Toyota working on a mini Land Cruiser; expected to be called 'Land Hopper'
Toyota unveiled its latest-generation Land Cruiser Prado earlier this year. Toyota showed a smaller off-roader SUV at the launching ceremony, which is believed to be part of the expanding Land Cruiser lineup. It has now been claimed that this 'baby' Land Cruiser would be known as the 'Land Hopper', and will serve as the entry-level model in Toyota's increasing portfolio of off-road-ready SUVs.
On August 8, the Japanese Patent Office registered the Land Hopper moniker as a trademark. Toyota's use of the Land Hopper moniker may be limited to select areas, such as Japan, since the company may use a different branding strategy in other locations. They might bring back the well-known FJ Cruiser moniker for the North American market, or they could go with a different name, such as Compact Cruiser, which corresponds with the idea thought to preview the production model.
The dimensions are expected to be around 4,351mm long, 1,854mm broad, and 1,879mm tall. When compared to a 4Runner, those measurements are approximately 508mm shorter, 51mm narrower, and 76mm taller. A spare tire carrier suspended from the rear hatch, similar to the silhouetted vehicle from the Land Cruiser presentation, accounts for some of that length.
The powertrain choices look to be still up in the air. In its native market, Toyota may provide two engine options for the vehicle. Buyers would apparently have the option of a classic, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine or a hybrid powertrain.
The Land Hopper is claimed to be built on a shorter version of the GA-F platform, which supports products like the 300-series Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, and the new Lexus GX.
Toyota may exhibit another development of the Land Hopper at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, which begins at the end of October. If that's the case, we'll learn more about the car Toyota is rumoured to be developing as a "Suzuki Jimny killer."
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