The Land Cruiser 70 Series will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024, but that hasn’t stopped Toyota from treating it with another facelift. While we’ve seen the updated model before, the legendary off-roader has now been reintroduced in Japan after a 9-year absence from Toyota’s home market.
While the 70 Series remained available for purchase in many parts of the world, including South Africa and Australia, Toyota discontinued it from its Japanese lineup in 2015 due to stricter safety regulations. This oversight has been rectified with the updated version, which expands the local Land Cruiser family alongside the much newer J250 (North America’s 2024 Land Cruiser) and the global J300 models.
Japanese customers are limited to the traditional five-door SUV body style of the Land Cruiser 70 Series, which measures 4,890 mm (192.5 inches) in length. It’s worth noting that Toyota has already revealed a longer dual-cab pickup version for the Australian market, as well as a shorter three-door SUV and single-cab pickup for the United Arab Emirates.
Rather than reinventing the wheel, the refresh has enhanced the timeless exterior design of the classic Land Cruiser. The redesigned front end, featuring round LED headlights and large indicators protruding from the bodywork, offers a tastefully modernized interpretation of the original 1984 design. Unpainted bumpers and wheel arches emphasize its utilitarian appearance, along with the additional fender-mounted mirror. A black plastic lid on the side of the bonnet houses the AdBlue reservoir, essential for modern diesel engines.
At the rear, the taillights have been integrated into the new bumper, with the regular units concealed by body-colored panels. The off-road focus is evident in the design of the exhaust, which was carefully crafted to avoid interfering with the departure angle.
The standard kit is relatively basic, with amenities limited to manual air conditioning, USB-C ports, power windows, and central locking. The new analog instrument cluster features a 4.2-inch screen, but the infotainment touchscreen is optional. Fortunately, the facelift has added a few fundamental advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, road sign assist, and automatic high beams.
Toyota engineers improved the ladder framer underpinnings of the Land Cruiser 70 Series, introducing a new suspension system and various electronic enhancements. These improvements are aimed at enhancing ride comfort and handling stability while preserving the vehicle’s signature off-road capabilities. Specifically, the 4WD system, equipped with an electronic differential lock, is complemented by features such as Hill Start Assist Control, Downhill Assist Control, Active Traction Control, and Vehicle Stability Control.
The JDM version of the 70 Series is fitted with a new 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel (1GD-FTV), representing a significant improvement in emissions compared to previous iterations of the SUV. The powertrain, which is also found in the all-new Land Cruiser Prado (J250) produces 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 500 Nm (368.9 lb-ft) of torque. . Power is exclusively transmitted to all four wheels through a 6-speed Super ECT automatic gearbox.
In Japan, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series starts from ¥4,800,000 (about US$32,500 at current exchange rates). To put it in perspective, the larger and more technologically advanced Land Cruiser 300 Series begins at ¥5,100,000 ($34,500). Alternatively, Toyota offers the 70 Series through the Kinto subscription service for a monthly fee of ¥45,760 ($310). For those outside the Land of the Rising Sun, informative videos in Japanese are available below.