The Land Cruiser Codex

Toyota · Every series, every market · 12.4 million built

The Land Cruiser Codex

Seventy-five years, four lineages, every chassis code and every market, set down in one volume. The brief has never changed: go out, and come back.

75Years in production
4Parallel lineages
190+Countries served
12.4MCumulative units

The four lineages

Select any generation to jump to it

195119601970198019902000201020202026Heavy-DutyStation WagonPradoFJBJ20 / 304070FJ45V556080100 / 10520030070 LD90120150250FJ

The fleet

Photographs via Wikimedia Commons, freely licensed

A field reference to the Toyota Land Cruiser: every series, generation, chassis code, engine, and market, set down by lineage and checked, where the record allows, against Toyota Motor Corporation's official releases. Corrected to August 2026.

Reference

Part I: The Brand

1.1Orientation

The Land Cruiser is Toyota's longest-serving nameplate: seventy-five years in continuous production since the Toyota BJ of 1951. By the close of March 2026 the ledger stood near 12.4 million vehicles across more than 190 countries and territories, the Lexus LX and GX counted among them. The name carried Toyota out into the world before the Corolla or the Crown had left home waters; the first exports sailed for the Middle East in the mid-1950s, and by 1965 the Land Cruiser was the best-selling Toyota in the United States. Simon Humphries, Toyota's Chief Branding Officer, put the matter plainly at the 2023 premiere of the current Prado generation: this was the vehicle that put Toyota on the map.

Its standing rests on one working premise, unchanged in seven decades: go out, and come back. On that promise it became the default machine of the Australian outback, of African medical and relief columns, of Gulf desert crossings, of mine sites on every continent and stations at both poles; a 40 Series was among the first vehicles to work in Antarctica. In most places a breakdown is an inconvenience. In the country the Land Cruiser was built for, it is a survival problem, and the engineering has always been done with that arithmetic in mind.

1.2The Four Series

The Land Cruiser is not one vehicle but a family of parallel lines, and the family tree is the key to the whole catalogue. Since 2026 there are four:

The 70 Series (Heavy-Duty) is the working truck and the direct descendant of the original Toyota BJ: solid axles, plain mechanicals, and a production run of forty-two years and counting. It hauls ore in the Pilbara, vaccines in the Sahel, and most cargo in between.

The Prado series (Light Duty) is the mid-size line, raised from the 70's lighter frames in the 1980s, given the Prado name in 1990, and grown into one of the best-selling body-on-frame vehicles on earth. With the current 250, the factory names the Prado line the core Land Cruiser: the center of the marque, walked back deliberately from years of soft living to the plain, sturdy tool it began as.

The Station Wagon series (Flagship) is the technology bearer, running from the first four-door wagons of the 1960s through the 55, 60, 80, 100, and 200 to the present 300. Each generation has carried the line's newest equipment first, and since 1996 it has doubled as the foundation of the Lexus LX.

The FJ series is the newcomer, and a different animal: a compact five-seater introduced in Japan in May 2026 under the concept "Freedom & Joy" (the factory's phrase, and the source of the name). Built on a reinforced frame borrowed from the Hilux/IMV family rather than the Land Cruiser's own platforms, it is smaller, simpler, and pitched at first vehicles and light travel rather than fleets: the first true addition to the family in the nameplate's history.

SeriesRoleCurrent model (launched)Lineage beganHistorical chain
70 SeriesHeavy-Duty workhorse: durability and serviceability for commercial use and harsh environments70 (1984, still in production)1951 (Toyota BJ)BJ 20 40 70
PradoLight Duty; designated the core Land Cruiser since 2024: simple, sturdy, lifestyle and practical needs250 (2024)1985 (70 light-duty); Prado name from 199070 light-duty Prado 70 90 120 150 250
Station WagonFlagship; showcases the latest technologies in every generation300 (2021)1963 (FJ45V wagon)FJ45V 55 60 80 100 200 300
FJCompact newcomer built around "Freedom & Joy": easy-to-handle size retaining the essence of the Land CruiserFJ (2026)2026 (new fourth branch)IMV-derived platform

Three points of naming bear on the rest of this volume. First, "core" is a repositioning, not a new line: the Prado lineage dates to 1985, and the 2024 designation follows then-President Akio Toyoda's directive of Genten Kaiki, back to the origin, correcting the line's long drift toward luxury. With the 250 the Prado badge itself is retired in most markets; North America takes the model simply as "Land Cruiser." Second, the 300 is the flagship, not the volume model; the Prado line outsells it worldwide. Third, the 70 is regarded within Toyota as the original's direct heir, revised in 2023 with only what was functionally necessary.

1.3Master Series Comparison

All series and generations, laid out in one table. Production runs reflect Japanese or primary production; several soldiered on longer in overseas assembly or particular markets.

SeriesFamilyProduction runWheelbase (mm)Signature enginesFront suspensionPrimary markets
Toyota BJ/FJOrigin1951 to 19552,400B 3.4 petrolLeaf, solid axleJapan
J20/J30All1955 to 19602,285 / 2,650F 3.9 petrolLeaf, solid axleJapan, first exports (US 1958, LatAm, ME, AUS)
J40Heavy-Duty1960 to 1984 (JP)2,285 / 2,430 / 2,650+F, 2F, B, 3B, H, 2HLeaf, solid axleGlobal (US to 1983)
J55Station Wagon1967 to 19802,710F, 2FLeaf, solid axleUS, AUS, JP, select export
J60Station Wagon1980 to 19902,7302F, 3F-E, 3B, 2H, 12H-TLeaf, solid axleGlobal (US 1981 to 1990)
J70Heavy-Duty1984 to present2,310 to 3,1803B, 2H, 1HZ, 1FZ, 1GR, 1VD, 1GDLeaf; coils from 1999/2007AUS, Africa, ME, LatAm, JP (interrupted)
J80Station Wagon1990 to 19972,8503F-E, 1FZ-FE, 1HZ, 1HDCoil, solid axleGlobal (US 1991 to 1997)
J90Prado1996 to 20022,450 / 2,7903RZ, 5VZ, 1KZIFS double wishboneJP, EU, AUS, Asia, LatAm (no US)
J100Station Wagon1998 to 20072,8502UZ-FE, 1HD-FTEIFS torsion barGlobal (US, EU, ME, AUS)
J105Station Wagon1998 to 20072,8501HZ, 1FZ-FECoil, solid axleAUS, Africa, ME, LatAm
J120Prado2002 to 20092,455 / 2,7901GR, 2TR, 1KDIFS double wishboneJP, EU, AUS, Asia, ME, LatAm (no US)
J200Station Wagon2007 to 20212,8503UR, 1UR, 2UZ, 1VD TT, 1GRIFS double wishboneGlobal (US 2008 to 2021)
J150Prado2009 to 2024+2,790 (2,455 3-dr)1GR, 2TR, 1KD, 1GDIFS double wishboneJP, EU, AUS, Asia, ME, LatAm (no US)
J300Station Wagon2021 to present2,850V35A-FTS, F33A-FTVIFS double wishboneJP, ME, AUS, EU, Asia, Africa (no US; LX600 instead)
J250Prado (core)2024 to present2,850T24A (HEV and turbo), 1GD, 2TRIFS double wishboneGlobal including North America
FJ (J240)FJ2026 to present2,5802TR-FEIFS high-mount double wishboneJP (May 2026); Asia, Africa, ME, LatAm to follow
BandeiranteBrazil derivative1958 to 200140-series basedOM-324, OM-314, 14BLeaf, solid axleBrazil, South America

1.4Timeline

The route, year by year: every launch, facelift, and cumulative milestone.

