Toyota made a lot of people happy by bringing back the legendary Land Cruiser to its North American lineup. And now, it seems another iconic off-road name could soon be making its return to the Japanese automaker’s catalog.
Earlier this week, several photos of a small Toyota-branded SUV started making the rounds online.
Nothing official has been confirmed so far, but that was more than enough to set the internet ablaze.
Another Cruiser
The most popular theory right now is that we could be looking at the future FJ Cruiser — a model that was discontinued back in 2014. The images circulating on social media show a compact SUV with a tailgate-mounted spare tire — a detail that speaks volumes to off-road enthusiasts.
What makes this particularly exciting is the possible size format Toyota might be aiming for. Rumor has it that it could be something more compact, along the lines of a Jeep Renegade. One thing’s for sure — a small off-road-capable vehicle like this could be a major hit for Toyota, especially given today’s trend toward rugged utility vehicles.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a hot seller, but it’s far from affordable for most buyers. That’s where a smaller FJ Cruiser could step in and fill the gap for customers currently left out of Toyota’s lineup.
We should learn more about the model in the coming months. For now, however, all signs suggest that the new FJ Cruiser — if that is its name — might be destined for markets outside of North America. So for now, we’ll have to be patient… and hopeful.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
