Let’s face it, the current 200-series Toyota Land Cruiser has been in production since 2007. It’s received minor updates and facelifts, but no fundamental rethink or replacement. As such, Road & Track reported that 2021 will be the last year for the Japanese SUV in the United States.
“The Toyota Land Cruiser has been a legendary name for more than 60 years,” said the Japanese automaker. “While it will be discontinued after the 2021 model year, we remain committed to the large SUV segment and will continue to explore future products that celebrate the Land Cruiser’s rich off-road history.”
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Speaking with an unnamed source, Car and Driver also claims that while not available in the U.S., Toyota will return with an all-new Land Cruiser that’s both more modern and luxurious. However, details on the new version pretty much end there.
Make no mistake, even with the end of the 200-series in sight, the vehicle is still plenty capable. However, it simply can’t cut the mustard when put alongside the current competition. As the off-roader makes up a tiny fraction of Toyota’s overall sales in the U.S., the chances for developing a new version in this neck of the woods look slim to none.
While a countless number of its vehicles have received a GR pack, the hotter Land Cruiser remains in the rumor mill. Reports say that it could be packing a Lexus-developed 268-horsepower (199.8-kilowatts) twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the hood. Semantics aside, it would likely be a fantastic swan-song performance for the Japanese SUV in the states.
Regardless of what happens in the future, all we can do now is wait and see. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.