Nearing its 40th year of production, the Toyota Land Cruiser J70 is getting a new engine. Displacing 2.8 liters, the four-cylinder turbodiesel takes its place alongside the existing 4.5-liter V8 turbodiesel. It is the first four-cylinder variant of the 70 Series Land Cruiser since a pair of 2.4-liter gasoline and diesel motors in the 1991 model year.
Launched for the 1984 model year, the Land Cruiser J70 shows no signs of slowing down. Available as a pickup truck or SUV, it remains a popular vehicle throughout the world due to its classic design and rugged longevity. In Australia, orders for the vehicle were paused during the 2022 model year due to overwhelming demand and are not expected to be reopened until the end of this year.
The new four-cylinder turbodiesel is borrowed from the Toyota HiLux. While output numbers are not available yet, power is expected to be similar to HiLux’s specs of 150 to 165kW and 420 to 550Nm of torque, the equivalent of 201 to 221 horsepower and 310 to 406 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the 4.5-liter V8 turbodiesel produces 202 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. This means the four-cylinder diesel will offer the same level of performance while delivering better fuel economy and lower emissions.
In addition to the four-cylinder diesel, the Land Cruiser J70 is expected to offer an automatic transmission for the first time since 1990. Other upgrades include a new infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and minor cosmetic changes to the interior.
Toyota also plans to produce a mild-hybrid powertrain for the HiLux and Prado but has not announced plans to offer it for the Land Cruiser. In the meantime, Toyota will continue offering the V8 diesel in the Land Cruiser J70 for the foreseeable future.
Even though the basic model is nearing 40 years old, Toyota continues to update and improve the Land Cruiser J70. As recently as 2022, the LC70 received a number of updates and improvements. Toyota has not announced definite plans for future models but has hinted that a “big change” is coming as the venerable J70 approaches its official 40th anniversary.