  1. 1951Toyota BJ prototype; first vehicle to the 6th station of Mt. Fuji (2,700 m)
  2. 1953Series production of the BJ begins
  3. 1954"Land Cruiser" name adopted (Hanji Umehara), answering the Land Rover
  4. 1955J20 series launches; F-type 3.9L engine; softer civilian styling
  5. 1955First Middle East exports begin the nameplate's defining market
  6. 1958US market entry (a single FJ25 sold); Brazil assembly begins
  7. 1958A 40 Series is among the first vehicles to operate in Antarctica
  8. 1960J40 series launches; SWB/MWB/LWB structure
  9. 1963FJ45V 4-door wagon: the Station Wagon lineage begins
  10. 1965Best-selling Toyota in the US; cumulative production passes 50,000
  11. 1967J55 wagon launches: first purpose-designed Station Wagon flagship
  12. 1968Cumulative 100,000
  13. 1972Cumulative 200,000; H-type diesel arrives (HJ45)
  14. 1973Oil crisis makes diesel the volume export choice
  15. 1974B-type diesel creates the BJ40; 4-speed manual standardizes
  16. 19752F 4.2L petrol replaces F across the range
  17. 1976Front disc brakes phase in on the 40
  18. 1980J60 wagon launches; cumulative 1,000,000
  19. 1981FJ60 reaches the US
  20. 1984J70 replaces the J40 as the Heavy-Duty line; JP 40 production ends
  21. 198570 light-duty branch launches (Bundera / Land Cruiser II); 13B-T turbodiesel (BJ74)
  22. 1988FJ62 facelift: 3F-E EFI, quad rectangular lamps, automatic
  23. 1989J80 debuts (October): coil springs, full-time 4WD
  24. 1990J80 on sale; 1HZ diesel begins its 30+ year run; Prado name debuts on 70 light-duty; cumulative 2,000,000
  25. 19921FZ-FE 4.5 petrol replaces 3F (80 and 70)
  26. 1993FZJ80 gains optional factory front and rear lockers (US)
  27. 1995J80 facelift: airbags, 24-valve 1HD-FT
  28. 1996J90: first dedicated Prado platform; Lexus LX450 (J80) opens the Lexus line
  29. 1998J100 flagship and J105 solid-axle twin launch; Lexus LX470
  30. 1999J70 structural update: coil front on 78/79, new 76/78/79 codes; cumulative 3,000,000
  31. 2002J120 Prado launches (ED2 design); Lexus GX470 brings the Prado platform to North America
  32. 2004J70 withdrawn from Japan
  33. 2005J100 facelift: VVT-i 4.7, 5-speed automatic
  34. 2006FJ Cruiser launches on a shortened J120 frame
  35. 2007J200 flagship launches; J70 gains 1VD-FTV V8 diesel and wide front; cumulative 5,000,000
  36. 2009J150 Prado launches; Lexus GX460
  37. 2012J200 first facelift; J79 double cab arrives and becomes an Australian fleet standard
  38. 2013J150 first facelift
  39. 2014J70 30th anniversary Japan re-release (12 months, GRJ76/79 V6)
  40. 20151GD-FTV 2.8 diesel enters the Prado line; J200 major facelift follows (2016: 8AT, TSS)
  41. 2017J150 major facelift: new nose, TSS standard
  42. 2019Cumulative 10,000,000 (August)
  43. 2021J300 launches as flagship in the 70th anniversary year; final US J200 (Heritage Edition) ends a 63-year US run
  44. 2023August 2: J250 world premiere; Prado line designated the core Land Cruiser; 70's Japan return announced
  45. 2023November 29: Land Cruiser 70 re-introduced in Japan (GDJ76, 2.8 diesel, 6AT)
  46. 2024J250 global launch returns the Land Cruiser name to North America (Japan: April 18); Lexus GX550 and LX700h follow
  47. 2025October 21: Land Cruiser FJ world premiere as the fourth series
  48. 2026May 14: FJ series on sale in Japan (Thailand-built); cumulative approx. 12,400,000
  49. 2027Land Hopper electric personal mobility companion planned (spring)
Heavy-Duty

Part II: The Heavy-duty Lineage

Toyota BJ 20/30 40 70

This is the original bloodline: the utility trucks that established the name and still define it wherever a vehicle is a tool rather than a possession. The line began as a rejected military prototype, survived on police contracts, and became Toyota's first export success of any size. Its 40 Series stands among the most recognizable machines ever built, in the company of the Willys Jeep and the first Land Rover, and its 70 Series successor has now been in production longer than the 40 ever was: forty-two years and counting. The customers are the demanding kind: mining companies, armies, the UN and the Red Cross, pastoral stations, and desert country where the old line holds that only a Land Cruiser or a camel will carry you over the dunes. Simplicity is the product. When the factory finally revised the 70 in 2023, its owners had spent years asking that nothing be changed, and the revision obliged: powertrain, safety equipment, and little else.

2.1Toyota Jeep BJ / FJ (1951 to 1955)

The origin story runs through failure. Drawn up in January 1951 for a National Police Reserve trial, the Toyota Jeep BJ lost the military contract to the Willys-licensed Mitsubishi Jeep. It survived because test driver Ichiro Taira took one to the sixth station of Mount Fuji in July 1951, some 2,700 meters up and higher than any vehicle had climbed, and the National Police Agency took it on as a patrol car. The name came in June 1954, when technical director Hanji Umehara coined "Land Cruiser" as a straight answer to the Land Rover; a complaint over the "Jeep" name had made the rebadging urgent as well as ambitious. Fewer than 300 were built in the early years, all for government fleets, but the working brief the BJ set down, go anywhere and return safely, has governed every Land Cruiser since.

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runJanuary 1951 (development) to 1955; series production from 1953
PlantsToyota Honsha area production, Aichi (small batch); bodies by Arakawa Bankin Kogyo (later ARACO)
MarketsJapan only (police, government, forestry, utility fleets)
Body stylesOpen utility, 2-door
DimensionsApprox. 3,730 x 1,575 x 1,900 mm; wheelbase 2,400 mm
EngineType B 3,386 cc OHV inline-6 petrol, approx. 82 to 85 hp
Transmission3-speed manual; no low-range transfer case initially
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles front and rear
Differential locksNone
FaceliftsNone; continuous small-batch evolution

Chassis codes and variants

Only one mechanical family existed; the BJ prefix marks the Type B engine (a petrol six at this date, despite the letter's later diesel associations), and a late FJ prototype carried in the F-type engine that would serve for two decades.

CodeEngineOutputYearsNotes
BJType B 3.4L I6 petrol82 to 85 hp1951 to 1955Police and government fleets
FJ (prototype)Type F 3.9L I6 petrol105 hp1955Transition unit to the 20 Series

2.220 / 30 Series (1955 to 1960)

The 20 was the Land Cruiser's civilian debut: softer lines, a more habitable cab, and the new F-type six, all on the same ladder frame. Its real achievement was commercial. This is the generation that laid the export routes, from the first Middle East shipments to the 1958 Australian order for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, where the contractor Thiess brought in FJ25s after British trucks failed in the terrain. That order seeded what became the marque's most devoted national market. The United States took exactly one sale in 1958; within seven years the Land Cruiser would be the best-selling Toyota in the country.

FJ25, the first Land Cruiser built for export
FJ25, the first Land Cruiser built for export · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1955 to 1960
PlantsToyota (Aichi); bodies by Arakawa Bankin Kogyo
MarketsJapan; exports to Latin America, Middle East (mid-1950s), Australia (1958, Snowy Mountains Scheme via Thiess), US (1958), Burma, Africa
Body stylesSoft top, hardtop, wagon, pickup, fire-truck chassis
DimensionsApprox. 3,845 x 1,675 x 1,865 mm (FJ25); wheelbases 2,285 / 2,430 / 2,650 mm
EnginesType F 3,878 cc I6 petrol, 105 to 125 hp; Type B diesel in limited fleet use
Transmission3-speed manual; low range absent early (very short gearing instead), added late
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles; softer rates than the BJ
Differential locksNone
FaceliftsRunning trim changes only

Chassis codes and variants

The 20-series codes map to wheelbase; the 30 designation covered long-wheelbase wagon derivatives.

