Is the unstoppable Toyota Land Cruiser about to get major updates inside and out?

By Ronan Glon May 27, 2015

2017 Toyota Land Cruiser facelift — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Low-resolution pictures of what looks like a Japanese-market sales brochure have prematurely revealed the facelifted Toyota Land Cruiser. Called J200 internally, Toyota’s eight-year-old flagship is in for major changes inside and out.

As always, the bulk of the updates are found up front, where the Land Cruiser gets a bold chromed grille with horizontal slats, more modern-looking headlights with LED daytime running lights, as well as a revised lower bumper that gains a thin strip of chrome trim and small fog lights. Buyers who want a sportier look can order a full body kit at an extra cost.

Pictures of the Land Cruiser’s rear fascia are not available, but a technical sketch hints at the SUV getting a revised rear bumper and new-look LED tail lamps. New door handles, paint colors, and alloy wheel designs with added bling round out the list of exterior updates.

Inside, the Land Cruiser is expected to benefit from an all-new touch screen-based infotainment system and a more modern-looking instrument cluster with a configurable TFT screen. High-zoot trim levels will ship with piano black trim on the center console, the door panels and the dashboard.

The visual modifications will be complemented by mechanical ones. In select markets, buyers will be able to order the Land Cruiser with the brand new 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that was inaugurated last week by the 2016 Hilux pickup. The oil-burner makes 174 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 331 foot-pounds of torque from 1,600 to 2,400 rpm.

In the United States, the Cruiser is only available with a potent 5.7-liter V8 mill that makes 381 ponies and 401 foot-pounds of twist. We certainly won’t get the 2.8-liter oil-burner, but whether the U.S.-spec model will follow the industry’s downsizing trend is up in the air.

The rejuvenated Toyota Land Cruiser will be introduced halfway through next August. However, sources close to Toyota have hinted the off-roader will not land on our shores until the 2017 model year, meaning it’s at least a year away from hitting showrooms.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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