Christmas has come early this year. I say that because a Toyota executive recently said that the Land Cruiser’s return to the United States is “likely.” Never mind he didn’t say when. Regardless, this should be welcome news for every American overlander.
MotorTrend recently sat down with Jack Hollis, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America. When asked whether the Land Cruiser would ever make its way back stateside, Hollis said, “Will we ever? I would say likely yes.”
When pressed on a timeline, Hollis said that we’d have to wait for that answer. This classic executive non-speak can be interpreted in a few ways.
The less likely interpretation is one in which the 300 Series is poised for a U.S. debut next year and Hollis just can’t talk about it yet. But, I have to tell you, that’s mighty unlikely.
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The more likely scenario is one in which the Land Cruiser nameplate will eventually reappear in the U.S. on a vehicle that doesn’t relate at all to the Land Cruiser 300. Imagine something like the Compact Cruiser EV that Toyota teased a year ago. This is how the Land Cruiser nameplate can be more reasonably expected to make its return to the states.
While it was sad for us to lose the Land Cruiser nameplate here in the U.S., Toyota has done a great job filling the void. The new Sequoia is surprisingly capable and can receive a three-inch lift designed by Toyota’s engineers.
We can expect a new 4Runner in 2024, which will share the Sequoia and Tundra’s F Platform. Based upon what we’ve seen from the Sequoia, with those two vehicles in showrooms, customers will have just about everything they would have gotten from the Land Cruiser 300.
No matter what form an American-market Land Cruiser takes in the future, it’ll be nice to have it back. I just hope Hollis and his colleagues don’t make us wait too long.
