The Japanese have a strange affinity for Americana. When American GIs exited the country following World War II, for example, the Japanese adopted and preserved American blue-jean and white-t-shirt culture as their own. These days, if you want the best versions of these American classics, you’re paying in Yen.
When country music made its way east, it was a similar story. The music genre spawned old-fashioned honky tonk bars that still dot corners of downtown Tokyo, long after your local honky tonk went belly up.
That sort of cultural exchange has remained a hallmark of our relationship with Japan since the post-war era; While Japan adopted and preserved many of our sartorial values, American businesses in particular have adopted many of Japan’s cultural norms. It remains so today. But well before blue jeans and Just In Time manufacturing crossed paths somewhere in the Pacific, the Japanese looked to America to create a landmark automobile: The Land Cruiser.
Before the War
Well before American soldiers set foot on the island nation in wartime, Japan had a tiny runabout called the Kurogane Type 95—nicknamed "Yonki" for "all-wheel drive." It was built in the 1930s, 10 years before the first Willys, and powered by a two-stroke engine making 33 horsepower. The Yonki was one of the first true four-wheel-drive vehicles on earth, featuring a gearshift-activated transfer case to engage the front wheels.
Tokyu Kurogane Industries produced the Yonki under the order of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was designed from the ground up for military use and ferried troops during Japan’s war with China in 1937 and later in World War II. Roughly 4,700 Yonki were built between 1936 and 1944, with scant information about the vehicle available today.
It wasn’t until the Postwar 1950s that the first Land Cruiser as we know it was born.
When American forces retreated from the Philippines during the second World War, the Japanese found an abandoned Willys Jeep. That vehicle would be the "inspiration" for Toyota’s first mainstream off-roader, the AK10, complete with a two-speed transfer case, a three-speed manual, and a four-cylinder engine.
As the AK10 evolved to become more Jeep-like, Toyota initially went with the name “Jeep BJ” as a catchall to describe the off-roader in question. Toyota’s Jeep was bigger and brawnier than the American SUV of the same name, with a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine and a part-time four-wheel-drive system. But, it had no transfer case. Toyota would use the Jeep name for three years between 1951 and 1954 before the Willys Company claimed trademark violations over the term, forcing Toyota to come up with something fresh: Land Cruiser.
Seventy years later, the Land Cruiser name is still going strong. Granted, it’s not anywhere near the same Willys-inspired off-roader that it was in the 1950s, but Toyota’s modern halo truck has many of the same qualities that made the original so damn charming: rugged capability, unmatched reliability, and a name that inspires confidence for off-road enthusiasts everywhere.
Ironically, the first few Land Cruisers didn’t even make their way to the States. It wasn’t until the J20 in 1958—one year after Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. was formed—that Americans would get their hands on early Japanese off-roaders.
The J20 and its successors would earn a reputation for their capability, reliability, and all-around charm. Though never as popular as America’s staple off-roader, the Jeep, the Land Cruiser still found a home in the hearts of off-road enthusiasts for its core qualities.
In later years, the Land Cruiser would evolve into a larger, more luxurious off-roader, attracting an entirely new audience. Buyers wanted a reliable off-roader for weekend bouts, still big enough for the whole family, and comfortable for everyday use. Thus, the J60 and J80 Land Cruisers were born.
These trucks continued on for the next few decades with moderate changes to each generation, growing bigger, more powerful, and in the later years, more luxurious. Now 70 years since the original, the Land Cruiser remains an American staple.
The Modern Cruiser
Even as Toyota’s single longest-produced nameplate, the 2024 Land Cruiser—while vastly different from the last few generations—stays true to its roots. It’s capable, comfortable, and pretty damn cool.
It’s also the first Land Cruiser with a hybrid engine. It borrows an I-Force Max powertrain from the Tacoma (another example of our cultural exchange; a Japanese pickup truck designed in America and built solely for our market), combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine with electric assist to make 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, and of course, standard four-wheel drive.
It’s the first LC with a four-banger since the J60. But trust me, you won’t miss the V-8—this new hybrid powertrain is excellent. The electric assist kicks in the second you put your foot down, which means gobs of torque off the line. The turbocharged four-cylinder, meanwhile, is still powerful enough to move the 5,038-pound SUV with relative ease at high speeds. It isn’t exactly quick, never feels underpowered.
The ride quality is superb. So many off-roaders forgo road friendliness in the name of off-road chops (ie: Jeep Wrangler), but not the Land Cruiser. It maintains the excellent ride quality synonymous with Toyota products, even with rugged body-on-frame construction. The steering is nice, too—well weighted and responsive—and even though this is a big SUV, the Land Cruiser doesn’t feel like a behemoth between the lane markers.
Ultimately, though, what made the Land Cruiser such an icon—especially in the States—is its ability to tackle the tough stuff. This new model is no exception.
The LC has excellent off-road bones: standard four-wheel drive, an independent double-wishbone front suspension, and a solid multi-link rear axle. This base 1958 model does without the anti-roll-bar disconnect and Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) system found on the mid-range Land Cruiser trim (it does at least have hill-descent control), but unless you’re really in the weeds—or the mud, or the sand—that lack of special equipment isn’t a huge deal.
The torquey hybrid powertrain helps the LC leap over obstacles. The low-range gearing and locking diffs make deep ruts and steep inclines a cinch, and the suspension soaks up big blows like a sponge.
My only complaint is that the 1958 model gets the slimmest tire option, measuring a scant 245/70 compared to the standard Land Cruiser’s 265/70 or optional 265/60 tires. Toyota says the slimmer tire makes the 1958 model more road-friendly (which it does), but I’ll never say no to more tread—especially for off-roading.
That combination of ride comfort and capability is what makes the Land Cruiser so special, and always has. No Wrangler or Bronco even comes close in the comfort department, and even with the brand’s recent reliability setbacks, Toyota remains the standard bearer for reliable, long-lasting vehicles.
America’s Love For The LC
Ten million models sold globally since 1970 is no small feat. Even in its old age (in human years), the LC shows no signs of slowing. After a string of iterations that were less well-received, the new 2024 model gives the off-roader a renewed focus—taking the truck back to its roots in some ways, while properly propelling it into the future elsewhere.
And America still loves the Land Cruiser, as it always has. If you walk around any city for more than a few minutes, you’ll see decades of Land Cruiser greatness on display. In places like the Pacific Northwest, LCs are kitted out to the gills with all manner of lifts, snorkels, tires, roof racks, and more. Even in New York City, there are lifted LCs parked on most street corners—an off-road rig in a concrete jungle, ironically.
That type of enthusiasm for the Land Cruiser is what makes it an icon in America. You’ll find owners around the country enthralled with their offbeat off-roader, usually filled to the brim with aftermarket goodies and add-ons.
In the same way that the Japanese adopted blue jeans and country music, the US embraced a Japanese off-roader that—although built in Japan—felt just as American as the Jeep it was based on.
