Is The Baby Land Cruiser The Most Exciting New Toyota In Years?

Toyota has made some brilliant enthusiast cars in recent years. The GR Yaris is a modern classic, while the Supra and GR86 have proved the company still understands the appeal of a fun, relatively simple performance car.

But there’s another new Toyota that might be even more exciting - the Land Cruiser FJ. It is essentially a baby Land Cruiser; smaller, cheaper and more manageable than the full-sized model, but still built to do proper 4x4 things.

The FJ has just gone on sale in Japan, joining the Land Cruiser 300, 250 and 70 Series. At 4,575mm long, it is pretty compact by Land Cruiser standards and its wheelbase is 270mm shorter than the 250’s. Toyota says that helps it achieve a tight 5.5-metre turning circle, making it easier to use around town as well as on narrow trails.

More importantly, this is not just a regular SUV with black plastic wheel arches and a roof rack. The FJ uses a ladder-frame platform, has part-time four-wheel drive and has been developed with serious off-road ability in mind. Toyota says its wheel articulation is comparable with the hardy Land Cruiser 70 Series, while its ground clearance and approach angle match the bigger 250.

It looks the part, too. The upright body, squared-off arches and rear-mounted spare wheel give it a properly purposeful stance, while optional round headlights add a bit of old-school charm. Toyota has even made its corner bumpers in removable sections, so owners can replace a damaged piece rather than an entire bumper after an off-road scrape.

The Japanese-market car, which was launched back in May, uses a naturally aspirated 2.7-litre petrol engine that’s hooked up to a six-speed automatic gearbox. It is hardly a high-tech powertrain, and would need some changes before it made much sense in the UK.

But that is part of the appeal, as the Land Cruiser FJ doesn’t appear to be trying to do everything. It is a compact, rugged and characterful 4x4 with genuine ability away from the road - and honestly makes most modern SUVs look a little bit dull.

Toyota has not confirmed UK plans for the FJ, but with Britain’s seemingly endless appetite for boxy lifestyle 4x4s, it feels like exactly the sort of car buyers would love.