CodeBodyWheelbaseNotes
FJ252-door utility2,285 mmVolume model, first US import
FJ28Utility/wagon2,650 mmLong chassis
FJ35VWagon2,650 mmThe "30" family, wagon precursor

2.340 Series (1960 to 1984)

The icon. Twenty-four years of Japanese production, more than a million units, and the truck on which Toyota's reputation abroad was built. The short FJ40 silhouette became shorthand for capability itself: best-selling Toyota in America by 1965, the backbone of Australian and African fleets, and in Colombia so much a fixture that the long-nosed FJ43 amounts to a national artifact, restored examples now crossing borders at collector prices. Sound FJ40s climbed so far through the 2010s that they headline the classic-truck auctions, and the face is quoted deliberately by the modern FJ series and the 250's "1958" grade. Diesel arrived with the fuel crises of the 1970s and promptly took the export volume; North America, which never received the diesels or the four-door wagon, remains the hungriest import market for them today.

1980 FJ40 hardtop
1980 FJ40 hardtop · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1960 to 1984 (Japan); Brazilian derivative to 2001 (see Bandeirante)
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (Toyota Auto Body / ARACO lineage), Aichi; CKD and licensed assembly incl. Salvador Caetano, Portugal (from 1964, for Europe) and Toyota do Brasil
MarketsGlobal: Japan, US (1960 to 1983), Canada, Australia, NZ, Middle East, Africa, Central/South America, Southeast Asia, Europe
Body stylesSoft top, hardtop, troop carrier, pickup, chassis-cab, 4-door wagon (FJ45V, 1963 to 1967), fire apparatus
DimensionsFJ40: 3,840 x 1,666 x 1,950 mm; wheelbases 2,285 (40/41/42), 2,430 (43/44), 2,650 (45/46/47), 2,950 mm (45 pickup)
Transmissions3-speed manual (to 1974), 4-speed manual (1974 on, H41/H42 family)
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles; front discs phased in from 1976
Differential locksNone from the factory; the aftermarket built an industry on it
Facelifts1974 to 1976 mechanical modernization; 1979 refresh (square lamp bezels in many markets, power steering and A/C options)

Chassis codes and variants

The 40 set down the code system the heavy-duty line still uses: the number gives wheelbase and body, the prefix gives the engine. Petrol F-family trucks served the Americas and the Gulf; the H and B diesels went everywhere fuel was dear.

CodeEngineDisplacementOutputBody/WBYearsPrimary markets
FJ40F I6 petrol3.9L125 hpSWB1960 to 1974Global, US
FJ402F I6 petrol4.2L135 hpSWB1975 to 1984Global, US to 1983
FJ43F / 2F3.9/4.2L125/135 hpMWB1960 to 1984LatAm (Colombian icon), ME
FJ45 / FJ45VF / 2F3.9/4.2L125/135 hpLWB pickup / 4-dr wagon1960 to 1984 (V: 1963 to 1967)AUS, US (pickup), global
BJ40/43B I4 diesel3.0L80 hpSWB/MWB1974 to 1979EU, LatAm, Asia, Africa
BJ42/463B I4 diesel3.4L90 hpSWB/MWB1980 to 1984EU, Canada, global diesel
HJ45H I6 diesel3.6L95 hpLWB1972 to 1979AUS, Africa, ME
HJ472H I6 diesel4.0L103 hpLWB1980 to 1984AUS, Africa, ME

2.470 Series (1984 to Present)

The 70 replaced the 40 in 1984 and has declined to die since. It has outlived two planned retirements and served two exiles from its home market (Japan dropped it in 2004, brought it back for one oversubscribed anniversary year in 2014, then reinstated it for good in November 2023), and it remains the standing choice wherever failure is expensive: Australian mining and pastoral country, UN and ICRC field operations, armies on several continents. In the outback the 76 wagon, the 78 Troop Carrier ("Troopy"), and the 79 pickup are closer to civic infrastructure than to consumer goods, and used V8 79s have traded above their original list prices for years. The 2023 revision added a modern 2.8 diesel, an automatic, and current safety equipment, and changed as little else as could be managed; its owners had demanded exactly that restraint, and got it.

70 Series Troop Carrier, the outback institution
70 Series Troop Carrier, the outback institution · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1984 to present (42 years); Japan sales interrupted 2004 to 2014 (anniversary year) and 2015 to Nov 2023
PlantsYoshiwara Plant, Toyota Auto Body (primary, all markets); Toyota de Venezuela, Cumaná ("Macho" 70s for LatAm); Salvador Caetano, Portugal (EU assembly, 1980s to 1990s); AVA Kenya CKD
MarketsAustralia (largest), Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Pacific, Japan (interrupted), Europe (to 1990s, select re-entry)
Body styles2-door hardtop/soft top, 4-door wagon, Troop Carrier, single and double cab pickup, chassis-cab
Dimensions2023 JP wagon: 4,890 x 1,870 x 1,920 mm; wheelbases 2,310 to 3,180 mm by body (see codes)
Transmissions4/5-speed manuals (H55F, H150F/H151F, R151); 6 Super ECT automatic from 2023
SuspensionSolid axles; leaf springs all around at launch; front coils on 78/79 from 1999; wagons coil-front
Differential locksFactory front and rear lockers optional across much of the modern range; the defining fleet option
Facelifts1999 (coil front, new codes), 2007 (wide face, V8), 2016 (AUS safety/Euro 5), 2023/24 (new front, 2.8/6AT, Toyota Safety Sense)

Body code structure

CodeConfigurationWheelbase
70SWB 2-door2,310 mm
71SWB 2-door (and light-duty reuse)2,310 mm
73/74MWB 2-door2,600 mm
75LWB pickup / Troop Carrier2,980 mm
76LWB 4-door wagon2,730 mm
77LWB 4-door wagon (pre-1999, JP)2,730 mm
78Troop Carrier (1999 on)2,980 mm
79Pickup single/double cab (1999 on)3,180 mm

Chassis codes and variants

Four decades of engines on one truck. The diesel succession, 3B and 2H to 1HZ to 1VD to 1GD, tracks the fleet priorities: torque, simplicity, and fuel that can be had anywhere. The petrol line served the Gulf and Latin America, where fuel is cheap and dust is hard on turbochargers.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsPrimary markets
BJ70/73/753B3.4L I4 diesel90 hp1984 to 1990Global diesel markets
BJ7413B-T3.4L I4 turbodiesel120 hp1985 to 1990Japan
HJ752H4.0L I6 diesel103 hp1984 to 1990AUS, Africa, ME
FJ70/73/753F4.0L I6 petrol155 hp1984 to 1992GCC, LatAm, AUS
PZJ70/73/771PZ3.5L I5 diesel115 hp1990 to 1998Africa, aid fleets, JP
HZJ70/73/75/771HZ4.2L I6 diesel129 hp1990 to 1999Global
HZJ76/78/791HZ4.2L I6 diesel129 hp1999 to ~2023 (market dependent)Africa, ME, LatAm, UN/NGO fleets
HDJ78/791HD-FTE4.2L I6 turbodiesel202 hp1999 to 2007EU, select export
FZJ75/78/791FZ-FE4.5L I6 petrol190 hp1992 to 2000sGCC, LatAm
GRJ76/78/791GR-FE4.0L V6 petrol~228 hp2007 to presentGCC; Japan 2014 anniversary
VDJ76/78/791VD-FTV4.5L V8 turbodiesel (single)202 hp / 430 Nm2007 to 2025+Australia primary, ME, Africa
GDJ76/791GD-FTV2.8L I4 turbodiesel150 kW (204 PS) / 500 Nm2023 to presentJapan, Australia, global

2023 Japan reintroduction (official specifications)

ItemSpec
ModelGDJ76 wagon (Japan: AX grade)
Dimensions4,890 x 1,870 x 1,920 mm; wheelbase 2,730 mm
Engine1GD-FTV 2.8L direct-injection turbodiesel, 150 kW (204 PS) / 500 Nm
Transmission6 Super ECT automatic
SafetyToyota Safety Sense incl. Pre-crash Safety, auto high beam, drive-start control
LaunchNovember 29, 2023; from 4,800,000 yen; also via KINTO subscription
Station Wagon

Part III: The Station Wagon Lineage (flagship)

FJ45V 55 60 80 100/105 200 300

The flagship line answers a question the 40 never asked: what if the truck that could go anywhere were also somewhere worth sitting? It began half by accident, a four-door wagon body on the 40 chassis in 1963, became a deliberate product with the 55 in 1967, and then carried out one of the longest upmarket climbs in the industry without once giving up the ladder frame. Along the way it produced the 80, by common consent the definitive expedition wagon; took the Middle East so completely that the 200 and 300 serve as formal dress from Riyadh to Amman; founded the Lexus LX in 1996; and won the production classes of the Dakar for years on end. Each generation carries the line's newest equipment first; that is the job. The customers went from farmers to families to heads of state. The job description never moved.

