New Toyota Land Cruiser FJ vs Prado – Side by side comparison

Toyota has officially taken the covers off the new Land Cruiser FJ.

The latest model in the brand’s coveted Land Cruiser stable, the FJ was showcased ahead of its first international appearance at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, which starts on 30 October.

Naturally, word of a new Toyota 4×4 has gained the attention of motoring enthusiasts around the world, and South Africa is no different.

The new vehicle is set to go on sale globally starting in mid-2026, and we will hopefully be one of the markets to get our hands on it.

Toyota South Africa Motors confirmed that the new FJ is under consideration for our neck of the woods, stating that it would be “fitting home for a vehicle built on the values of freedom, exploration and reliability.”

With that in mind, we decided to break down everything we know about the FJ so far to get a better sense of what is hopefully coming to our shores within the next year.

A baby Prado?

The styling of the FJ is enough to immediately get people’s attention.

Like several Adventure SUVs released over the past few years, the new Toyota seems to be going for a boxy retro aesthetic.

Of course, this isn’t too surprising given that one of the most prominent examples of this recent trend is the current-generation Prado.

Comparisons between the FJ and Prado are inevitable, given that they are both part of the Land Cruiser family, but the similarities go deeper than a shared name.

The first important distinction is size, as the FJ has a much more compact shape:

The length and wheelbase are considerably shorter, though the FJ still isn’t a small car by any means.

Interestingly, it’s narrower than the Prado but also slightly taller, which reinforces the boxy aesthetic.

This made us curious to see how the FJ compares to a few other off-road SUVs to get a sense of its relative size.

On the low end, we looked at the Suzuki Jimny 5-door, which is not a direct competitor to the FJ, but is a good example of a tall, boxy, and relatively skinny 4×4.

On the other end of the scale, there’s the Land Rover Defender, which is seen by many as the template for most current-gen Adventure SUVs.

It’s clear that the FJ is “midsize” by 4×4 standards, effectively splitting the difference between the Jimny and Defender in length.

That being said, it has nearly the same wheelbase as the Suzuki, which may prove to be an advantage when tackling rocky terrain.

The other important aspect of the FJ is its drivetrain, which is a noticeable departure from the Prado.

In Japan, the new Land Cruiser will feature a 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which develops 120kW and 246Nm.

The Prado, in contrast, is fitted with Toyota’s 2.8GD-6 turbo-diesel engine that generates 150kW and 500Nm.

The FJ’s powertrain may be a disappointment to local buyers, considering that diesel is the far more popular fuel for this type of vehicle, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Toyota decides to give the new model a diesel engine for international markets, either at launch or at some point down the line.

The Prado’s 2.8-litre block seems like an obvious choice, but its equally possible that the Land Cruiser could receive the smaller 2.4-litre turbo-diesel that produces 110kW and 400Nm.

This is the engine used on the mid-range Hilux and lines up with the idea that the FJ could serve as an “entry-level” Prado, but we’ll only know for sure once Toyota reveals more information over the coming weeks.

Toyota FJ Cruiser

Toyota Prado

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ interior (left) vs Prado (right)