Toyota Unleashes Stripped-Down, Two-Seater Land Cruiser with Massive Cargo

This hard-working Land Cruiser model comes bare bones and ready to work.

Land Cruiser may be synonymous with luxury for those of us in the States, but it isn’t that way everywhere

Toyota’s Land Cruiser model has always been a bit of an “if you know, you know” thing in the United States. Those who do know recognize it as among the most luxurious cars to wear a Toyota or Lexus badge. But overseas, the Land Cruiser nameplate offers a much wider variety. From modern two-door models to diesel powertrains, there’s a Land Cruiser model with your name on it, no matter how you like to get down. For the latest round of “stuff that the US doesn’t get,” Toyota introduced a bare-bones Land Cruiser Commercial model that comes with everything you need and little you don’t.

The Land Cruiser Commercial is a diesel-only two-seater prioritizing utility

Where the new Land Cruiser is arguably a step down from the opulence the model once represented, the Land Cruiser Commercial fully embraces utility over extravagance. Toyota says it’s perfect for “customers who do not require the load-carrying capabilities or additional seats of the Hilux pick-up,” and the changes reflect that. They pull the back seats, allowing the Land Cruiser Commercial to boast 71 cubic feet of cargo space, nearly double what the regular five-seater offers. Instead of a cushy bench, you’ll find accommodations like steel panels and a metal partition keeping cargo far removed from the front seat. Under the hood, the Land Cruiser Commercial utilizes the same 2.8-liter diesel engine that other UK-market Cruisers come with. Towing capacity, similarly, remains unchanged at 7,716 pounds.

Although calling the rear appointments spartan might be an overstatement, there’s plenty for the driver and passenger to enjoy. The Land Cruiser Commercial comes with more amenities than previous commercialized versions of the Land Cruiser. Toyota added blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors alongside creature comforts like dual-zone climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, all of which are far from standard in the “work truck” segment. The Land Cruiser Commercial, true to its heritage, also comes ready to tackle off-road adventures. Crawl Control, Hill-Start Assist Control, and Downhill Assist Control are all standard, as is permanent all-wheel drive.

The Land Cruiser Commercial could be perfect for no-frills shoppers in the US, but alas

The Land Cruiser Commercial is cool, but sadly, it’s only available outside the US. Specifically, the UK. With a starting price of £51,729, it’s around £26,000 cheaper than the regular Cruiser. Even if the discount wasn’t one-for-one with US pricing — our Cruiser starts at less than $60,000 — a $45,000 work truck spec would be awesome to have. The work SUV segment could use a shakeup, in our eyes. After all, there’s only a handful of options, and most of them are from domestic automakers. Of course, with a diesel engine under the hood, the chances of coming to the US hover somewhere around “not even a consideration” and “never happening.”

Final thoughts

It happens all the time, but the heartbreak doesn’t get easier. The Land Cruiser Commercial is an off-road-ready work truck that would also be an overlander’s dream come true. Just look at all that space in the back for a bed platform! The Land Cruiser nameplate, unfortunately, carries a bit more cache for luxury Stateside, and that’s just another reason it won’t ever come to our side of the pond. But we can dream, can’t we?