These days, the word “iconic” gets tossed around the automotive industry a bit too loosely. When long-standing cars are redesigned, we seem to hear them described as “ionic” or “legendary.” This phenomenon is even more prevalent in cases where a since-discontinued nameplate is brought back into production.
The Toyota Land Cruiser, however, truly is iconic. It truly is legendary. With over 10 million models sold in nearly 170 countries over its 70-year history, the Land Cruiser has served countless needs of countless drivers. It’s been an off-roader, an overlander, a tow truck, a tour bus, even a TV signal test truck–Since 1953 the Land Cruiser has been anything to everyone.
Astoundingly, Toyota finally discontinued the Land Cruiser nameplate in the United States after the 2021 model year, but the hiatus was mercifully short-lived. In 2024, the Toyota Land Cruiser returns to the US, this time as a smaller, more affordable off-road-capable option.
In celebration of the Land Cruiser’s return, we visited the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Salt Lake City and spoke to Kurt Williams, one of the museum’s board members and, notably, one of the most knowledgeable Land Cruiser experts on the planet. It’s practically impossible to distill down the Land Cruiser’s history to ten “best” models. Instead, the Land Cruiser’s past is highlighted by technological innovations and curious use cases. After running through the history of the Land Cruiser with Williams and getting up close and personal with the 100+ models on display, these are our picks for the ten “best” iterations of the iconic legend.
The Ten Best Toyota Land Cruisers
- 1953 BJT Toyota Jeep
- 1962 FJ40 Land Cruiser
- 1975 FJ40 Land Cruiser
- 1978 FJ55 Land Cruiser
- 1982 FJ60 Land Cruiser
- 1984 FJ70 Land Cruiser
- 1988 FJ62 Land Cruiser
- 1991 FJ80 Land Cruiser
- 2004 UZJ100 Land Cruiser
- 2024 FJ250 Land Cruiser
1953 BJT Toyota Jeep
Consider this one the genesis of the legend. In 1953, before the Land Cruiser name had ever been stamped on metal, Toyota built the BJT. This pre-Land Cruiser Land Cruiser was made to compete against the Willys Jeep. And, sure enough, the old Toyota Jeep was immensely capable–it managed to climb higher up Mount Fuji than any land vehicle prior. Ultimately, however, it wasn’t selected for a military contract. Regardless, the 1953 BJT Toyota Jeep nonetheless kicked off the Land Cruiser’s long and successful run, and it’s simply impossible to craft a list of significant Land Cruisers without including the original.
1962 FJ40 Land Cruiser
For most Americans, this is the classic Land Cruiser. The 1960 FJ40 is what most people think of when they think “vintage Land Cruiser,” and for good reason. Although Toyota had made a name for the Land Cruiser with the FJ20 and FJ30, it was the FJ40’s new styling, from its grille to its taillights, that really took hold. Part of the FJ40’s success was due to its modularity. By the end, FJ40 shoppers could choose from four different wheelbase lengths in addition to picking between a soft top and a hard top.
These early Land Cruisers, and the FJ’s before them, also helped establish Toyota’s internal naming conventions–which have become the semi-secret language aficionados use to identify and discern between various Land Cruise Models. While the “J” always indicated the Land Cruiser model, the preceding letter corresponded with the engine type, and the succeeding numbers indicated the generational series and wheelbase length. For the FJ40, you had “F” for the gasoline-powered inline six-cylinder engine (diesel models had a “B” designation), J for Land Cruiser, “4” for the 40-series generation, and “0” for the short wheelbase.
1975 FJ40 Land Cruiser
More than just a light facelift, the FJ40 received some major changes in 1975. Notably, Toyota swapped in single-piece doors for the driver and passengers in place of the older ones, the trunk switched to outward-swinging “barn doors” on US models, and the bigger 2F engine debuted under the hood. Other, most subtle, changes include bigger indicator lamps, new windshield wipers, and traditional handles on the doors. By 1975, the 40 Series’ variable wheelbase had been used extensively to allow various body styles and use cases; not only were classic two-door Land Cruisers prevalent, but FJ45 pickup trucks had been showing their mettle and durability for years. In terms of absolute cool, however, we think the 1975 FJ45 pickups outshine their earlier brethren.
1978 FJ55 Land Cruiser
Introduced in 1967 (when the FJ40 was still on sale), the FJ55 ushered the Land Cruiser a step away from being a purpose-built off-roader and toward a future of capable, do-it-all SUVs. A four-door, four-wheel-drive (4WD) station wagon, the FJ55 saw a wide variety of uses. You could find Japanese FJ55s pulling duty as tow trucks, fire trucks, and even tour buses. This multi-purpose usability would continue throughout the Land Cruiser’s future, and it helped establish the vehicle as a good fit for developed and underdeveloped markets. One of the many FJ55s on display at the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum is a 1978 FJ55 formerly used by Tag-A-Long Tours in Moab, Utah for nearly twenty years. Beaten and battered (and still displaying the Tag-A-Long name on its roof-mounted luggage rack), it’s a rolling example of the Land Cruiser’s longevity, reliability, and off-road capability.
