Companies file trademark applications all the time to protect product names and other concepts, but the applications don’t always mean that something new is coming. That said, a recent Toyota trademark application in Japan spotted by Land Cruiser forum members has sparked heated conversation around what might be coming.
Toyota applied to trademark “Land Cruiser FJ,” which combines two of its most iconic off-road vehicle names. The automaker also recently applied to trademark “Land Hopper,” though many speculate that name will apply to a smaller, cheaper off-roader.
Some on the forum theorized that Toyota is aiming to create a Land Cruiser sub-brand with a range of SUVs, but it’s worth noting that the automaker discontinued its flagship off-roader here before bringing back a smaller, cheaper variant. That said, Toyota has shown a few boxy EV concepts in recent years, so anything is possible with the move to electrification.
The Land Cruiser we’re getting in 2024 is what the rest of the world calls the Land Cruiser Prado. It’s smaller, less powerful, and significantly cheaper than the previous version. Toyota offers it in a few configurations, but the SUV comes powered by a turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder engine instead of the V8 we last saw. That model got a new generation in other countries but lost the V8 there, too, in favor of a V6.
[Image: Toyota]
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