It’s been almost two years since Toyota teased the shadowy silhouette of a small, boxy SUV during the Land Cruiser 250's debut. There have since been a handful of hints that the automaker is still developing that smaller off-roader, but now we potentially have our best look yet. This might be the new Toyota FJ Cruiser.
The lone design image comes from a filing at the patent office in the Philippines. Toyota filed for the patent way back in January 2024, but Top Gear Philippines only recently stumbled upon the design. It looks very similar to the shadowy silhouette teased in 2023.
The rear looks awkward from the provided angle, and the D-pillar appears massive compared to the rest of the vehicle, which would create equally huge blind spots. The rear bumper cladding also looks a bit too chunky at the back, but it does seem to have a spare tire mounted on the liftgate, alluding to its ruggedness.
The vehicle looks plain in these patent images, admittedly, likely representing the base version. There are no fog lights and no roof racks. The wheels also look quite small for something supposedly suited for Moab. But the teaser (that we lightened in Photoshop) shows an appealing-looking addition to the Toyota lineup nonetheless.
Shortly after Toyota teased its small off-roader, the automaker filed a trademark for the Land Cruiser FJ name. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding the vehicle, which is likely to borrow styling cues from the Compact Cruiser EV concept. However, a report suggested the SUV would feature gasoline and hybrid engines instead.
All these hints will hopefully add up to something incredible. We don’t doubt there’s a market for a smaller off-roader with some of the kit and capability of the larger Land Cruiser.
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization via Top Gear Philippines