3.155 Series (1967 to 1980)

The first Land Cruiser drawn from a clean sheet as family transport, aimed squarely at America, where dealers had watched the FJ45V wagon sell out and asked for more. Buyers called it the Moose; the faithful call it the Iron Pig. Under the long, odd body sat pure 40-series running gear, which made it at once the most comfortable Land Cruiser yet and one of the toughest wagons on the market. Rust took most of the production run, and the sound survivors are collector pieces now, valued precisely because so few came through.

1979 FJ55, the original
1979 FJ55, the original "Moose" · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1967 to July 1980
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (Toyota Auto Body lineage), Aichi
MarketsUS, Canada, Australia, Japan, select export
Body style4-door wagon only
Dimensions4,675 x 1,735 x 1,865 mm; wheelbase 2,710 mm
Transmissions3-speed column, later 4-speed floor
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles
Differential locksNone
Facelifts1975 (2F engine, bumper and trim); running lamp/trim changes

Chassis codes and variants

A one-body, mostly one-engine series; the diesel appeared late and only where fleets asked.

CodeEngineOutputYearsMarkets
FJ55VF 3.9L I6 petrol125 hp1967 to 1975US, AUS, JP
FJ55V2F 4.2L I6 petrol135 hp1975 to 1980US, AUS, JP
HJ56VH/2H diesel95 to 103 hpLate runJP, select export

3.260 Series (1980 to 1990)

The 60 took the wagon into the mainstream: still leaf springs and solid axles, but with air conditioning, an available automatic, and road manners fit to carry families across continents, which is what it did in Australia and East Africa. It became the safari and overland wagon of the 1980s and holds its place in the old-4x4 canon; in America, sound FJ60s and FJ62s bring multiples of their original price. The turbodiesel HJ61, never sold in North America, is the connoisseur's pick and a staple of the 25-year import trade.

1987 60 Series wagon
1987 60 Series wagon · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runAugust 1980 to January 1990
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (ARACO / Toyota Auto Body), Aichi; Venezuelan assembly (Cumaná) for Andean markets
MarketsUS/Canada (petrol only), Australia, Japan, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Europe
Body style4-door wagon
DimensionsApprox. 4,675 x 1,800 x 1,750 mm; wheelbase 2,730 mm
Transmissions4/5-speed manual; A440F 4-speed automatic (1985 diesel, 1988 petrol; standard on US FJ62)
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles
Differential locksNone factory in most markets
Facelift1988: rectangular quad headlamps, new grille, revised dash (FJ62 generation)

Chassis codes and variants

The petrol line served the Americas; the diesels carried everywhere else, capped by the 12H-T, one of the first turbodiesels in the lineup.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsMarkets
FJ602F4.2L I6 petrol carb135 hp1980 to 1987US, AUS, global
FJ623F-E4.0L I6 petrol EFI155 hp1988 to 1990US, AUS, JP
BJ603B3.4L I4 diesel90 hp1980 to 1990EU, Africa, LatAm
HJ602H4.0L I6 diesel103 hp1980 to 1990AUS, ME, Africa, EU
HJ6112H-T4.0L I6 turbodiesel134 hp1985 to 1990JP, AUS, select export

3.380 Series (1990 to 1997)

The great leap, and for many the greatest Land Cruiser outright. Coil springs at all four corners, full-time four-wheel drive, and factory lockers front and rear made the wagon something without a direct rival: as capable as anything sold and comfortable enough to cross a continent in a day. The 80 became the archetype of the expedition vehicle, the standard white truck of UN missions, and the machine on which modern overlanding was largely built. Triple-locked examples, above all the Japanese-market HDJ81 VX Limited turbodiesel, are the build donors of record and priced accordingly. It also opened the Lexus era: the 1996 LX450 is an FZJ80 in evening dress, and every flagship since has had its Lexus twin.

1996 80 Series VX, the definitive expedition wagon
1996 80 Series VX, the definitive expedition wagon · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runDebut October 1989; production 1990 to 1997 (1998 select markets)
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (ARACO / Toyota Auto Body); Toyota de Venezuela, Cumaná (local "Burbuja" assembly)
MarketsGlobal: US (1991 to 1997), Japan, Australia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America
Body style4-door wagon
Dimensions4,780 x 1,930 x 1,860 mm; wheelbase 2,850 mm (kept by every flagship since)
Transmissions5-speed manual; A442F 4-speed automatic
SuspensionCoil springs, solid axles front and rear; full-time 4WD on most variants
Differential locksFactory front and rear lockers optional (US from 1993); standard on some JDM VX Limited
Facelift1995: airbags, revised dash, 24-valve 1HD-FT diesel

Chassis codes and variants

Petrol and diesel sixes only, all famously durable; the 1FZ-FE and the 1HD family routinely pass 500,000 km in service.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsMarkets
FJ803F-E4.0L I6 petrol155 hp1990 to 1992US, global petrol
FZJ801FZ-FE4.5L I6 petrol DOHC212 hp1992 to 1997US, AUS, GCC, JP
HZJ801HZ4.2L I6 diesel129 hp1990 to 1997Africa, AUS, ME, fleet
HDJ801HD-T4.2L I6 turbodiesel165 hp1990 to 1995JP, AUS, EU
HDJ80/811HD-FT 24v4.2L I6 turbodiesel168 hp1995 to 1997JP, AUS, EU

Lexus derivative: LX450 (1996 to 1997, US): trim-level FZJ80 with luxury interior; the first Lexus SUV.

3.4100 and 105 Series (1998 to 2007)

One nameplate, two philosophies, sold side by side for a decade. The 100 modernized the flagship: independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and the model's first V8, aimed at the American and Gulf buyers who now defined the trade. The 105 quietly kept the 80's solid-front-axle chassis under near-identical panels for Australia, Africa, and the Middle East, where the fleets wanted no part of the IFS; it is the last live-axle wagon Land Cruiser and is prized for exactly that. The 100 proved itself in competition as well, taking the Dakar's production class repeatedly, and its LX470 twin set the hydraulic-suspension formula the LX follows still.

100 Series on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
100 Series on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runJanuary 1998 to 2007 (both)
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (ARACO / Toyota Auto Body)
Markets100: US/Canada, Japan, Europe, Middle East, Australia, Russia/CIS. 105: Australia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America
Body style4-door wagon
Dimensions4,890 x 1,940 x 1,890 mm; wheelbase 2,850 mm
Transmissions4-speed then 5-speed automatic (A750F); 5-speed manual (diesel/fleet)
Suspension100: IFS torsion bar, coil solid rear, rack and pinion. 105: solid front axle, coils, recirculating ball
Differential locksCenter diff lock standard (full-time variants); front/rear lockers optional on 105 and diesel fleet specs
Facelifts2002 (trim, lamps), 2005 (grille, headlamps, VVT-i, 5AT rollout)

Chassis codes and variants

The engine split follows the chassis split: V8 petrol and 24-valve turbodiesel for the 100's comfort brief, the old iron sixes for the 105's fleet brief.

