Toyota Land Cruiser

For the smaller variation, which is sold in Europe and North America (since 2023) as the "Land Cruiser", see Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.

Toyota Land Cruiser
2021 Toyota Land Cruiser ZX (VJA300, Colombia)
Overview
ManufacturerToyota
Production1951–present
Body and chassis
Class
LayoutFront-engine, four-wheel-drive

The Toyota Land Cruiser (Japanese: トヨタ・ランドクルーザー, Hepburn: Toyota Rando-Kurūzā), also sometimes spelt as LandCruiser,[1] is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota's longest running series of models.[2] As of 2019, the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than 10 million units worldwide.[3]

Production of the first generation of the Land Cruiser began in 1951.[3][4][5] The Land Cruiser has been produced in convertible, hardtop, station wagon and cab chassis body styles. The Land Cruiser's reliability and longevity have led to huge popularity, especially in Australia, where it is the best-selling body-on-frame, four-wheel drive vehicle.[6] Toyota also extensively tests the Land Cruiser in the Australian outback – considered to be one of the toughest operating environments in both temperature and terrain.[7][8][9] In Japan, the Land Cruiser was once exclusive to Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyota Store.

Since 1990, the smaller variation of the Land Cruiser has been marketed as the Land Cruiser Prado. Described as a 'light-duty' version of the Land Cruiser by Toyota, it features a different design compared to the full-size model and, up until 2023, it remains the only comfort-oriented Land Cruiser available with a short-wheelbase 3-door version.

As of 2023, the full-size Land Cruiser was available in many markets. Exceptions include the United States (since 2021 where the smaller Land Cruiser Prado has been sold under the Land Cruiser name since 2024),[10] Canada (since 1996),[11] Malaysia (which receives the Lexus LX instead), Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Brazil, and most of Europe. In Europe, the only countries where the full-size Land Cruiser is officially sold are the Gibraltar, Moldova, New Caledonia,[12] Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The Land Cruiser is hugely popular in the Middle East, Russia, Australia and India, and also in Africa where it is used by farmers, the construction industry, non-governmental and humanitarian organizations, the United Nations, national armies (often the pickup version), and irregular armed groups who turn them into "technicals" by mounting machine guns in the rear. In August 2019, cumulative global sales of the Land Cruiser family surpassed 10 million units.[13]

  1. ^ "All-New LandCruiser 300 | 7 Seat 4WD Large SUV". Australia: Toyota. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Vehicle Heritage – Land Cruiser". Toyota. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Toyota just sold its 10 millionth Land Cruiser". Autoblog.com. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Model BJ – Built From Good Materials – 1951–1955". Toyota Land Cruiser Data Library. Toyota. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Worldwide Annual Production". Toyota Land Cruiser Data Library. Toyota. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Autoweb Australia". Autoweb.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  7. ^ "SPY PHOTOS: More New Toyota LandCruiser". Worldcarfans.com. 13 February 2007. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  8. ^ GoAutoMedia (5 April 2008). "Lexus LX LX570 5-dr wagon – First drive: LX570 is the lap of Lexus SUV luxury". GoAuto. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  9. ^ "Toyota 200 Series LandCruiser". Drive.com.au. 11 January 2008. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  10. ^ "Toyota Land Cruiser is Discontinued". US: Toyota. 2021. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. ^ McAleer, Brendan (10 June 2021). "Toyota upgrades near-legendary Land Cruiser – but good luck getting your hands on one". Canada. The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Nouvelle-Calédonie" (in French). New Caledonia: Toyota. 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  13. ^ Chan, Mick (23 September 2019). "Toyota Land Cruiser surpasses 10 million unit mark". Paultan.org. Malaysia: Driven Communications. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2022.