Rumors continue to swirl about the future of the Toyota Land Cruiser, and new info from Autoweek offers some potential insights about the SUV's powertrain range. Unfortunately, Americans might have to be patient for the rugged model.
As previously rumored, the next-gen Land Cruiser loses its V8 engine. Instead, there's allegedly a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. For folks willing to pay for more power and efficiency, there would also be a hybrid variant of this mill. Some markets would get a 3.3-liter diesel-fueled V6. Although given their relative lack of popularity in the US, don't necessarily expect that one to be available in America.
According to Autoweek, the new Land Cruiser is around the same size as the current one, which fits with rumors about the next-gen model retaining the existing SUV's platform. Toyota plans to make the latest iteration of the venerable off-roader even more rugged and less luxurious. The result should be a lower price to make the vehicle more accessible and perhaps a better seller.
The next-gen Land Cruiser may debut as soon as April 2021, and we know the 2021 model year is the last one for the existing SUV in the US. However, this new info suggests that the new one might not be on sale in America for a few years.
The next-gen Land Cruiser also means that a replacement for the Lexus LX is necessary. The luxury brand is allegedly killing off that nameplate in favor of the LQ. Rather than a Land Cruiser with a different nose and slightly nicer cabin like the current one, the upcoming model would switch to a unibody platform that sacrifices ruggedness for a more luxurious ride. Expect an arrival for the 2022 model year.
