Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today

The limited-edition Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 sported exceptional Blue Marlin features and a high-powered off-road drive quality.

While the Land Cruiser is the ultimate classic full-size SUV, it comes from humble beginnings. Looking back at its history, it almost seems too good to be true that the brand’s flagship SUV is a direct inspiration of the Willys Jeep. Since the Willys Jeep was more utilitarian, Toyota’s approach was to add a more stylish bodywork, a more powerful 133-hp engine, and plate leaf springs – all in an attempt to make the Land Cruiser appealing as a civilian version of the legendary Willys Jeep. And of course, it all paid off.

By 1951, Toyota rolled up its sleeves to create the first Land Cruiser prototype, called the Model BJ. After achieving a first Mount Fuji victory climb, the brand knew they hit a gold mine with the Land Cruiser. The Cruiser entered the US market in the late ‘50s and quickly became Toyota’s bestselling vehicle in the U.S.

Fast-forward to 1989: The Land Cruiser 80 made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show for the 1980 model year. Later, Toyota introduced the Land Cruiser FZJ80. As a unique model of the lineage, the Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 succeeded the FJ80 in the gasoline 80 series.

The limited-edition Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 sported exceptional Blue Marlin features and a high-powered off-road drive quality. Here’s all you should know about the price of the Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 in today’s market.

Nicknamed Blue Marlin, the FZJ80 was a limited-edition sibling of the J80 family that the brand presented and sold in the Australian market.

For the 1992 model year, the FZJ80 carried the same powertrain, which consisted of a 4.5-liter straight-6 engine with double-overhead cams and the 24 valve 1FZFE engine code. The new motor was stronger than ever – actually the strongest in the family and had more pulling power to propel the Land Cruiser's 5153 pounds of curb weight. The Land Cruiser FZJ80’s engine could churn out 215 horsepower. With this engine under the hood, the Land Cruiser had a top speed of up to 105.63 mph.

Its body and features remained largely similar, measuring 188.2 inches in length, 76 inches in width, and 73.2 inches in height. Also, like its family, the FZJ80 had a 112.2-inch wheelbase, which paced the way for a considerably large cabin and cargo capacity.

From its debut through its discontinuation, the FZJ80 dominated the market, after which it was replaced by the Cruiser 100 Series for the 1998 model year.

RELATED: This Is What The 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Is Worth Today

Considering its great capabilities, the Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 is an SUV that’s worth looking into. Its debut already set its eye-catching shape and tone, which is undoubtedly one of the best features of the crossover. Its 4.5-liter, 24-valve, 1FZ-FE engine could produce up to 215 horsepower at 4600 RPM and 275.11 lb.-ft. of twist at 3200 RPM. With this engine, the FZJ80 had a better power output than the 1992 Chevrolet Suburban C1500, even with the Chevy’s 5.7L V-8 EFI motor (which only added more torque). To put it into perspective, the FZJ80 was even stronger than the Toyota 4Runner, another desirable classic crossover.

Modern SUVs continue to introduce stronger engines, inspiring new pounds of pulling force. When viewed from a more contemporary standpoint, the 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 could easily outperform a new Subaru Forester, which has a 182-hp 2.5-liter flat-four motor. The classic FZJ80 also beats the new 2022 Honda CR-V, which only makes 190 horsepower and 179 lb.-ft of twist. The new vehicles do offer more safety features and technology, but if you’re looking for an old off-road beast that is built like a tank, look no further than the Land Cruiser FZJ80.

RELATED: 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser Vs 2021 Land Rover Defender: The Best Luxury Off-Roaders

According to classic.com, buyers should expect to pay an average of $27,978 for a good condition 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 model with a considerable mileage, Interestingly, the value of the Land Cruiser continues to skyrocket in the market today, thanks to its high-quality build and configurations. Its impressive reliability rating also plays a major role in the high resale value of the Land Cruiser. Even a model that has clocked over 150,000 miles on the odometer still drives like new.

And despite the mileage of many models, the 15-year-old Land Cruiser could still be priced the same as its newer counterparts. As for the FZJ80 model, expect the average price to rise to around $29,994 from the third quarter of 2022, and up to $33,880 by 2023.

It’s no surprise that the Land Cruiser is a high-value vehicle. It’s known for its ample off-road capability, strong 4.5-liter powertrain, eight standard seats, and plenty of room in each row. All of which turn the FZJ80 into a perfect family SUV for all occasions.

Wilfred Nkhwazi is a screenwriter, actor, and sports car enthusiast from Blantyre, Malawi. He has written 2 feature films and a thriller trilogy. Wilfred is pursuing an Electric Car Technology program and spends a lot of his time writing for hotcars.com, penning down fast whips, celebrity collections, and everything else in-between. When he isn't writing, he loves to take long drives around the city, make music, and drink hot chocolate.