2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Returns to Canada with Retro Styling and Classic Off-Road Capability

Toyota's longest-running nameplate is returning to Canada, but it might not be exactly what you were expecting. The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser will be the first sold in Canada since the 1990s, but it is a far cry from the Land Cruiser model sold in the rest of the world.

The original Land Cruiser was Toyota's answer to the first Jeeps. It was a functional off-roader that launched in 1951, then expanded to encompass a range of work trucks and SUVs that could be found in some of the roughest places in the world. In recent years, the Land Cruiser lineup was shrunk once again to include only SUVs that offered more luxury but still plenty of ruggedness.

There will once again be two Land Cruisers. The behemoth 300 Series sold in Australia, the Middle East, and a few other markets, and one designed for North America with retro looks.

The 2024 Land Cruiser is meant to look like the Cruisers of old. The retro design from Toyota's North American design team comes with a boxy exterior that is a callback to those classic 40 Series Cruisers (as well as the 2000s FJ Cruiser). The 1958-grade models (and First Edition) get round LED lamps and a heritage grille, while the standard trim grade gets square lamps meant to resemble the FJ62.

The Land Cruiser is built on Toyota's TNGA-F platform, the same architecture that underpins the latest Tundra and Tacoma pickups as well as the Toyota Sequoia SUV. The 2024 Land Cruiser will be significantly shorter than the Sequoia at 4,920 mm long, and the five-seater is more trail-friendly at 2,138 mm wide including mirrors.

Like the Sequoia, the Land Cruiser will be hybrid only. Because this is a much smaller (and lighter) model, it gets a 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder with its hybrid system rather than the Sequoia's V6. The powertrain makes 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque and will be linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. In keeping with the Land Cruiser's off-road intent, it will have a full-time 4x4 system with a low-range transfer case and locking centre differential.

The entry-level trim is called Land Cruiser 1958. In addition to those round front lights and heritage grille, it comes with 18-inch alloy wheels wearing all-season tires, crawl control, and a locking rear differential. Skid plates and rock rails will be available from the accessory catalogue and recovery hooks are standard.

From there, buyers can upgrade to the Land Cruiser trim, which upgrades the suspension to add a front stabilizer bar disconnect to improve suspension articulation, multi-terrain select, multi-terrain monitor camera, and SofTex seats. Toyota is also building a First Edition that is limited to 5,000 units for North America and has round lamps, a roof rack, rock rails, a rear door guard, leather seats, and some other special goodies.

Toyota said that the 2024 Land Cruiser is set to arrive in Canada in the spring of 2024. Expect pricing shortly before it shows up at dealers.