In mid-June, Toyota announced that its go-anywhere off-roader, the Land Cruiser, will return to the U.S. market in the near future. However, it’s far from the only such vehicle returning to the market, and is part of a growing trend of enthusiast-focused SUVs.
In addition to the ever-present Jeep Wrangler, Ford’s legendary Bronco has made its triumphant return, and International’s Scout will soon emerge from the annals of history, albeit with an electric twist.
These vehicles point to another trend in the off-road world, one of retro design. The Jeep Wrangler has changed only mildly in its decades on the road, the Ford Bronco is notably old-school, the International Scout is still shrouded in mystery, but has a distinctively classic appearance, and even the new Land Rover Defender traded aerodynamic efficiency for boxy retro lines.
Read: It’s Back! Toyota Confirms Land Cruiser Is Returning To North America
Toyota may have paid tribute to this trend with its own teaser campaign. When it announced that the Land Cruiser would return, it did so by using the nameplate from a classic example of the much-loved SUV.
To be clear, we haven’t seen anything hinting at the new Land Cruiser’s design yet, and the badge may have simply been used to complement the teaser’s tagline, “The legend returns.” But that leaves us wondering, should Toyota join the trend of retro off-roaders with its returning Land Cruiser?
The trend has led to some popular, and I daresay attractive, SUVs. As Autonews points out, it may also be a useful crutch for Toyota, which doesn’t want the Land Cruiser to step on the Lexus GX’s toes, even though they will be based on the same platform.
That SUV give us reason for pause. Although it’s boxy, its tailgate-wide brake light and its modern grille mean that it is by no means retro. And maybe that tack could help Toyota appeal to a different customer-base that wants a boxy off-roader, but doesn’t care about automotive history.
What do you think, though? Should Toyota mine its own rich history in designing the upcoming Land Cruiser, and build something retro? Or should the brand avoid the trappings of history, and create something new, to keep the Land Cruiser name moving forward? Let us know in the comments below.
