Iconic Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 returns in simpler, less expensive form

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An icon of the SUV world, and Toyota's longest-serving nameplate, is back -- the Land Cruiser.

"The Land Cruiser left us in 2021. It's now back in full force, and Akio Toyoda's vision for it is that it would return to its rugged roots," said Ming-Jou Chen, a dealer training specialist for Toyota Motor Sales.

Those roots are the simple, rugged Land Cruiser that was in Toyota showrooms starting in the late 1950s when the company first set up shop in the U.S.

In recent years, while still rugged, the SUV had grown in both size, and price, sporting a pretty thirsty V8 engine under the hood, and a sticker price of around $85,000 on the window.

It's a new era for the Land Cruiser, with a retro look harkening back to the early days. Newness under the hood, with four cylinders, turbocharged, standard hybrid power and a much lower price. The base model -- called 1958 as a fitting throwback -- starts at under $60,000. Lots of changes, in the direction of this 4x4's earlier purity.

"It's really going back to that authentic intended purpose, as an off-road purpose-built vehicle," said Toyota's Ming-Jou Chen.

Sure, every car company makes SUVs now, but if you've got one with some heritage behind it, why not honor that heritage?

It's worked very well for Ford, successfully bringing back the Bronco with an iconic classic look. And Mercedes-Benz has redesigned its rugged G-Wagen yet again, but it still looks very much like the one they rolled out back in the late 70s.

And while the Land Cruiser represents a history of rugged four-wheeling ability, Toyota knows not everyone is looking for that kind of SUV. So their other new arrival this year, the Crown Signia, is essentially the opposite. A modern, hybrid-powered crossover based on the Crown sedan that debuted last year, which starts at $44,985.

"The main difference between the Crown sedan and Crown Signia is that utility case. You're able to fit skis, maybe an inflatable paddle board, or your golf clubs," said Jess Robinson, a Toyota product planner assigned to the Crown line.

But for purists, the Land Cruiser is likely to hit the right note with a return to its roots and able to boldly hit the dirt just as it did from the beginning.