Best Toyota Land Cruiser years to buy, and which to avoid

No single year stands out: owners and specialists say to buy on condition and history rather than model year.

Every Land Cruiser J20 / J25 (FJ25) year, change by change →

Most buyers prefer 1976-and-later trucks for front disc brakes and the 4.2 L 2F. 1979 added optional power steering and A/C and taller 3.70 gears in the US. IH8MUD veterans like the '78 and would consider 1979–83 at the right price, but note that 1980-and-later bodies seem to rust more readily.

1. 1976Front disc brakes, on top of the 2F and four-speed from 1975. IH8MUD members say most buyers prefer 1976-on trucks for those reasons, with 1978 the coveted yearSweet spot

Every Land Cruiser FJ40 year, change by change →

There's no settled answer. Later trucks have the 4.2 L 2F, a four-speed and front disc brakes (the domed hood is the easy tell), and factory power steering came at the very end. Even IH8MUD members disagree on exactly when those arrived, with some 1974–75 trucks carrying odd mixes of parts. Earlier trucks use the 3.9 L F and a three-speed whose first gear has no synchro, which some collectors prefer for originality. Owners agree on one thing: rust is your biggest enemy, so buy the straightest body you can find.

Every Land Cruiser FJ45 / FJ55 year, change by change →

No single year stands out: owners and specialists say to buy on condition and history rather than model year.

Every Land Cruiser FJ60 year, change by change →

No single year stands out: owners and specialists say to buy on condition and history rather than model year.

Every Land Cruiser FJ62 year, change by change →

Unsealed 4X4 says many enthusiasts prefer the 2007–2016 V8s, which don't have a DPF, but that service history matters more than the year. For US imports, the age rule means older trucks, typically with the 1HZ, 2H, 3B or 13B-T diesels or the 3F and 1FZ petrol sixes.

1. 2007Big facelift for the 4.5 L 1VD-FTV turbo-diesel V8: wider front track and chassis, flat front fenders gone, 76 four-door wagon and GXL grade added. Unsealed 4X4 says many enthusiasts favour the 2007–16 V8s, which are simpler because they have no DPFSweet spot

Every Land Cruiser 70 Series year, change by change →

For most people, a 1993–97 FZJ80. On IH8MUD the advice is consistent: the 4.5 L 1FZ-FE makes 212 hp against the 3F-E's 155 (one member calls the 3F-E 'a relic'), it could be ordered with front and rear lockers, and ABS trucks got a full-float rear with disc brakes. Owners there say the 1995–97 changes (airbags, new dash, OBD-II, the A343F) are small next to the 1993 engine switch, so condition and lockers matter more than which FZJ80 year it is. The trade-off is the 1FZ-FE's head gasket, which owners treat as part of owning one. The 1991–92 FJ80 is simpler and cheaper but slower, with a semi-float rear and drum brakes.

1. 1993FZJ80 arrives: 4.5 L 24-valve 1FZ-FE, A442F auto, 16-inch wheels, larger brakes (from October 1992 production); ABS trucks get a full-floating rear axle with discs and the viscous-coupling HF2AV transfer case; factory front and rear lockers (option K294) become optional; center-diff switch dropped (wiring stays); A/C switches from R12 to R134a in May 1993. This 1993–97 FZJ80 run is the one owners recommend over the 3F-E trucks; the 1995–97 changes are minor by comparisonSweet spot

Every Land Cruiser 80 Series year, change by change →

No single year stands out: owners and specialists say to buy on condition and history rather than model year.

Every Toyota Mega Cruiser year, change by change →

1. April 19972.7 L 3RZ-FE four added (150 PS). 4X4 Australia tells buyers to steer clear of the 2.7 unless they want to punish themselvesBeware

Every Land Cruiser Prado 90 year, change by change →

If you want the best road truck, 2003–07. IH8MUD's new-owner thread lists the five-speed A750F as the reason, and several owners there reckon the gearbox is a bigger step than the 2006–07 VVT-i engine's extra power, which costs a lot more. On Expedition Portal, one owner calls 2003–05 'THE years' and warns that the VVT-i trucks' air-injection system is expensive to fix. 1998–99 trucks are the only ones with the optional rear locker, but they also have the two-pinion front diff and, Slee notes, throttle-sensor faults. Condition and the timing-belt history matter more than any year.

1. 1998–1999Two-pinion front differential. It's the most common source of front-diff failures when the truck is driven hardBeware
2. 2003–2007Five-speed A750F automatic replaces the four-speed, with a no-contact throttle sensor; the late (2006–07) trucks add the VVT-i 2UZ-FE. These are the years owners most often point buyers to, and some say the five-speed matters more than the extra VVT-i powerSweet spot
3. 2003–2006Model years covered by the side curtain airbag recall (16V065000)Recall

Every Land Cruiser 100 Series year, change by change →

For a V6, anything from late 2005: 4X4 Australia says to skip the earlier four-speed autos and buy a five-speed. For the 1KD-FTV diesel, AustralianCar.Reviews says aluminium injector seats replaced the failure-prone copper ones from August 2007, so a later truck, or an earlier one with receipts for new seats, is the safer buy. 4X4 Australia calls the 2006–08 trucks the high point of the model's reputation. Either way, service records beat the build date.

