Unofficial 2025 Toyota Land Hopper Shows Potential First Look at Compact Land Cruiser SUV

The newly minted event is happening October 26 through November 5, 2023, so it will take very little before we have official confirmation about whether Toyota wants to expand the modern Land Cruiser family with a third version. There is a logic behind it, frankly, as the relatively secluded J300 Land Cruiser full-size SUV isn't available worldwide, but its J250-based 2024 Land Cruiser will more than make up for that.

So, it would be pretty nice if customers could choose between the mid-size Land Cruiser (Prado or 250 in some markets) and a newly-introduced compact or 'baby' Land Cruiser version. Just recently, the rumor mill also spilled the beans on Toyota's 'Land Hopper' trademark, linking the filling with the smaller Land Cruiser. And, of course, everyone took notice of the automotive industry at the upcoming rival for the likes of Ford Bronco Sport.

That includes the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, of course. So, the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube have imagined the CGI looks of the rumored 2025 Toyota Land Hopper - a compact Land Cruiser built on the same TNGA-F body-on-frame platform as the Lexus GX or Toyota Tacoma, among others.

The resident pixel master was obviously inspired by Toyota's Compact Cruiser EV concept from a while back, and also, the host thinks that the upcoming 'Land Hopper' will be significantly smaller than the 2024 Land Cruiser as well as the 2024 Toyota 4Runner – though just as rugged as the other two. Additionally, the channel's team didn't shy away from presenting a host of potential colors for the upcoming compact off-road SUV rig.

Now, all that remains to be seen is how Toyota will interpret the 2024 Land Cruiser and J300 Land Cruiser design cues in keeping the family spirit alive while also tying the knot with the Compact Cruiser EV's DNA to make it a worthy potential successor of the beloved retro-flavored FJ Cruiser. As for powertrains, it's not like the company has nowhere to choose from – the Corolla Cross Hybrid's 2.0-liter M20A-FXS four-cylinder with electrification would be the most logical choice, complete with 196 hp.

Or, even better, they could fit Toyota Prius Prime's feisty yet frugal 220-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain! That way, they would ensure that any competitor considering entering the off-road-focused compact party would need to come up with something even better or at least on par with their potential Land Hopper PHEV, and that's certainly a tall order for any global carmaker.