2026 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ debuts with compact dimensions

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I know, the FJ Cruiser was a well-recognized brand of its own, and there was absolutely no need for Toyota to attach the ‘Land Cruiser’ prefix to its successor, but I smell it could be the marketing team who came up with this “genius” idea. But either way, say hello to the new Land Cruiser FJ, planned to go on sale in Japan in mid-2026.

Believe it or not, the design of the FJ Cruiser’s successor dates back to 2017, when we saw the FT-4X concept. In 2021, there was a further evolved version called the Compact Cruiser EV (concept), and what we’re seeing now appears to be the final iteration. It appears that the design team has tried to mix elements from the new Land Cruiser models and the aforementioned concepts, and the result is this strange contraption called the Land Cruiser FJ. While there are some similarities to the original FJ Cruiser, such as an oversized and backward curved C-pillar, the absence of a glass window is probably gonna make parking and maneuvering this thing a bit challenging. That C-pillar is a blind spot PRO MAX ULTRA.

As for the dimensions, the so-called Land Cruiser FJ is smaller than its predecessor, slotting into the compact segment as opposed to the mid-size segment of the original. It measures 4,575 mm long, 1,855 mm wide and 1,960 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,580 mm. It is built on the IMV platform, the one that shares with models such as Innova, Fortuner and Hilux.

The Land Cruiser FJ is powered by a 2.7-litre 4-cylinder (2TR-FE) naturally aspirated petrol engine with 120 kW (163 metric hp) and 246 Nm (181 lb-ft) on tap. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a part-time four-wheel-drive system. Just to compare, the original FJ packed a 4.0L V6 under its hood with over 260 horsepower on tap. Only the manual transmission model came with a full-time 4WD system.

The boxy/rugged styling continues on the inside with a monotone theme on this particular example. But I imagine there would be customization options in the Japanese market. There’s a subtle Land Cruiser branding on the 4WD selection panel.