlamps reminiscent of the FJ62; and the ‘First Edition’ with have round headlamps and is limited to 5,000 units in North America.
The first 5,000 units off the assembly line will all be First Edition units.
The Land Cruiser remains a profitable and popular global brand for Toyota, the SUV passed the 10 million mark in global sales in 2023. The Land Cruiser remains one of Australia's most loved vehicles and is the favored vehicle of the United Nations and NATO forces in rough and rural terrains.
The new Land Cruiser will become available in Japan in the first half of 2024, and come to the United States and Canada in the spring of 2024.
Suggested retail pricing in the United States will start in the mid-$50,000 range.