After years of speculation, a new compact member of the LandCruiser family is reportedly days away from a global reveal ahead of a public debut at the Tokyo motor show.
The global reveal of the long-anticipated Toyota LandCruiser FJ – a new compact member of the off-road family – may take place as soon as next week, according to a new report.
Japan's Magazine X – which has a solid track record for insider information – claims the covers will come off the production version of the LandCruiser FJ at 5:00am Tokyo time (7:00am AEDT) on Tuesday, October 21.
Media outlets in Japan have reportedly received a closed-door preview of the vehicle, which will follow its unveiling with a public debut at the Tokyo motor show that opens to the press on October 29, according to Magazine-X.
Rumours and purported leaked information on the 'mini' LandCruiser have swirled the internet for a number of years, with the vehicle once slated for a 2023 reveal, pushed to 2024, and now 2025, for a claimed 2026 showroom arrival.
While the FJ Cruiser that last used the two-letter badge wasn't a commercial success, Toyota will keep the FJ spirit alive with the new, more compact model.
The 4WD's design has already been outed, first previewed by the Toyota Compact Cruiser EV concept, and more recently revealed in patent filing images.
In keeping with the LandCruiser name, the LandCruiser FJ is set to be an off-road-ready SUV with genuine four-wheel drive credentials.
Instead of the FJ Cruiser’s B-pillarless design with rear-hinged back doors, the LandCruiser FJ adopts a more conventional five-door body, with a side-hinged tailgate and externally-mounted spare wheel, not unlike the previous-generation Prado.
The chassis underpinning the LandCruiser FJ is believed to be a version of the ladder-frame chassis from the HiLux Champ, a low-cost ute sold in markets like Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, itself based on the underpinnings of the current HiLux.
Although the front-end styling of the HiLux Champ and LandCruiser FJ is similar, the final design is unlikely to share external panels, despite a common platform.
Like the HiLux Champ, the LandCruiser FJ is expected to be built in Thailand.
Source: BestCar.
The move to expand the LandCruiser family comes at the same time as Toyota lays out plans to expand its luxury Century nameplate into a brand of its own above Lexus.
While the same hasn’t yet occurred with LandCruiser, it appears Toyota is following the lead of Chinese brands in spinning off sub-brands into their own distinct lines.
With the compact LandCruiser FJ creating a new entry point to the range, joining the heavy-duty LandCruiser 70 Series, large LandCruiser 250 (sold in Australia as the LandCruiser Prado) and the larger LandCruiser 300, the LandCruiser name now has a wider presence than ever before.
Early reports suggest the LandCruiser FJ will occupy a similar footprint to the Toyota Corolla Cross, making it larger than a Suzuki Jimny XL, but smaller than the Toyota Fortuner.
Full details will be revealed in Tokyo, but the LandCruiser FJ is expected to use the 2.7-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder engine from the HiLux Champ, and a version of the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine found in the HiLux, Fortuner and Prado.
The introduction of the LandCruiser FJ is set to roll out across Southeast Asian markets first.
Unlike the HiLux Champ it’s based on, however, the LandCruiser FJ is expected to be available with a more comprehensive suite of safety equipment, opening the door to global sales.
Japan is expected to be one of the LandCruiser FJ’s future markets, and its compatibility with Japanese safety regulations potentially opens the door to an Australian introduction.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
