Over the last half-decade alone, Toyota’s first-generation Land Cruiser has experienced an enormous influx in popularity, with the value of these vintage Japanese trucks more than doubling between 2019 and 2020 — and continuing to steadily rise. The revitalized interest in the model has also prompted Toyota to deliver a new, modern interpretation of the FJ/BJ known as the Compact Cruiser EV Concept.
Penned by the Toyota Europe Design development center in Nice, France, the Compact Cruiser EV is constructed atop a contemporary fully-electric powertrain that presumably provides plenty of low-end torque for dirt-going duties. Borrowing visual cues from the first-gen Land Cruiser, this modern take on the classic off-roader retains the 1950s model’s boxy silhouette while bringing it into the 21st century with more modern-day touches such as sleek LED lighting front and rear, pronounced fender flares, and a host of off-roading bits. Building on Toyota’s off-roading legacy, the concept is touted by Toyota as a lifestyle vehicle, lending itself to both daily commuting and light off-roading.
Boasting a markedly more sleek appearance than the existing late-model FJ Cruiser, the Compact Cruiser EV features a lifted suspension setup, retro-inspired five-arm wheels, a low-profile roof ladder, front tow hooks, LED lighting all around, a rail-style roof rack system that extends back to the vehicle’s tailgate, and what appears to be a cooling system integrated into the concept’s front bumper.
Originally unveiled last December at the Mega Web park in Tokyo, the Toyota Compact Cruiser EV Concept was recently crowned with the Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles during the annual Milano Design Week. It’s unclear if Toyota has any plans of putting the concept into production, however, the Compact Cruiser EV nonetheless offers a glimpse into the brand’s future design language.
