Toyota Land Cruiser
A long-lived four-wheel-drive family shaped by demanding work, remote travel and off-road use.
Overview
Toyota launched the BJ four-wheel-drive vehicle in August 1951. Developed initially for Japan’s National Police Reserve, it was not selected for that role, but a demonstration climb to the sixth station of Mount Fuji helped establish its capability. Toyota adopted the Land Cruiser name in 1954.
The more civilian-oriented 20 Series arrived in 1955 and began the model’s full-scale export history. Its successor, the 40 Series, entered production in 1960 and became one of the defining Land Cruisers, remaining in Toyota’s range until 1986.
As customer needs widened, the lineage divided into three related branches. Heavy-duty models retained the strongest emphasis on utility, station wagons added space and comfort, and the light-duty branch combined off-road ability with more passenger-car-like road manners. Cumulative Land Cruiser sales passed ten million in 2019.
Principal generations
Heavy-duty line (BJ, 20, 40 and 70 Series; 1951 onward)
The BJ established the basic working-vehicle concept, followed by the export-oriented 20 Series and the long-running 40 Series. The 70 Series succeeded the 40 in 1984 and continued the heavy-duty branch with a wide variety of wheelbases and bodies.
Station-wagon line (55, 60, 80, 100, 200 and 300 Series; 1967 onward)
Beginning with the 55 Series, these Land Cruisers paired four-wheel-drive durability with a larger enclosed body. Successive generations increased comfort, performance and safety, with the 80 Series adding a more luxurious character and the 300 Series continuing the branch from 2021.
Light-duty line (70 Wagon, 90, 120, 150 and 250 Series; 1985 onward)
The lighter 70 Wagon appeared in 1985 and later developed into the Land Cruiser Prado family. The 90 Series introduced independent front suspension to a Land Cruiser, while the 250 Series returned the branch to a more overtly functional design in 2024.