Over in Japan, the good folks at Toyota have recently filed a trademark for Land Hopper. The registration is for Class 12, which covers everything from automobiles to bicycles. What could it be used for?
Unless you're buddies with someone in product planning, the answer isn't clear. Be that as it may, members of the Land Cruiser Forum believe that we're in for yet another sport utility vehicle. After the Land Cruiser 300 (the big one) and Land Cruiser 250 (a.k.a. Prado), the Land Hopper would fit nicely in Toyota's lineup as a compact. Think Bronco Sport in FoMoCo's case.
Back on August 2, when Toyota revealed the 250 series, the automaker showed an image of three vehicles: a weird electric tricycle, a compact-ish SUV with a spare mounted out back, and a larger SUV with futuristic styling. The latter may be the three-row sibling of the poor-selling bZ4X, one of the worst electric utilities in the compact segment. As for the compact one, could that Land Cruiser-styled fellow be the Land Hopper?
It might be, yet – as mentioned earlier – nobody except those involved in the project knows the mystery SUV's name. On the other hand, we're certain that it's based on the Compact Cruiser EV concept from June 2022, an off-road-oriented crossover with dual-motor oomph.
The Compact Cruiser EV is closely related to the FT-4X, with FT-4X standing for Future Toyota 4-wheel drive. As opposed to the Compact Cruiser, the FT-4X uses a small combustion engine. Toyota didn't mention the displacement or the cylinder count, though…
Filed with Japan's trademark and patent office on August 8, the Land Hopper nameplate hasn't been registered anywhere else. This, in turn, indicates that Toyota isn't sure whether to use this nameplate or not.
Whatever the Japanese automaker may be planning, there is no denying that a Land Cruiser-esque crossover inspired by the Compact Cruiser EV concept would be hugely popular in the United States market.
At press time, Toyota offers a grand total of eight sport utility vehicles in this part of the world. Unibodies include the Corolla Cross, RAV4, Venza, Highlander, Grand Highlander, and bZ4X. As for body-on-frame designs, the Tundra-based Sequoia and new-for-2024 Land Cruiser 250 series will have to make do.
In the event the Compact Cruiser EV turns into the Land Hopper, but Toyota can't make a case for all-electric muscle, a four-cylinder engine is mandatory. The Bronco Sport is greatly hindered by its base three-cylinder turbo, which takes away much of the vehicle's potential.
Ford offers a four-cylinder turbo, yet only if you're prepared to pony up top dollar for the range-topping Badlands trim level. The Badlands also makes sense off the beaten path, for it features better suspension than lesser trim levels. It also packs a twin-clutch drive unit similar in design to that of the Focus RS.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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