CodeEngineTypeOutputSeriesMarkets
UZJ1002UZ-FE4.7L V8 petrol230 hp; 275 hp VVT-i from 2005100US, JP, ME, AUS
HDJ1001HD-FTE4.2L I6 turbodiesel202 hp100AUS, EU, ME
HZJ1051HZ4.2L I6 diesel129 hp105AUS, Africa, ME
FZJ1051FZ-FE4.5L I6 petrol212 hp105AUS, GCC, Africa

Lexus derivative: LX470 (1998 to 2007): UZJ100 with AHC hydraulic height control and night vision options; US, Japan, Middle East.

3.5200 Series (2007 to 2021)

The 200 carried the flagship through fourteen years and two facelifts on one settled formula: a V8, a ladder frame, and progressively cleverer terrain electronics; KDSS, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select all debuted or matured here. America ran the 5.7 petrol alone; Australia took the twin-turbo diesel in such numbers that the 200 GXL became the national tow rig; the Gulf wore the 200 like a good suit. When American sales closed with the 2021 Heritage Edition, ending a 63-year unbroken run, used values went well past list, an early reading of the demand that shaped the 250's return.

2008 200 Series Sahara, Australia
2008 200 Series Sahara, Australia · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runLate 2007 (2008 MY) to 2021
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (Toyota Auto Body)
MarketsUS/Canada (2008 to 2021), Japan, Australia, Middle East, Russia/CIS, Africa, Latin America, Europe (diesel)
Body style4-door wagon, 5/8 seats
Dimensions4,950 x 1,970 x 1,880 mm; wheelbase 2,850 mm
Transmissions5AT, 6AT (AB60F), 8AT from 2015 facelift (petrol markets)
SuspensionIFS double wishbone, coil solid rear; KDSS available
Differential locksCenter diff lock; no factory front/rear lockers (Crawl Control and electronics instead)
Facelifts2012 (front end, interior), 2015/2016 (major: new nose, LED lamps, TSS, 8AT)

Chassis codes and variants

The last V8 flagship generation, petrol and diesel alike.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsMarkets
UZJ2002UZ-FE4.7L V8 petrol275 hp2007 to 2011JP, ME, AUS
URJ2023UR-FE5.7L V8 petrol381 hp2008 to 2021US, GCC, RU
URJ2001UR-FE4.6L V8 petrol304 hp2012 to 2021JP, ME, RU
VDJ2001VD-FTV4.5L V8 twin-turbo diesel261 to 272 hp / 650 Nm2007 to 2021AUS (volume), EU, ME, Africa
GRJ2001GR-FE4.0L V6 petrol271 hp2007 to 2021Emerging markets, GCC base

Lexus derivative: LX570 (2008 to 2021): URJ201, 5.7 V8, AHC; US, Middle East, Russia, China.

3.6300 Series (2021 to Present)

Launched in the nameplate's seventieth year, the 300 rebuilt the flagship on the new GA-F platform: some 200 kg lighter than the 200 at the same size, twin-turbo sixes in place of the V8s, ten speeds throughout. The GR Sport added disconnecting stabilizers and triple locking, the most capable flagship hardware since the 80. Demand outran supply from the first day; Japan suspended orders repeatedly and quoted waits in years. North America passed on it altogether in favor of the Lexus LX600 and, from 2024, the LX700h hybrid, leaving the 300 the rare flagship never sold new in the United States.

300 Series VX (VJA300)
300 Series VX (VJA300) · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runAugust 2021 to present
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (Toyota Auto Body)
MarketsJapan, Middle East (launch focus), Australia, Europe (select), Africa, Asia, Latin America; Russia pre-2022. Not North America
Body style4-door wagon, 5/7 seats
Dimensions4,985 x 1,980 x 1,925 mm (ZX); wheelbase 2,850 mm; approx. 200 kg lighter than J200
PlatformTNGA GA-F body-on-frame
Transmission10-speed Direct Shift automatic
SuspensionIFS double wishbone, coil solid rear; E-KDSS on GR Sport
Differential locksCenter diff lock; front and rear lockers on GR Sport
GradesGX, VX, ZX, Sahara (AUS), GR Sport

Chassis codes and variants

Two engines, both twin-turbo V6s, split petrol/diesel by market.

CodeEngineTypeOutputMarkets
VJA300V35A-FTS3.5L V6 twin-turbo petrol409 to 415 hp / 650 NmME, JP, global petrol
FJA300F33A-FTV3.3L V6 twin-turbo diesel304 to 309 hp / 700 NmAUS, ME, EU select

Lexus derivatives: LX600 (2022 on, V35A petrol) and LX700h (2024 on, 3.5TT hybrid); both cover North America and global luxury markets in the 300's place.

Prado

Part IV: The Prado Lineage (light Duty)

70 Light-Duty Prado 70 90 120 150 250

The Prado line began as the 70's civilized younger sibling and grew into the volume heart of the marque. Its formula, honest ladder-frame capability at a size and price a household can carry, made it one of the best-selling body-on-frame vehicles in the world: the perennial head of Australia's large-SUV table, a fixture across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, and the platform beneath both the Lexus GX and the FJ Cruiser. Yet for four decades it was invisible in the United States, sold there only in disguise. That ended in 2024, when the 250 returned the plain "Land Cruiser" name to North America and the factory named the Prado line the core Land Cruiser: the center of the marque, walked back deliberately from the luxury drift of its later generations to the plain, sturdy tool it began as. In most markets the Prado badge retired with that repositioning. The lineage did not.

4.170 Series Light-Duty and Prado 70 (1985 to 1996)

The line's origin is a badge experiment. In 1985 the factory split the new 70 into heavy and light frames, selling the lighter truck as the Bundera in Australia and the Land Cruiser II in Europe and Japan: shorter, coil-sprung at the rear, powered by four-cylinder engines out of the Hilux stores. In April 1990 the restyled four-door versions took a new name, Prado, Spanish for meadow, and found a public the workhorse never had: private buyers who wanted the badge's credibility without its ride. The sales case was made so quickly that a dedicated platform was approved, and the modern mid-size Land Cruiser begins here.

1986 70 light-duty, origin of the Prado line
1986 70 light-duty, origin of the Prado line · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1985 to 1996
PlantsYoshiwara Plant (Toyota Auto Body), with heavy-duty 70 production
MarketsJapan, Australia (Bundera), Europe (Land Cruiser II), Asia, Latin America
Body stylesSWB 2-door; from 1990 MWB/LWB 4-door wagons (Prado)
DimensionsSWB approx. 4,060 mm long; wheelbases 2,310 / 2,600 mm
Transmissions5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic (later KZJ)
SuspensionLighter frame than heavy-duty; front leaf then coil development; coil rear
Differential locksRear locker optional in select markets
Naming1985 to 1990: Bundera / Land Cruiser II; April 1990: Land Cruiser Prado

Chassis codes and variants

L-family and R-family engines mark the light frame; the 1KZ-TE of 1993 gave the Prado its first modern turbodiesel.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsMarkets
LJ70/712L / 2L-T2.4L I4 diesel/TD83 to 97 hp1985 to 1993EU, JP, Asia
LJ71G/78G2L-TE2.4L I4 turbodiesel97 hp1990 to 1993JP (first Prado)
RJ70/7321R/22R2.0/2.4L I4 petrol97 to 105 hp1985 to 1996EU, Asia
KZJ71/781KZ-TE3.0L I4 turbodiesel125 hp1993 to 1996JP, Asia

4.290 Series (1996 to 2002)

The first clean-sheet Prado, and the point at which the line became a world product rather than a 70 offshoot. Independent front suspension, rack steering, and a platform shared with the Hilux Surf and 4Runner gave it road manners near a car's; three- and five-door bodies and four engines gave it range from Japanese suburbs to African fleet work. Europe took it as the sensible Land Cruiser, Australia made it a family staple, and the United States never saw it at all, though Americans were driving its near cousin in the third-generation 4Runner.

