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Toyota FJ: The Baby Land Cruiser That’s Big on Attitude

It’s back. After years of whispers, teasers, and blurry spy shots taken through the foliage of rural Japan, Toyota has finally done it — the FJ name is reborn. Only this time, it’s not the chunky retro bruiser you remember. No, this is the baby Land Cruiser — think Defender 90-sized, but with that unmistakable Toyota sense of indestructibility baked into its DNA.

Meet the New Kid in the Cruiser Clan

The new Toyota FJ — short for Freedom and Joy, which sounds like a wellness retreat but actually describes a small 4×4 that could probably drive through one — is Toyota’s latest addition to its sprawling Land Cruiser family. Sitting below the 250 Series (the one currently sold in the UK), the FJ shrinks the formula but keeps the rugged spirit intact.

At 4,575mm long, 1,855mm wide, and 1,960mm tall, it’s within a whisker of the Land Rover Defender 90 — which is exactly the point. Toyota wants to lure a “new generation” of buyers into the Land Cruiser fold: people who want mountain-goat ability and retro charm, but in a package that fits into multi-storey car parks and modern lifestyles.

Mini Cruiser, Major Capability

Underneath, it shares its bones with the bigger 250, but with 270mm lopped out of the wheelbase. That makes it tiny by Land Cruiser standards — yet Toyota swears it’s just as capable off-road. Ground clearance and approach angles are nearly identical to the 250’s 215mm and 31 degrees, and a 5.5-metre turning circle should make light work of tight trails (or supermarket car parks).

Power comes from a humble 2.7-litre naturally aspirated four-pot pushing out 161bhp and 181lb ft — numbers that won’t make your pulse race but will, crucially, still run after the apocalypse. Drive goes to all four corners via a six-speed auto, and you can bet it’ll clamber over almost anything you point it at.

Chief branding officer Simon Humphries calls it “a minimal footprint with a new dimension in driving performance and manoeuvrability.” Translation: it’s small, scrappy, and built to go anywhere.

Designed to Get Dirty (and Look Good Doing It)

Visually, the FJ looks like someone threw a Land Cruiser and a Tonka truck into a blender — flared arches, squared-off bumpers, and a stance that screams ready for action. The modular bumpers can be removed and swapped out for custom ones, or just replaced when they inevitably meet a rock. There’s a smorgasbord of customisation options too: round headlights for retro lovers, cargo panels, even a snorkel if you plan to use it as Noah’s Ark.

Inside, it’s a refreshingly honest cabin. There’s a 12.5-inch touchscreen flanked by actual buttons — remember those? — and a tough, utilitarian layout that looks ready for muddy boots and rough roads.

Global Reach, Local Absence

The FJ will be built in Thailand and launched first in Japan mid-next year, before heading to Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East — the markets where Toyota’s off-roaders are practically family members.

Bad news for us in the UK: according to chief engineer Masaya Uchiyama, there are “no plans for America or Europe”. But given how quickly Toyota’s product plans evolve — and how much we love a compact off-roader with proper heritage — don’t count it out just yet.

If it does make the trip here, it’ll likely need a hybrid powertrain to keep the emissions people happy. Toyota already sells the 250 with a mild-hybrid diesel, so a small petrol-hybrid FJ wouldn’t be much of a stretch.

The Future of the Family

Toyota insists the Land Cruiser “will continue to evolve to meet societal demands while supporting the lives of customers around the world.” That’s corporate-speak for there’s more coming, and we’re here for it.

Because if this little FJ delivers on its promise — go-anywhere ability, indestructible engineering, and a whiff of old-school charm — it could be the most fun Land Cruiser in years.

Small in size, big in spirit, and named after Freedom and Joy. Sounds like the perfect antidote to a world obsessed with crossover clones.

Source: Toyota

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Toyota’s Baby Land Cruiser Is Almost Here—and It Might Arrive Sooner Than Expected

All signs point to Toyota gearing up for the debut of a new, smaller off-roader—a sort of “junior” Land Cruiser for a new generation of adventure seekers. The automaker first teased this compact SUV two years ago, and since then, speculation has run wild. Now, it looks like we’re finally about to see the real thing.

According to a report from Japan’s Mag-X, Toyota will pull the wraps off the long-awaited Land Cruiser FJ on October 21 at 5:00 a.m. JST (that’s 3:00 p.m. ET on October 20). That’s notably earlier than the 2026 launch window originally reported by Creative 331. If true, we’ll be seeing Toyota’s newest off-road machine within days.

A Familiar Name, a Smaller Package

The new FJ will reportedly be powered by a naturally aspirated 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine, the same unit found in the entry-level Hilux pickup. In that application, it makes 163 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque—numbers that won’t scare a Bronco Sport but should be enough for a smaller, lighter SUV with legitimate off-road credentials.

Dimensionally, the FJ is shaping up to be compact—171.3 inches long, about five inches shorter than the Toyota Corolla Cross and nearly identical in length to the Ford Bronco Sport (172.7 inches). Toyota’s smallest Land Cruiser could easily become a rival for the likes of the Bronco Sport, Jeep Compass, and even the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness.

