The presentation held by Toyota's Chief Branding Officer didn't include details about the two mysterious vehicles. However, Simon Humphries did hint something new is on the horizon: "Suffice it to say, there are lots of exciting paths to changing the future of cars." Prior to this statement, he said Land Cruiser customers want the automaker to keep the nameplate relevant, and doing so could mean "carbon neutral approaches" and making sure the LC is "more affordable" as well as "within reach of even more people around the world."
It seems likely that what we see on the left is the FJ Cruiser revival in its electric form. Toyota previously teased this back in late 2021, so it's not surprising that the off-roader might be making a comeback without a combustion engine. The images below shows the Compact Cruiser concept, which strongly resembles the FJ Cruiser.
Toyota Compact Cruiser EV Concept
The possible resurrection of the FJ Cruiser would contradict an earlier report by Reuters. The respected news agency wrote in October 2022 that Toyota had allegedly halted development of a second-generation electric model, as well as that of a Crown EV. Perhaps that was true at the time, and now the FJ Cruiser (at least) is back in the works.
As for the other SUV teased during the Land Cruiser 250 premiere, it's much bigger and has significantly less ground clearance than the high-riding "FJ Cruiser".
It also appears to be an EV, and we're wondering if it's a Toyota or a Lexus, although given the context, it's probably the former. For what it's worth, it doesn't seem to be the Century-badged SUV that will debut later this year, as that one is shaping up to be a Japanese take on the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Source: Toyota
