Toyota Land Cruiser FJ revealed as petrol-powered Defender 90 rival

Chunky 4x4 revives a classic model name as it finally evolves from concept into production car for 2026, writes Will Rimell

- Will Rimell

The FJ will be built in Thailand and go on sale first in Japan in the middle of next year.

Toyota has revived the historic FJ model name for the long-awaited baby version of its Land Cruiser 4x4, revealed recently in production form ahead of a launch in Japan next year.

The Land Rover Defender 90-sized off-roader has been created as a new entry into the Land Cruiser range and has been designed to open it up to a wider range of buyers and a “new generation” of customers, Simon Humphries, Toyota's chief branding officer, said at the unveiling.

The Land Cruiser FJ (now standing for ‘Freedom and Joy’) is based on the same platform as the larger Land Cruiser 250 Series that was launched last year, but its wheelbase is 270mm shorter.

This leaves it at 4,575mm long, 1,855mm wide and 1,960mm tall — a close match for the Defender 90.

Despite the chopped footprint, the FJ is still a capable machine.