Off-road enthusiasts from Japan are spoiled for choice because not only is Toyota selling the full-fat Land Cruiser 300 and the new 250 but it’s also bringing back the 70. Yes, the model originally launched in 1984 is return to the Land of the Rising Sun for 2024 for its 40th anniversary. While the JDM-spec variant was presented as an SUV, the equivalent Australian model will keep the pickup truck body style alive.
At home in Japan, Toyota intends to sell the 2024 Land Cruiser 70 with a 2.8-liter diesel hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is good for 201 horsepower and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque delivered to both axles via a six-speed automatic transmission. In JDM flavor, the venerable off-roader is 4890 mm (192.5 in) long, 1870 mm (73.6 in) wide, and 1920 mm (75.6 in) tall, with a wheelbase measuring 2730 mm (107.4 in).
Its Aussie cousin is more interesting since it continues to offer a 4.5-liter V8 diesel delivering its 202 hp and 430 Nm (316 lb-ft) to the road through a five-speed manual gearbox. Alternatively, you could go for a new 2.8-liter diesel with 201 hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) but the four-pot engine comes exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Toyota Australia intends to sell the 2024 Land Cruiser 70 in pickup and SUV body styles with the same modernized front fascia as the Japanese version. The wonderfully old-school cabin now has a 6.7-inch touchscreen for an infotainment system offering wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Changes have also been made to the instrument cluster as it now has a more modern 4.2-inch display. Even though the vehicle is pushing 40, it now has lane departure warning, speed sign assist, and automatic high beams.
Full details will be disclosed closer to the model’s launch, scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year in Australia while Japan will get the revised Land Cruiser 70 this winter.
