The Toyota Land Cruiser ROX Concept is what the FJ Cruiser could’ve been
If there’s one Toyota off-roader that continues to enjoy a strong following despite its discontinuation, it has to be the FJ Cruiser.
And while the current generation Land Cruiser 250 or Land Cruiser Prado has taken its spot as the brand’s off-road oriented SUV though more road-going than before, there’s hope for something very FJ Cruiser. That’s where the Toyota Land Cruiser ROX Concept comes in.
Unveiled at the 2024 SEMA show in Las Vegas, the Toyota Land Cruiser ROX Concept reminds us of what the Toyota FJ Cruiser could have been if it was not discontinued. It would be remembered that the retro-styled Land Cruiser-based off-road SUV was discontinued in 2022.
The concept is inspired by open-air, open-top Land Cruiser models from the past. With the 250-series Land Cruiser as its base, it gets the same set of headlights and taillights, and the same front grille as the standard version. Things are very much different around though as about 50% of the bodywork has been redesigned.
For starters, there are custom-fabricated steel front and rear bumpers with D-rings and brush guards for better protection. The fenders have been widened to fill-in the custom 18-inch Catly-designed billet wheels, and it is equipped with a triple-bar roof rack.
Very obvious as well is its pickup truck-like shape out back, with a sports bar with molle panels. It also gets a sliding soft top. It also gets a downward-opening tailgate along with a tailgate-mounted spare tire.
Opening that tailgate also reveals a cargo bed similar to pickup trucks. It even features a custom jerry can and rear spare carrier for more secure storage and transportation of liquids.
The skeleton doors feature open upper and lower sections. Opening them welcomes you into its standard Land Cruiser 250 cabin but with custom SLS Nylon 3D printed bits such as the front and rear doorsills. It also wears a Heritage Orange color scheme that is matched to the exterior’s Spring Green paint job.
It’s not all about looks though as underneath, the Land Cruiser ROX Concept also gets a customized independent suspension designed by TRD which enhances capability. The changes here include a 4-inch lift, a 8-inch increase for its track, and forged aluminum control arms.
While there is no information whether this concept will actually see production, we do think that it would be the right thing to do so. With so many fans of the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and more so with the Land Cruiser lineup, Toyota definitely already has customers waiting for this one.