1. April 2003Australian recall PRA 2003/6123 for the fuel pulsation damper on early GRJ120sRecall
2. Late 2005Five-speed automatic arrives for the V6. 4X4 Australia says to skip the earlier four-speed V6 autos and buy a five-speed (or the rare six-speed manual)Sweet spot
3. Late 2006Euro IV 1KD-FTV (127 kW, 410 Nm) with 5AT and 6MT; Australia's diesel switches from the 1KZ-TE. Until August 2007 the 1KD has copper injector seats, which can fail and let blow-by gases carbon up the oil pick-up, so ask whether they have been replacedBeware
4. Aug 2007Aluminium injector seats replace the failure-prone copper ones on the 1KD-FTV; equipment and safety upgrades. 4X4 Australia rates the 2006–08 trucks as the high point of the 120Sweet spot

Every Land Cruiser Prado 120 year, change by change →

Unsealed 4X4 says many buyers see 2012–15 as the sweet spot: updated over the early trucks, but before the DPF that arrived on diesels in late 2015. On IH8MUD, owners point US shoppers to 2013–15 trucks, which have taken most of the depreciation, while 2016–21 add the eight-speed and more safety kit (one owner adds that the eight-speed didn't improve fuel economy much). Unsealed's last word applies everywhere: service history matters more than the model year.

1. 2008–2011Model years covered by the floor-mat pedal and TPMS recallsRecall
2. 2013First facelift (released December 2011): previously optional kit made standard; Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-Terrain Monitor, Off-Road Turn Assist and Trailer Sway Control added. Unsealed 4X4 calls 2012–15 the sweet spot for many buyers, and IH8MUD owners point US shoppers to 2013–15 trucksSweet spot
3. 2015–16Diesel markets only: the late-2015 facelift adds a DPF to the 1VD-FTV V8. Unsealed 4X4 reports DPF trouble and a Toyota recall on 2015–16 diesels. US petrol trucks never had a DPFBeware
4. 2018–2019Model years covered by the Denso fuel-pump recallRecall

Every Land Cruiser 200 Series year, change by change →

2010–14 if you can. Those trucks have the dual VVT-i engine on regular fuel, and CarGurus says the inner-fender bulge mostly shows up on 2007–09 trucks, while 2007 draws far more owner complaints than any other year. IH8MUD owners add that some pre-February 2007 builds had a brittle rear ring and pinion, so check the door-jamb build date. They also point out that an early truck you plan to re-gear anyway isn't much of a loss. Rust history and how the truck was used matter more than the year.

1. 2007Launch: 239-hp 1GR-FE on premium, six-speed manual (full-time 4WD) or five-speed automatic; 3,200 TRD Special Editions. CarGurus says owners report far more problems with 2007s than any other year, and inner fender aprons on early trucks can bulge and crack. IH8MUD owners add that some builds before February 2007 had a brittle rear ring and pinionBeware
2. 2010Dual VVT-i 1GR-FE: 259 hp on regular fuel, slightly better economy, and a slightly larger rear diff. CarGurus ties the fender-apron bulge mainly to 2007–09 trucks, so 2010–14 are the years owners usually steer buyers towardSweet spot

Every Toyota FJ Cruiser year, change by change →

Unsealed 4X4's summary: 2009–2012 are cheaper but have the early issues, 2013–2015 are a sweet spot for many buyers, 2015–2019 get the 2.8 but in the early DPF era, and 2020-on are the most desirable, with 150 kW and CarPlay. It also flags 2009 and 2017 for electrical gremlins.

1. 2009Unsealed 4X4 flags launch-year trucks for airbag recalls and electrical gremlinsBeware
2. 2013First facelift (Japan 10 Sept, Australia October): new grille, bumpers and lamps, LED low beams, retuned suspension, five-mode MTS. Three-door dropped in Australia. Unsealed 4X4 calls 2013–15 a sweet spot for many buyers: past the early faults and before the DPFSweet spot
3. 2015–2020Diesels sold October 2015 to April 2020 covered by the Australian DPF class actionBeware
4. 2017Second facelift on 12 September. V6 dropped in Australia. Unsealed 4X4 flags 2017 trucks for head-unit, ESC-light and shift glitches and says not to buy one without paperwork showing they've been fixedBeware
5. 2020August update: 150 kW / 500 Nm, 3,000 kg braked towing, auto only, 9-inch screen with CarPlay and Android Auto. Unsealed 4X4 calls 2020–on trucks the most desirable, and 4X4 Australia says this update finally resolved the DPF problemSweet spot

Every Land Cruiser Prado 150 year, change by change →

1. 2024–2025Model years covered by the combination-meter and camera recallsRecall
2. 2024–2027All model years included in the fuel-tube leak recall (26V673000) announced October 2026, so check that it's been doneRecall

Every Land Cruiser 250 Series year, change by change →

1. 2021–24Early Australian trucks are covered by recalls XGG22 (stability control may not default to on; built 16 July 2021 to 1 April 2022) and ZGG04 (10-speed can creep in neutral; built 16 July 2021 to 12 January 2024). Both are software fixes, so check they have been doneRecall

Every Land Cruiser 300 Series year, change by change →