The Mega Cruiser is the largest 4×4 Toyota has ever built. Its primary purpose was for military, police, and fire/rescue duties, while just a few were made for civilians.
This vehicle is similar to the H1 Hummer, but with Toyota reliability and Japanese style built in.
Rare Cruiser
The Mega Cruiser was sold in Japan only, from 1996 to 2002. Around 3,000 were built, with only around 133 for civilian use.
Left-hand-drive (LHD) ones are the most rare. Somewhere between seven and 12 LHD were ever made from the factory.
Mega Diesel 4×4
With a curb weight of over 6,000 pounds, this six-seat SUV is no small machine. It is over 16 feet long, 7 feet wide, and nearly 7 feet tall.
Moving this mega off-roader is an I-4 4.1L turbodiesel. Don’t expect to get anywhere fast with only 153 horsepower and 282 pound-feet of torque on tap. A four-speed automatic transmission makes this beast a simple machine to operate, however.
Fully independent suspension, portal axles, and 37-inch tires provide a massive 16.5 inches of ground clearance.
Even with its long 133.7-inch wheelbase, the Toyota MegaCruiser has a turning radius of just 18.4 feet. That’s achieved by way of a four-wheel steering system.
Oh, and if anything slows your progress in one of these, just use the lockers. The Mega Cruiser has selectable front, center, and rear differential locks.
Mega Cruiser Features
The early production LHD 1996 Mega Cruiser up for auction has a number of nice features, and looks to be in good condition. It has about 71,000 miles on it.
New (2023 date code) Nitto Trail Grappler mud-terrain tires (37×12.5) are wrapped on black 17-inch wheels. A non-matching spare is mounted to a swingaway rear tire carrier. Next to the spare tire is a ladder.
The interior has cloth seats, air conditioning, a touchscreen stereo, and even cup holders.
Mega Cruiser for Mega Price
This Mega Cruiser comes with some service records, import documents, a spare set of wheels and tires, and a clean Georgia title. It’s up for auction on Bring-a-Trailer until April 28.
Don’t expect to snag this rare machine for little money, however. The Toyota Mega Cruiser cost around $115,000 when new in 1996. But, at recent auctions, prices of similar examples to this LHD Toyota Mega Cruiser have sold for over $300,000, while RHD examples have seen prices over $160,000.
