Squint, and you can see the new Land Cruiser
Toyota still declines to say the words: “The Land Cruiser is coming back to the U.S. next year, and this is the truck it will be based on,” but we know better, especially when the automaker teases us with photos like the two just released, showing the first-generation Cruiser nose-to-nose with the upcoming model.
Which is, apparently, based on the Prado, sold overseas in some markets as a Land Cruiser. According to Automotive News: “Company sources say the next Land Cruiser will be based on the next-generation Land Cruiser Prado, a smaller, less expensive SUV sold in overseas markets, including Europe, and marketed in the U.S. as the Lexus GX. The body-on-frame GX has been overhauled from top to bottom for 2024 and appears boxier, though still upright.”
The aging Land Cruiser disappeared from the Toyota lineup in 2021, yet it seems to retain a small but rabid following. Resale value is strong—Edmunds.com says the value of a 2021 Land Cruiser in “clean” condition can be expected to retail at a dealer for $91,602.
Toyota is likely to (finally) admit the Land Cruiser is back next month. Hopefully, that announcement will include some well-lit photographs. Stay tuned.
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Ahh yes…hindsight is indeed 20/20. I wish I hadn’t sold my 1984 FJ60 (bought new) a couple of years ago. Never failed to get me back from wherever I wondered…NEVER! Failure just was not a part of its name…sigh…
It will be interesting to see what it is and where it gets priced.
You certainly won’t confuse it with a real Land Cruiser, the FJ40. I had a ’69 FJ40. This is a bus.
I owned a ’98 and a 2004. The 2004 had 160K miles on her and drove as well as it did when we bought in new in late ’93 and still looked great. I really miss that rig and regret trading her in.