Platform Mysteries and Powertrain Speculation

The big question is what platform the FJ will ride on. Mag-X suggests it could use Toyota’s IMV-0 ladder-frame chassis, the same architecture underpinning the Hilux Champ. That would give the SUV genuine off-road bones, but it’s unlikely to meet American crash standards—meaning we probably won’t see that setup in the U.S.

Earlier reports hinted that Toyota could instead use its TNGA-F platform, shared with the larger Land Cruiser, Tacoma, and Tundra. That would make more sense for a global product and would open the door to more advanced powertrains, including hybrid options.

If the FJ does make its way stateside—and Toyota has hinted that it will—expect different engines. The U.S. model could swap the base 2.7-liter for Toyota’s turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, which makes up to 326 hp in hybrid form. That would transform the FJ from a nostalgic throwback into a genuine performance-oriented off-roader.

What’s Next

If the reports are accurate, we won’t have to wait much longer for official details. The Japan Mobility Show kicks off at the end of October, and it seems like the perfect stage for Toyota to revive one of its most beloved badges.

The original FJ Cruiser became a cult icon for its rugged design and go-anywhere spirit. Now, two decades later, Toyota seems ready to rekindle that flame—this time in a more compact, modern, and globally accessible package.

Stay tuned—Toyota’s baby Land Cruiser might just be the off-road comeback we’ve been waiting for.

Source: Mag-X

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Toyota’s GR GT: The Long-Awaited V8 Supercar That Refuses to Play Nice

It’s happening. Finally. Toyota is about to rip the covers off what might just be the most exciting thing to come out of Japan since the Lexus LFA screamed its way into the history books. Mark your calendars — 5 December is D-Day for the GR GT, the brand’s long-awaited, V8-powered flagship that aims squarely at Aston Martin’s DB12 and anyone else who dares call themselves a supercar.

Originally tipped to appear under the bright lights of the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota has instead opted for a slow-burn tease. We’ve seen concept after concept, a couple of running prototypes at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed, and even a cameo at Pebble Beach. But the real thing — the one you’ll actually be able to buy (eventually) — lands this December, before strutting its stuff publicly at Tokyo Auto Salon in January.

LFA Spirit, GR Muscle

Officially, the car’s full name is Toyota GR GT, and if that sounds like it’s been lifted straight out of a motorsport homologation form, that’s because it has. The road-going GR GT is a by-product of Toyota’s upcoming GT3 race car, a snarling, winged monster revealed in 2022 and already seen tearing up Goodwood’s hillclimb this summer.

FIA rules say that any GT3 racer must share its basic body shape with a road car. So, while Aston Martin, Porsche, and Lamborghini have their own track-bred twins, Toyota’s now stepping into the same gladiatorial pit — and doing so with proper Gazoo Racing attitude.

Toyota has been clear about its philosophy: “commercialising motorsports cars rather than adapting production vehicles for use in motorsports.” Translation? This isn’t a Supra with stickers. It’s a racer that’s been civilized. Slightly.

Power, Noise, and the Hybrid Twist

At Goodwood, the GT3 prototype made its intentions clear — that V8 soundtrack was less “eco hatchback” and more “angry thunderstorm in a carbon-fibre suit.” But Toyota isn’t ignoring the times we live in. Beneath the GR GT’s sleek bodywork, there’s talk of a hybrid system joining the fray. Not for silence — but for survival.

Toyota’s GR engineer, Hiroyuki Yamada, hinted that hybridisation is inevitable:

“We will use it in our motorsport activities in the future, because of emissions… In the future, we want a more fuel-efficient engine for GR cars.”

That means we can expect electric torque fill, clever battery assist, and all the emissions boxes neatly ticked — without sacrificing the howling internal combustion heart. The hybrid setup could push total output to around 700bhp, eclipsing the new 671bhp Aston Martin Vantage S and ensuring Toyota’s latest weapon doesn’t just sound exotic — it goes like it too.

The pure GT3 racer will weigh around 1300kg and churn out 500–600bhp, but with the hybrid boost, the road car should be something truly ballistic.

Old School Soul, New World Tech

What makes this project fascinating is Toyota’s open rebellion against the all-electric tide. GR boss Masahito Watanabe has been refreshingly defiant:

“We still think the internal combustion engine has some potential… It’s not over yet.”

That includes hydrogen combustion experiments, which could see the GR GT evolve into something both thrilling and guilt-free. In other words, Toyota’s looking to keep the V8 alive — and make it future-proof.

So, What to Expect?

Expect the GR GT to arrive at the end of 2026, wearing an aggressive, low-slung body that nods to the GT3 car’s wide hips and massive aero. Expect carbon, expect noise, expect something that doesn’t care for half measures.

If the LFA was a once-in-a-generation statement of intent — a car that proved Toyota could play with the big boys — the GR GT might be the follow-up that shows it can beat them at their own game.

So yes, the wait’s been long. Painfully long. But if the countdown clock is anything to go by, the V8 era at Toyota isn’t dead. It’s just getting started — with a Gazoo twist and 700 hybrid-assisted horses ready to run riot.

Source: Autocar