8 Of The Coolest Toyota Models You Can't Get In The U.S.

We love that Toyota brought a new hybrid Land Cruiser to the U.S., now with a potent powertrain and a retro look. However, there is an even cooler Land Cruiser on sale in other markets — the J70. This SUV sits on a 40-year-old platform, making it the only truly retro off-roader on sale after Land Rover did a heresy by replacing the Defender with a more modern alternative.

Although the J70 didn't get an electrified powertrain — and it probably never will — it does have a new engine. Toyota is now offering a 2.8-liter inline-four turbodiesel with a 6-speed automatic (from the Land Cruiser Prado), which provides similar performance to the old 4.5-liter V8 turbodiesel, albeit with much better fuel efficiency. It should be more relaxed to drive, too. You can also still get the older engine, known for its longevity and off-road capability, together with a manual transmission.

But the engines are only half of the story here. The Land Cruiser J70 is as rugged as an SUV gets. It works everywhere from deserts to mountains, and for every purpose from military to overlanding. That, along with the timeless design, has granted it a cult status among off-roaders and overlanders.

It's a shame that trailblazers in the U.S. need to pay for a luxury off-roader to explore the wilderness today. The J70 does it for less money, with greater reliability, and even more style. It's as cool as off-roaders get!

Toyota healed the wounds of American hot-hatch enthusiasts with the GR Corolla after igniting other markets with the GR Yaris. In our 2023 GR Corolla review, we loved the punchy engine and advanced all-wheel drive system, but other markets still get the more focused hot hatch. For 2024, Toyota made some significant changes to the GR Yaris to make it a better driver's car.

One feature that sets the GR Yaris apart from other modern hot hatches is its interior. Gone is the funky-looking dashboard from the regular Yaris, and in its place, a simple, driver-focused panel that looks similar to those from kit cars. Everything is laid out close to the driver, and the screen in the middle is positioned lower to enhance forward visibility. There is even a rally-style handbrake near the shifter to aid with turning in tight corners. But the Gazoo Racing crew didn't stop there. 

The 2024 GR Yaris is now an even better track weapon, thanks to increased body rigidity, improved suspension, and a special powertrain/transmission cooling package. Meanwhile, the 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo now produces 280 hp and 288 lb-ft (390 Nm) of torque, up from 261 hp and 265 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque of the pre-facelifted model. The GR Yaris is still less powerful than the GR Corolla, but it weighs 2,822 lbs (1,280 kg) compared to the 3,175 lbs (1,440 kg) of its bigger sibling.

To top it all off, Toyota developed a special eight-speed GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission, bringing the 0-60 time under five seconds. We'd still opt for the slightly slower six-speed manual, though, as this is a list of the coolest vehicles — not the fastest ones!

Toyota and Lexus enthusiasts have been clamoring for more rear-wheel-drive models lately. Toyota has only one — the GR 86 — and the same is true for Lexus, with its flagship LS sedan. Instead, the world's largest automaker uses more front-wheel-drive platforms, aiming to share parts across the brands and maximize profits. For that reason, the sporty GS and its outstanding high-performance variant, the misunderstood GS-F, are no longer available, while the pedestrian ES lives on.

But Japan, as always, gets all the goodies. This time, it's a rear-wheel-drive premium Toyota sedan that looks like a worthy heir to the Lexus GS, albeit designed for a more luxurious rather than sporty ride. It's the new JDM Crown sedan — not to be confused with the U.S. Crown, a Camry-based front-wheel-drive sedan/crossover. Our Crown is rather strange, and we like it for that, but it's nowhere near as refined as the Japanese one.

The Japanese Crown has everything it needs to compete with the big dogs from Germany. A timeless, dynamic body shape with a sloped rear end gives it sophistication, while the huge grille in the front provides the necessary road presence. It all works together thanks to the car's imposing dimensions — the 2024 Crown is 16.5 feet (198 inches) long and has a massive 9.8-foot (118.1 inches) wheelbase. Toyota compares the space and comfort of the Crown to that of a chauffeured car, with ample rear legroom.

Two powertrains will be on offer — a newly-developed 2.5-liter multi-stage hybrid and a second-gen hydrogen fuel-cell system. It's not particularly exciting, but it's probably good enough in a car not designed for speed.

American drivers love their big and luxurious SUVs. From massive Cadillac Escalades to plush Bentley Bentaygas, U.S. roads are crowded with tall vehicles. But would you buy a super-luxurious Toyota that competes with those vehicles? It exists, and it's called the Century SUV. It's not a Lexus, mind you — the Century brand is considered even more high-end in Japan.

You might have heard of Japan's only V12 car, the Toyota Century sedan. It's called the Japanese Rolls-Royce, and for a good reason, as it has a similar design outside and inside, albeit with a more Japanese flair. It has been sold on the Japanese market for more than 50 years now, but only to the wealthiest and VIPs. And now Toyota has an SUV version because people in the 21st century can't get enough of high-riding vehicles.

The Century SUV doesn't get a particularly interesting powertrain — under the huge front bonnet sits a 3.5-liter plug-in hybrid V6. But apart from that, this is the real deal. Toyota promises unprecedented levels of comfort, particularly for rear passengers. Notably, the armchair-like rear seats are fully reclining, and Toyota implemented a "Rear Comfort" mode to assist chauffeurs in making driving smoother. Furthermore, a luggage compartment separates the trunk from the cabin to achieve an "astounding" level of quietness, according to Toyota.

And doesn't the Century SUV look cool? Toyota's designers somehow mixed vintage and modern styling cues better than either Rolls-Royce or Bentley did.

Defining a cool car is not as easy as it sounds. What is cool for one person might not be for another. For that reason, we included different Toyota vehicles, from off-roaders to tiny sports cars. But although different, these cool Toyota models have one thing in common — they deviate from the regular Corolla/Camry/RAV4/Tacoma dynamic. In other words, they offer something special. For some models, it's the attractive design. For others, it's their features. In any case, hope you found them interesting!