Toyota reveals the all-new Land Cruiser FJ for 2026, a compact off-roader with HiLux bones. Malaysia, please?

Just in time for the Japan Mobility Show, Toyota has raised the curtain on a new Land Cruiser — the FJ, albeit smaller than its direct namesake predecessor — and it’s a deliberate love letter to the brand’s rugged off-roading roots. Built on the same ladder-frame IMV architecture as the HiLux pickup and Fortuner SUV, the FJ is designed to democratise the Land Cruiser ethos: proper structural toughness, simple mechanicals, go-anywhere credibility — but downsized, cheaper, and aimed at a new generation.

The “FJ” badge itself is no accident: a nod to the legendary FJ40 and the cult-favourite FJ Cruiser, this new one spells it out — “Freedom & Joy.” Key to that price accessibility is keeping things trim.

The obvious target here is the 5-door Suzuki Jimny, though in truth the Jimny is more toy than tool. The FJ feels like Toyota’s answer to two pressures: expand the Land Cruiser brand downward, and push back against the flood of Chinese retro-styled ladder SUVs invading ASEAN, many of which are blatantly FJ40-inspired themselves.

This new Toyota FJ’s wheelbase measures just 2,580 mm — essentially the stumpy Hilux Champ frame — though the body is notably larger overall at 4,575 mm long, 1,855 mm wide and a towering 1,960 mm tall, making it the tallest of Toyota’s IMV-based family. You’re looking at a short-wheelbase box with skyscraper stance, the proportions scream purpose-built off-roader.

And the design? Chunky, playful, and clearly descended from the Champ, but with more finesse. The octagonal “front mask” — dice-face chamfers and all — carries a proud TOYOTA script and signature C-shaped DRLs, while retro round headlights are optional for the purists. The theme continues down the slab-sides: stepped window line, monolithic C-pillars, and an octagonal swing-out tailgate wearing an external spare.

Black bolt-on fender flares and modular bumpers complete the look, the latter being sectional so only damaged pieces need replacement, the same cleverly modular thinking seen in the latest GR Yaris and Corolla.

Step inside and the HiLux Champ DNA shows up more prominently with a layered, squared-off dash and simple door cards, but the polish is turned way up with better materials and tech lifted from the latest LandCruiser Prado. That means a three-spoke angular steering wheel, a tombstone-style binnacle with touchscreen and digital cluster (likely the shared 12.3-inch display setup), plus Toyota’s newer flush gear selector and modern climate panel.

Unlike the Fortuner, there’s no 7-seat option here; this new FJ is proudly 5-seat only, but you do get Toyota Safety Sense, leaving the Champ behind in ADAS feature-completeness. The boot even features MOLLE mounting panels for strapping on survival or camping kit — a charming military-meets-weekend-overland touch.

Under the skin is where the FJ really earns its Land Cruiser merit badge. It inherits the Hilux’s legendarily competent part-time 4WD system with low range and a manual-select dial, while its ladder chassis is reinforced with extra bracing for handling and durability. Toyota says it’s been punished off-road to the same endurance standards as its bigger brethren, and wheel articulation is claimed to rival the hardcore LC70.

Where it stumbles, at least initially, is under the bonnet. Japan market variants get the familiar 2TR-FE 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol 4-cylinder paired to a 6-speed automatic which, despite its decent displacement, is good for just 163 PS and 246 Nm - not exactly tyre-shredding numbers. However, markets outside Japan will almost certainly be offered with the torquier turbodiesels from the HiLux, which would suit the FJ’s mission better.

Toyota hasn’t locked in factory location yet, but with IMV bones, Thailand assembly is almost a given. That opens the door — maybe not immediately, but eventually — to a Malaysian market debut, even CKD assembly alongside Hilux and Fortuner. If that happens, it would mark the first officially-sold Land Cruiser here in decades.

We could think of a fair few car enthusiasts who, despite not having an eye for the SUVs currently offered on the market, would very willingly spend beyond our means to get our hands on something fitting this FJ’s description, and possibly even more who are off-road enthusiasts. It’s sure to be a hit, and we just hope UMWT sees it the same way.

After all, with only the 5-door Jimny as the model’s only true competition, at least in Malaysia, and with its small dimensions and price higher than a Fortuner, this FJ would only need to undercut the Suzuki’s RM202k figure to make a big splash. Doable? Absolutely.