Refreshed: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 gets 1GD turbo from Hilux, Fortuner

Wayback Wednesday appears to be the theme for Toyota's Land Cruiser lineup today. After the official unveiling of the retro-looking all-new Land Cruiser Prado J250 (or LC250), the “OG” LC that was given the Prado moniker also gets some throwback updates of its own.

For starters, the front fascia of the Land Cruiser 70 received a styling refresh. Toyota says it references the design of the 40 series Land Cruiser, but LC enthusiasts will argue that it's closer to the original look of the 1984 LC70 with its “Mickey Mouse” round headlights.

Inside, it has also undergone some changes to enhance its appeal and accommodate a number of feature upgrades. There's a new 4.2-inch multi-information display and a 6.7-inch touchscreen multimedia head unit that's compatible with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

But the main change for the LC70 lies underneath its hood. For the first time, the LC70 is available with the 2.8-liter, four-cylinder 1GD-FTV engine from the Hilux and Fortuner. It puts out the same numbers; 204 PS and 500 Nm of torque, and is exclusively mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Toyota will still retain variants that come with the 1VD-FTV V8 turbodiesel with a 5-speed manual. This means, those looking for an LC70 can get better options depending on their needs.

In terms of safety, the LC70 now comes with Toyota Safety Sense, adding a list of ADAS features such as lane departure alert, road sign assist, and automatic high beam to substantially improve its safety technology.

The LC70 will return to Japan as a regular model, while markets such as Australia will launch the upgraded Land Cruiser by Q4 2023. As for the Philippines, TMP is not officially selling the LC70 and the units we see on the road come from independent importers. But with the LC70 now having the same turbodiesel engine as the Hilux and Fortuner, should TMP consider selling the model in their authorized dealerships? Let us know in the comments.