1982 FJ60 Land Cruiser
If the FJ55 was Toyota’s version of dipping a toe in the more comfortable, family-friendly Land Cruiser pool, the FJ60 was the moment it decided to jump straight into the water. Available with carpeted floors, softer seats, air conditioning, and even a sunroof, the FJ60 was the first Land Cruiser that started looking like a genuine luxury vehicle, and it kicked off a new level of popularity in America. Not only was its fully-enclosed cabin more modern than the open-air FJ40, but the Land Cruiser 60 Series saw some notable technological advancements in the US market, too.
1984 FJ70 Land Cruiser
Consider this the true successor to the FJ40, and recognize that it can’t as easily be explained in one iteration. Introduced in 1984 and never sold in the United States, the Land Cruiser 70 Series could be equipped with multiple tops, various wheelbase lengths, and upwards of 20 different engine choices. After three years of development, the FJ70 debuted as the rugged and multi-purpose Land Cruiser of the future.
And the FJ70 has lasted the test of time. Although it debuted in 1984, the Land Cruisers 70 Series is still built in various markets, and they’re a staple in other countries. The Land Cruiser Heritage Museum has multiple examples in its collection, from a two-door off-road racing vehicle to a 2012 mining truck—a true utility vehicle designed to spend its entire life underground. Our favorite, however, is a 1986 BJ70 that served as a TV signal test truck in Japan.
1988 FJ62 Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is a prime example of Toyota’s philosophy of introducing new powertrains halfway through an existing generation’s run and then carrying those powertrains halfway into the next generation’s run. This practice isn’t just cost-effective, it helps ensure reliability and predictability, two hallmarks of Land Cruiser ownership. At first glance, the ‘88 FJ62 looks largely the same as the 1980 FJ60 detailed earlier. However, the FJ62 ushered in the automatic transmission in place of manual transmissions for all Land Cruisers moving forward. Additionally, in 1988, Land Cruiser introduced the 3F-E fuel-injected, six-cylinder engine to the FJ62 lineup, offering better fuel efficiency and reliability than the previous carbureted models. And, sure enough, that fuel-injection technology would stretch to the next-generation FJ80 models.
1991 FJ80 Land Cruiser
The FJ60s of the 1980s were Toyota’s first step toward a luxury Land Cruiser, but the FJ80 that would arrive in 1990 was the first model to fully embrace the concept of a luxury SUV that makes Land Cruisers so popular with North American buyers. Offered with the same 3F-E direct-injected engine as the older FJ62 (and later a larger 4.5-liter six-cylinder in the FZJ80), the Land Cruiser 80 Series paired off-roading parts like a locking differential with comfort and convenience features like a leather steering wheel and shift knob. The FJ80 models were also wider than the outgoing J6, and the exterior redesign shifted away from the angular lines of older Land Cruisers and toward smoother, more rounded styling.
2004 UZJ100 Land Cruiser
It’s safe to say that, before 1998, the Land Cruiser was a near-universally loved machine. However, the introduction of the FJ100 introduced the first truly polarizing Land Cruiser. Decisions like dropping the solid front axle in favor of an independent front suspension demonstrated a heightened emphasis on comfort and on-road performance. Add in an even more rounded and suburban-looking appearance than the FJ80, and the result was many Land Cruiser purists claiming that the nameplate had lost its utilitarian focus. However, the FJ100 had a few strengths over older Land Cruisers. For one, it brought with it the 4.7-liter V8 engine (labeled as “UZ” in the Land Cruiser’s model code). This was the first time a Land Cruiser was sold with a V8 engine, and it signaled a powertrain philosophy that was more focused on naturally aspirated engines than previous Land Cruiser generations. And, despite its “soft-roader” styling, the FJ100 remained very capable on trails.
2024 FJ250 Land Cruiser
Toyota evolved the Land Cruiser 100 Series into the Land Cruiser 200 Series in 2007, which leaned further toward the luxury market and arguably led to the Land Cruiser’s initial demise in the US Market—many consumers simply couldn’t appreciate a luxury SUV (with a luxury price tag) carrying the Toyota nameplate. After the Land Cruiser 200 Series exited in 2021, the 300 Series arrived in various international markets. The United States, sadly, found itself without a Land Cruiser.
That changes with the 2024 FJ250 Land Cruiser. An all-new model, the 2024 Land Cruiser comes equipped with a turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder engine. But while the powertrain in this new car is decidedly modern, Toyota’s taken great strides to ensure the new Land Cruiser better fits the mold of the old FJ40 than it does the more recent FJ100 and FJ200. To that end, a 1958 trim level goes back to basics with cloth seats and round headlights (although they’re still made up of LEDs). Most notably, the new Land Cruiser’s price has fallen from the near-$90,000 mark that underlined the 2021 FJ200 to a more approachable $55,000 in base 1958 trim.
From the humble yet capable BJT Toyota Jeep to the all-new 2024 Land Cruiser, Toyota has truly built a go-anywhere, four-wheel-drive vehicle for every need and every environment. After seventy years of utility and innovation, one can only wonder how the Land Cruiser will further evolve over the next several decades.
Related Topics:
- The Best Toyota SUVs
- The Best Cars for Camping
- Explaining the Japanese Domestic Market and the Best JDM Cars
Read More CarGurus Tips and Advice
Photos kindly provided by Toyota and the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum