Toyota has just unveiled its new Baby Land Cruiser

The time has finally come. Toyota has unveiled its new Land Cruiser FJ ahead of this year’s Japan Mobility Show. The highly anticipated baby off-roader is almost 10 inches shorter than the Land Cruiser 250, giving buyers a smaller, more affordable option, except for those of us in America.

The new Land Cruiser FJ shares a platform with Toyota’s Hilux Champ, which is not available in the United States, and is about 4.5 inches shorter than the LC 250. The SUV measures 73.0 inches long, 29.0 inches long and 30.2 inches wide, with a 101.6-inch wheelbase.

It features the same 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine as the pickup, producing 161 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, delivering power through a part-time all-wheel drive system and a six-speed transmission.

Those aren’t impressive enough statistics for America, and it’s not coming here anyway. Masaya Uchiyama, the chief engineer, explained Automotive News, “There are no plans for America or Europe.”

Photo by: Toyota

Like the Hilux Champ, Toyota has made the new FJ customizable by offering MOLLE panels for mounting equipment. Photos even show the SUV with a snorkel. It also features removable front and rear corner bumpers, allowing only the damaged parts to be replaced, improving repairability.

The SUV has a traditional boxy design that borrows styling cues from the larger Land Cruiser. It’s cute, with round headlights, thick upholstery and a spare tire on the back. Inside, the FJ looks like a Toyota, with a large gear selector and a landscape-oriented screen on the voluminous dashboard.

Toyota is also developing something it calls the Land Hopper, an electric vehicle designed to traverse off-road trails and go “beyond where the Land Cruiser can take you.” The company has not set a release date for the Hppper.

Toyota doesn’t offer much more than the basic specs for the new FJ. Toyota plans to launch it in Japan in mid-2026, with the SUV making its public debut at the Japan Mobility Show starting later this month.