1997 Prado 90 GX
1997 Prado 90 GX · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production runMay 1996 to 2002
PlantsTahara Plant (Toyota), Aichi; SOFASA, Colombia (CKD for Andean markets)
MarketsJapan, Europe, Australia, Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Africa. Never US
Body styles3-door SWB (90), 5-door LWB (95)
Dimensions5-door approx. 4,675 x 1,820 x 1,865 mm; wheelbases 2,450 / 2,790 mm
Transmissions5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic
SuspensionIFS double wishbone (first in the line); coil 4-link rear
Differential locksCenter diff lock (full-time 4WD variants); rear locker optional in select markets
Facelift1999 (grille, lamps, interior)
Platform kinshipHilux Surf / 4Runner (N180)

Chassis codes and variants

The engine range established the modern Prado template: economical four-cylinder petrol, stronger petrol six, and a volume turbodiesel.

CodeEngineTypeOutputMarkets
RZJ90/953RZ-FE2.7L I4 petrol150 hpJP, AUS, Asia
VZJ90/955VZ-FE3.4L V6 petrol178 hpJP, ME, LatAm
KZJ90/951KZ-TE3.0L I4 turbodiesel123 hpEU, AUS, Asia, Africa
KDJ90/951KD-FTV3.0L I4 TD (late, select)163 hpSelect markets

4.3120 Series (2002 to 2009)

Styled at Toyota's European studio ED2 and engineered to read a class above its price, the 120 turned the Prado from a sound regional seller into a world car. It also finally reached North America, twice and in disguise: the Lexus GX470 put a V8 version in American showrooms from 2002, and the FJ Cruiser of 2006 dressed a shortened 120 frame in FJ40 costume and sold more than 200,000 in the United States alone. KDSS stabilizer control appeared on this platform before the flagship had it, a small marker of where the engineering center of gravity had moved.

Prado 120 GXL (GRJ120R)
Prado 120 GXL (GRJ120R) · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run2002 to 2009
PlantsTahara Plant (Toyota); Sichuan FAW Toyota, Chengdu (China); SOFASA, Colombia
MarketsJapan, Europe, Australia, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America. US via GX470 and FJ Cruiser only
Body styles3-door SWB, 5-door LWB
Dimensions5-door approx. 4,850 x 1,875 x 1,895 mm; wheelbases 2,455 / 2,790 mm
Transmissions5MT/6MT; 4AT/5AT
SuspensionIFS double wishbone; coil 4-link rear; optional rear air springs, KDSS
Differential locksCenter Torsen/lockable; rear locker optional in select markets
FaceliftsRunning updates; no single major restyle

Chassis codes and variants

The 1GR-FE V6 and common-rail 1KD-FTV arrived here and would power the line for two decades.

CodeEngineTypeOutputMarkets
GRJ120/1211GR-FE4.0L V6 petrol249 hpJP, ME, AUS, RU
TRJ120/1252TR-FE2.7L I4 petrol163 hpJP, Asia, LatAm
RZJ120/1253RZ-FE2.7L I4 petrol150 hpEarly, Asia
KDJ120/1251KD-FTV3.0L I4 turbodiesel163 to 173 hpEU, AUS, Asia, Africa
KZJ1201KZ-TE3.0L I4 turbodiesel130 hpEarly, select

Lexus derivative: GX470 (UZJ120, 2002 to 2009): 2UZ-FE 4.7 V8, North America and Middle East; the Prado's first US-market presence.

Platform derivative: FJ Cruiser (GSJ15, 2006 to 2022 global): shortened 2,690 mm wheelbase, 1GR-FE, retro FJ40 styling; US sales to 2014, Japan 2010 to 2018, GCC to the 2022 Final Edition. Built by Hino at Hamura.

4.4150 Series (2009 to 2024; continuing in select markets)

The 150 is the generation that made the Prado line arguably the world's dominant body-on-frame wagon: fifteen years, two major facelifts, and year-on-year leadership in Australia, where "Prado" became the common word for the family tow-and-touring vehicle. It took the diesel transition (1KD to the 2.8 1GD in 2015) and the safety-equipment transition (TSS standard from 2017) without losing its fleet standing, and it carried the Lexus GX460 for fourteen years in North America. The factory's own account of the 250 as a correction is a comment on the 150's course: each facelift moved further upmarket, and success made the drift easy to miss.

2012 Prado 150 VX
2012 Prado 150 VX · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run2009 to 2024 primary; continues for select markets alongside the 250
PlantsTahara Plant, then Hino Motors Hamura (Japan); Sichuan FAW Toyota, Chengdu (to 2020)
MarketsJapan, Europe, Australia, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Russia/CIS. US via GX460 only
Body styles5-door LWB; 3-door SWB (dropped mid-cycle)
Dimensions4,825 x 1,885 x 1,890 mm (late 5-door); wheelbases 2,790 / 2,455 mm
Transmissions5MT/6MT; 5AT; 6AT (2015 on)
SuspensionIFS double wishbone, coil rear; optional KDSS, rear air
Differential locksCenter diff lock; rear locker on upper grades (e.g. AUS Kakadu)
Facelifts2013 (nose, dash), 2017 (major: grille, hood, lamps, TSS standard)

Chassis codes and variants

The 2020 1GD update (201 hp / 500 Nm with the 6AT) defines late 150s and carried directly into the 250 and 70.

CodeEngineTypeOutputYearsMarkets
GRJ150/1551GR-FE4.0L V6 petrol271 hp2009 to 2024ME, RU, LatAm, AUS early
TRJ150/1552TR-FE2.7L I4 petrol163 hp2009 to 2024JP, Asia
KDJ150/1551KD-FTV3.0L I4 turbodiesel171 hp2009 to 2015EU, AUS, Asia
GDJ150/1551GD-FTV2.8L I4 turbodiesel174 hp; 201 hp/500 Nm from 20202015 to 2024+AUS (volume), EU, Africa

Lexus derivative: GX460 (URJ150, 2009 to 2023): 1UR-FE 4.6 V8; North America, Middle East, Russia.

4.5250 Series (2024 to Present)

The current Prado generation and, by the factory's designation, the core Land Cruiser. Development ran under Akio Toyoda's directive of Genten Kaiki, back to the origin, and the working phrase "back to the basics": the assignment was to reverse the luxury drift and rebuild the line as the plain, sturdy vehicle its customers depend on. The result moved the Prado onto the flagship's GA-F platform (a frame 50 percent stiffer, the whole 30 percent stiffer than the 150), brought the first hybrid and the first electric power steering in any Land Cruiser, and introduced the Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism. It also closed a forty-year absence: North America takes the 250 simply as "Land Cruiser," the nameplate's first return since 2021 and the Prado lineage's first American sale under its own flag. Demand at launch echoed the 300's; Japan's First Edition allocation of 8,000 cars went to lottery.

250 Series VX, the core Land Cruiser
250 Series VX, the core Land Cruiser · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
World premiere / launchesAugust 2, 2023 premiere; global rollout 2024; Japan April 18, 2024
PlantsTahara Plant and Hino Motors Hamura (Japan)
MarketsGlobal: North America (as "Land Cruiser"), Japan, Australia, Europe, Middle East, China, Asia, Africa, Latin America
PlatformTNGA GA-F shared with the 300; +50% frame rigidity, +30% overall vs the 150
Body style5-door wagon, 5/7 seats
Dimensions4,925 x 1,980 x 1,870 mm; wheelbase 2,850 mm (+100/+95/+20/+60 vs the 150)
TransmissionsDirect Shift 8AT (2.4T, hybrid, most diesel); 6AT (some diesel regions); 6 Super ECT (2.7)
SuspensionIFS double wishbone, coil solid rear; Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM, a Toyota first)
SteeringElectric power steering (first in the line)
4WD and locksFull-time 4WD with Torsen LSD center differential (market dependent); rear differential lock available, standard on North American grades
SafetyLatest Toyota Safety Sense standard; Multi-Terrain Monitor with Back Underfloor View (a Toyota first)
GradesNorth America: 1958, Land Cruiser, First Edition (launch year). Global: GX/VX/ZX/Adventure structures by market

Chassis codes and variants

The launch powertrain matrix, with outputs and planned destinations as published at the world premiere. The North American i-Force Max hybrid is SAE-rated at 326 hp / 465 lb-ft.

