It follows a trend toward more off-road capability in new vehicles and a major upsurge in interest in classic truck-like SUVs. In 2021, Ford brought back its Bronco off-road SUV to capitalize on interest in that classic brand. The Toyota Land Cruiser has its own similarly passionate fan base. The new Land Cruiser is slightly smaller than the previous version, last sold in the United States in the 2021 model year.
Toyota had previously made four-wheel-drive vehicles, including large amphibious landing craft, for the Japanese military during World War II. Engineers developed something they called the Jeep BJ, building the first production vehicle on August 1, 1951, said Kurt Williams, a director of the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Salt Lake City. While that vehicle didn’t earn the military contract, Toyota saw value in the the small off-roader and continued its development.