Toyota LandCruiser FJ locked in

It seems the all-conquering Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, next month’s upgraded LandCruiser 70 Series and next year’s new Toyota LandCruiser Prado 250 Series are only the beginning of the new-generation LandCruiser story.

A tough-as-nails new short-wheelbase ‘FJ’ LandCruiser designed to steal sales from Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco appears to be gestating more rapidly than anticipated, following news that Toyota has trademarked the ‘Land Cruiser FJ’ name in Japan.

It follows an official teaser image released in August showing the silhouette of a short-wheelbase version of the next-generation Toyota Prado that’s coming to Australia in mid-2024.

The ultra-blocky design draws parallels with the old FJ Cruiser and incorporates a tailgate-mounted spare wheel.

Details of Toyota’s trademark application for the LandCruiser FJ name in Japan were picked up by the web watchers over at the LandCruiser-Forum, who were trawling a trademark monitoring website.

The trademark filing adds to the body of evidence around a reborn Toyota LandCruiser FJ Series, as 4x4 fanatics become increasingly eager for more news on the Prado ‘shorty’.

But beyond the shadowy teaser image revealed by the Japanese auto giant, there are no official details around the FJ Cruiser’s spiritual successor, such as its launch date or price.

However, given it’ll almost certainly be underpinned by the same TNGA-F ladder-frame chassis as the 300 and 250 Series LandCruisers – albeit with a shorter wheelbase that should improve its mud-plugging chops – the resurrected Toyota LandCruiser FJ will almost certainly be offered with diesel powertrains.

The most likely scenario for Aussie buyers is the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (150kW/500Nm) as the upcoming 2024 Prado, which will incorporate mild-hybrid tech to reduce fuel consumption.

Given that the diesel-shy North American market will be crucial to the Toyota LandCruiser FJ’s success, it will also need petrol engines… but it’s unlikely to come with the rip-snorting 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 (260kW/650Nm) from its Lexus GX cousin, which is also due on sale in Australia – for the first time – during the first half of 2024.

That said, the world’s largest car-maker has other petrol options including 2.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinders in regular (207kW/430Nm) and more muscular hybrid (243kW/630Nm) forms.

Toyota Australia has already confirmed it would consider petrol engines for Prado buyers in the future, so these cannot be ruled out for the FJ Cruiser’s belated replacement either.

Packaged exclusively with a petrol V6, the original Toyota FJ Cruiser was built between 2006 and 2022. It shared its underpinnings with the outgoing Prado and was known as a capable and reliable bush-basher.

Expect the cabin of the new Toyota Prado ‘shorty’ to mirror the full-size Toyota Prado with a big 12.3-inch central touch-screen and digital instrument cluster, surrounded by a dashboard design that’s as blocky as its exterior.

Toyota knows just how much brand value the LandCruiser name has – not just in Australia and the Middle East, but globally – and this is why the LC300, LC250 (Prado) and LC FJ are likely to be joined by a cut-price ‘baby’ Toyota LandCruiser based on the Corolla Cross and, eventually, an all-electric version.

Stay tuned for more details on the reborn Toyota FJ Cruiser and the expansion of the LandCruiser sub-brand.

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