PowertrainOutputTorquePositioningPlanned destinations
T24A-FTS 2.4L turbo hybrid (i-Force Max), Direct Shift 8AT243 kW (330 PS)630 NmHigh-end electrifiedNorth America, China
T24A-FTS 2.4L turbo, Direct Shift 8AT207 kW (281 PS)430 NmMass-market petrolMiddle East, Eastern Europe
1GD-FTV 2.8L turbodiesel with 48V system, 8AT150 kW (204 PS)500 NmHigh-end dieselAustralia, Western Europe
1GD-FTV 2.8L turbodiesel, 8AT (6AT some regions)150 kW (204 PS)500 NmMass-market dieselWestern/Eastern Europe, Japan, Middle East
2TR-FE 2.7L petrol, 6 Super ECT120 kW (163 PS)246 NmAffordable basicEastern Europe, Japan

Design language: reliable, timeless, professional. Low cowl and beltline for terrain visibility, narrower mirror-to-mirror width, headlights mounted high above debris and grass, segmented repairable bumpers, and customization-ready architecture.

Lexus derivative: GX550 (2024 on): V35A 3.4L twin-turbo V6, 349 hp, on the same GA-F architecture; North America and global, holding the premium slot above the 250 as the LX does above the 300.

FJ

Part V: The FJ Series (2026 to Present)

The fourth series, and the first true addition to the family in the nameplate's history. Where every prior Land Cruiser descended from an existing line, the FJ starts fresh: a compact five-seater on a reinforced frame drawn from the IMV (Hilux) family, built in Thailand, and pitched at the buyers the rest of the range has priced out or outgrown, under the stated concept of "Freedom & Joy." It is a different flavor of Land Cruiser by design: a dice motif in the panels, factory MOLLE boards and ARB equipment in the catalogue, and a folding electric trail bike, the Land Hopper, planned as a companion. The name tips its hat to the FJ40 and the departed FJ Cruiser; the vehicle shares a platform with neither. The off-road targets state the intent plainly: clearance and approach to match the 250, departure fifteen degrees better, articulation to match the 70.

Land Cruiser FJ (J240)
Land Cruiser FJ (J240) · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet (official figures, world premiere October 21, 2025 and Japan launch May 14, 2026)

FieldDetail
Japan launchMay 14, 2026; base volume 1,300 units/month; VX grade from 4,500,100 yen
PlantBan Pho Plant, Toyota Motor Thailand
Model codeJ240
MarketsJapan first (May 2026); Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America to follow; no North American or European availability announced
PlatformLadder frame derived from the IMV series, shortened and brace-reinforced
Body style5-door, 5 seats
Dimensions4,575 x 1,855 mm; wheelbase 2,580 mm; minimum turning radius 5.5 m
vs the 250350 mm shorter, 125 mm narrower, 270 mm shorter wheelbase
Off-road geometryClearance and approach equivalent to the 250; departure 15 degrees greater; articulation equivalent to the 70
SuspensionHigh-mount double wishbone front; 4-link rigid axle with lateral rod rear
DrivelinePart-time 4WD; electric rear differential lock; Downhill Assist and Hill-start Assist
Engine2TR-FE 2.7L I4 petrol, 120 kW (163 PS) / 246 Nm
Transmission6 Super ECT automatic
Economy8.7 km/L WLTC (Japan certification)
Cargo795 L behind row two; 1,607 L folded
DesignSquare cabin, dice motif, chamfered edges, U-shaped lamps, removable segmented corner bumpers, rear-mounted spare, standard roof rails and front skid plate
AccessoriesToyota-genuine ARB line (roof rack, skid plate, rock rails); MOLLE panels
CompanionLand Hopper folding electric personal mobility vehicle, spring 2027, stows in the cargo area
Reference

Part VI: Regional Models And Platform Relatives

6.1Bandeirante (Brazil, 1958 to 2001)

Brazil's import-substitution laws turned a Land Cruiser assembly line into a parallel species. Toyota do Brasil began assembling 40-based trucks in 1958, localized production by 1962, and, unable to bring in Toyota diesels economically, fitted license-built Mercedes-Benz engines for more than three decades. The result, named for the frontier explorers of the colonial interior, changed so little over 43 years that a 2001 truck is recognizably a 1960s design, and it outlived the Japanese 40 by seventeen years: the last 40-derived Land Cruiser built anywhere. In the Brazilian interior it holds the same folk standing the 40 holds elsewhere.

Bandeirante in Minas Gerais, Brazil
Bandeirante in Minas Gerais, Brazil · Wikimedia Commons

Datasheet

FieldDetail
Production run1958 (assembly) / 1962 (localized production) to November 2001
PlantToyota do Brasil, São Bernardo do Campo
MarketsBrazil; exports within South America
Basis40 Series frame and body, progressively localized
Body stylesSWB and LWB utility, pickup, chassis-cab, 4-door
Transmissions4-speed manual
SuspensionLeaf springs, solid axles throughout the run
Differential locksNone
FaceliftsMinimal: front discs, instrumentation, engine changes only

Chassis codes and variants

Codes ran OJ50/OJ55 early, later TB-prefixed designations by body. The engine history is the story.

EraEngineTypeNotes
1962 to 1989Mercedes-Benz OM-324, then OM-3143.4/3.8L I4 dieselLicense-built in Brazil
1989 to 1994Mercedes-Benz OM-3644.0L I4 dieselFinal MB era
1994 to 2001Toyota 14B3.7L I4 dieselFull-Toyota driveline at last

6.2FJ Cruiser (2006 to 2022)

A retro homage that became a cult. Built on a shortened 120 frame and styled after the FJ40, white roof, round lamps, wrap-around rear glass, the FJ Cruiser sold more than 200,000 in the United States before demand thinned, then found a long second life in the Gulf and Japan, where a 2018 Final Edition and continued GCC sales carried production to 2022. American used values inverted the depreciation curve years before the wider classic-truck boom. It is a model apart rather than a numbered series; the 2026 Land Cruiser FJ succeeds it in spirit and shares no platform with it.

FieldDetail
CodeGSJ15
BasisShortened J120 Prado frame; wheelbase 2,690 mm
PlantHino Motors, Hamura
Engine1GR-FE 4.0L V6, 239 to 260 hp
Differential locksRear locker available (Off-Road packages)
MarketsUS/Canada 2006 to 2014; Japan 2010 to 2018; GCC and Australia longer; production ended 2022 with a Final Edition

6.3Platform Relatives and Commonly Confused Models

The Land Cruiser sits inside a wider Toyota truck ecology, and several neighbors are close enough to confuse, or to serve as Land Cruisers in all but name in markets that never received the real article.

4Runner / Hilux Surf. The closest thing the US had to a Prado for decades. The 4Runner has shared platforms and running gear with the Prado line generation after generation: the third-generation 4Runner (N180) and Prado 90 are siblings, the fourth (N210) parallels the 120 era with heavy component overlap, the fifth (N280) evolved from the same architecture, and the sixth (N400, 2024) sits on the same TNGA-F platform as the 250 and GX550. Calling the 4Runner a US-market Prado analog is broadly accurate at the platform level, though bodies, tuning, and market positioning always differed.

Lexus LX and GX. Luxury twins of the Station Wagon and Prado lines respectively; each is covered in its donor generation's section (LX450/470/570/600/700h under the 80/100/200/300; GX470/460/550 under the 120/150/250).

Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma. Since 2021 to 2024 these North American trucks share the TNGA GA-F platform family with the 300, 250, GX, and LX, along with the V35A twin-turbo V6 and i-Force Max hybrid systems. Platform cousins, not Land Cruisers.

Hilux / Fortuner / IMV family. Toyota's other global work-truck line, historically separate from the Land Cruiser. The boundary blurred in 2026: the Land Cruiser FJ rides on a reinforced IMV-derived frame, the first Land Cruiser to do so.

Mega Cruiser (BXD20, 1995 to 2001). Japan's Hummer-scaled 4x4 with the 15B-FTE diesel and four-wheel steering. Despite the name, not a Land Cruiser.

Blizzard, RAV4, Land Cruiser-badged conversions. The Blizzard was a rebadged Daihatsu; the RAV4 shares nothing but the showroom. Fire, ambulance, and utility conversions on 40/70 chassis are genuine Land Cruisers and follow their donor codes.

Reference

Part VII: Technical Reference

7.1Chassis Code Decoder

Format: [Engine prefix] + J + [Series/body number] + [suffixes]. J = Jeep, a holdover from the 1951 Toyota Jeep BJ. Suffix letters vary by market and era: V (van/wagon), G (Japan wagon grade), W (wagon, modern JP codes such as GDJ250W), P, K, L, R, and trailing production codes. Hybrid models carry the base engine's prefix; the 250 i-Force Max is coded from its T24A engine family with a hybrid identifier in the full model code rather than a distinct letter.

PrefixEngine familyFuelExample applications
BB I4 diesel (also the 1951 B I6 petrol)DieselBJ40, BJ42, BJ60, BJ74
FF I6 petrolPetrolFJ40, FJ55, FJ60, FJ80
HH I6 dieselDieselHJ45, HJ47, HJ60, HJ61
PZ1PZ I5 dieselDieselPZJ70/73/77
HZ1HZ I6 dieselDieselHZJ75/77/78/79/80/105
HD1HD I6 turbodieselDieselHDJ80/81/100
FZ1FZ-FE I6 petrolPetrolFZJ75/79/80/105
UZUZ V8 petrolPetrolUZJ100/120/200
URUR V8 petrolPetrolURJ150/200/202
VD1VD-FTV V8 TDDieselVDJ76/78/79/200
GRGR V6 petrolPetrolGRJ76/79/120/150/200
GDGD I4 TDDieselGDJ76/79/150/250
TRTR I4 petrolPetrolTRJ120/150/250; FJ series
TJ / T24A-familyT24A I4 turbo (incl. i-Force Max hybrid)Petrol / HEV250 (2.4T and hybrid)
RZRZ I4 petrolPetrolRZJ90/95/120
VZVZ V6 petrolPetrolVZJ90/95
KZ1KZ-TE I4 TDDieselKZJ71/78/90/95/120
KD1KD-FTV I4 TDDieselKDJ90/120/125/150
LL I4 dieselDieselLJ70/71/73/78
RJR I4 petrolPetrolRJ70/73/77
VJA / FJAV35A / F33A V6Petrol / DieselVJA300, FJA300
GSJ1GR on FJ Cruiser platformPetrolGSJ15 (FJ Cruiser)
BXD15B-FTE (Mega Cruiser)DieselBXD20 (not a Land Cruiser)

7.2Complete Engine Reference

Every engine fitted to a Land Cruiser or its direct derivatives, with notable applications elsewhere in the Toyota range.

EngineConfigDisplacementInductionOutput rangeLand Cruiser applicationsOther notable applications
Type B (petrol)I63.4LCarb82 to 85 hpToyota BJToyota trucks of the era
FI6 petrol3.9LCarb105 to 125 hp20, 40, 55Toyota FA/FC trucks
2FI6 petrol4.2LCarb135 hp40, 55, 60Toyota forklifts, industrial
3F / 3F-EI6 petrol4.0LCarb / EFI155 hp60, 70, 80Coaster (select)
B (diesel) / 3BI4 diesel3.0 / 3.4LNA80 / 90 hp40, 60, 70Dyna, Coaster, Toyoace
13B-TI4 diesel3.4LTurbo120 hp70 (BJ74)Dyna
H / 2HI6 diesel3.6 / 4.0LNA95 / 103 hp40, 55, 60, 70Coaster, Dyna
12H-TI6 diesel4.0LTurbo134 hp60 (HJ61)Coaster HB
1PZI5 diesel3.5LNA115 hp70Coaster
1HZI6 diesel4.2LNA129 hp70, 80, 105Coaster (still in production for both)
1HD-T / -FT / -FTEI6 diesel4.2LTurbo165 to 202 hp80, 100, 70 (78/79)Coaster (select)
1FZ-FEI6 petrol4.5LEFI190 to 212 hp70, 80, 105None significant
2L / 2L-T / 2L-TEI4 diesel2.4LNA / turbo83 to 97 hp70 light-duty, Prado 70Hilux, Hiace, Cressida
21R / 22RI4 petrol2.0 / 2.4LCarb97 to 105 hpRJ70 familyHilux, Celica, Corona
3RZ-FEI4 petrol2.7LEFI150 hp90, 120Hilux, Tacoma, T100, Hiace
2TR-FEI4 petrol2.7LEFI163 hp120, 150, 250, FJHilux, Fortuner, Tacoma, Hiace, Innova
5VZ-FEV6 petrol3.4LEFI178 hp90Tacoma, T100, 4Runner, Hilux Surf
1KZ-TEI4 diesel3.0LTurbo123 to 130 hpPrado 70, 90, 120Hilux, Hilux Surf, Hiace
1KD-FTVI4 diesel3.0LTurbo CR163 to 173 hp90 late, 120, 150Hilux, Fortuner, Hiace
1GD-FTVI4 diesel2.8LTurbo CR174 to 204 hp / up to 500 Nm150, 250 (incl. 48V), 70Hilux, Fortuner, Hiace, Innova
1GR-FEV6 petrol4.0LEFI/Dual VVT-i228 to 271 hp70, 120, 150, 200, FJ CruiserTacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, Fortuner, Hilux
2UZ-FEV8 petrol4.7LEFI/VVT-i230 to 275 hp100, 200, GX470, LX470Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner (JDM/ME)
1UR-FEV8 petrol4.6LDual VVT-i304 hp200, GX460Tundra (select), Crown Majesta
3UR-FEV8 petrol5.7LDual VVT-i381 hp200, LX570Tundra, Sequoia
1VD-FTVV8 diesel4.5LSingle turbo (70) / twin (200)202 to 272 hp70, 200None; Land Cruiser exclusive
V35A-FTSV6 petrol3.5L (3.4 rating in GX/Tundra)Twin turbo349 to 415 hp300, LX600, GX550Tundra, Sequoia (i-Force), LS 500
F33A-FTVV6 diesel3.3LTwin turbo304 to 309 hp300None; Land Cruiser exclusive
T24A-FTSI4 petrol2.4LTurbo207 kW (281 PS) / 430 Nm250Crown, Highlander, Lexus RX/NX (family)
T24A-FTS i-Force MaxI4 petrol hybrid2.4LTurbo + motor-in-transmission243 kW (330 PS) / 630 Nm; US 326 hp / 465 lb-ft250 (NA, China)Tacoma i-Force Max, Crown Signia (family)
MB OM-314/324/364I4 diesel3.4 to 4.0LNA78 to 90 hpBandeiranteMercedes-Benz trucks (license)
14BI4 diesel3.7LNA96 hpBandeiranteDyna, Delta

7.3Transmission Reference

UnitTypeLand Cruiser applicationsOther notable applications
H41/H42/H55F4/5-speed manual40, 60, 70Coaster, Dyna
H150F/H151F5-speed manual70, 80None significant
R1515-speed manual70 light-dutyHilux, 4Runner
A440F/A442F4-speed automatic60, 80None significant
A750F5-speed automatic100, 120, 150, 200 early4Runner, GX470/460, Tacoma, Fortuner
AB60F6-speed automatic200 (5.7)Tundra, Sequoia, LX570
AC60 family / 6 Super ECT6-speed automatic150, 70 (2023 on), 250 (2.7), FJHilux, Fortuner, Prado-family exports
Direct Shift 8AT8-speed automatic250 (2.4T, hybrid, most 1GD)Tacoma, GX550 (variant), Crown family
Direct Shift 10AT10-speed automatic300, LX600/700hTundra, Sequoia, LS 500

Corrections & Feedback

Found an error in a table, a chassis code wanting a note, a market the record missed? Send word. Corrections are checked against primary sources before the page is amended.