.png)
2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser (Courtesy of NetCarShow.com)
The thing about the FJ Cruiser is that it’s not really bred for knocking about the city, even one with half-destroyed roads like Detroit. This means that its best attributes—mountain goat-like hill climbing ability, stable handling on uncertain terrain, and a multi-mode four-wheel drive transfer case—could be more or less superfluous at best and cumbersome at worst. Thankfully, the FJ Cruiser manages to be an entertaining drive around town as well.
Introduced in 2006 as both a nod to the Land Cruiser’s off-roading heritage and a chance to give headaches to Jeep Wranglers, the FJ Cruiser has soldiered on without obvious changes. For 2011, a locking rear differential is standard on six-speed automatic-equipped models, and the FJ Cruiser’s annual Trail Teams Special Edition is available in Army Green with matching trim. That’s about all that’s changed. But change isn’t necessarily a good thing, considering that the FJ Cruiser has survived the collapse of the giants, as burly SUVs like the Hummer have fallen out of vogue and disappeared from the market. Of the hard-core off-roaders, this is perhaps the easiest to live with, considering its permanent hard top and four-door layout.
At a glance, the FJ Cruiser looks to be nothing but four giant wheels holding up a tiny body. The big-box looks are straight out of the monster truck school of design, with a shot of retro thrown in for fashion purposes. The FJ Cruiser’s narrow, upright windshield, squared-off fender openings, white roof and close-set headlamps are taken from the original Toyota FJ, first introduced to the U.S. in 1960. The retro touches are applied to a seriously beefy body, however, with a blunt, bulldog-like hood and a hefty super-sized spare tire dangling from the tailgate. Go for the Trail Teams Special Edition and things get even meaner-looking, with blacked-out bumpers and grille, rock rails and skid plates, and special wheels.
There’s no mistaking what the FJ Cruiser is all about—it’s got an inclinometer in a pod riding front and center on the dash. The hose-out interior is basic, in an old-school SUV sort of way, with rubberized floors and water-resistant seats. Reverse-opening rear doors provide access to the rear seats, which aren’t as difficult to get into as you’d think thanks to a long slide forward, while a big barn door rear opens up the 66.8 cubic-foot cargo area. The seats are mounted close to the high floor, and the dash is all horizontal and vertical lines spruced up by available body-colored panels. The ergonomics are more closely related to industrial equipment than cars. Since that’s just the sort of environment the FJ Cruiser is intended for, this is not a downside. The standard audio system includes XM satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity. There’s an available backup camera in the rearview mirror, as well.
Visibility through the narrow windshield takes some getting used to, but the FJ is actually easy to drive once you’re used to it thanks to very communicative steering and suspension. This comes in handy in the dirt, naturally. If you’re willing to make the compromise—or if you just love the post-apocalyptic look of the thing—this can be a decent around town companion. For FJ Cruisers that will spend more time in the dirt, there’s an Off-Road package that adds Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential, and Toyota’s A-TRAC active traction control. The suspension itself consists of a sturdy, truck-like ladder frame, double-wishbone components up front and a coil-sprung solid axle at the rear. Standard 32-inch tires provide over nine inches of ground clearance in standard trim. The flexible front suspension allows almost eight inches of wheel travel, and massive brakes ensure confident stopping. Handling is good, even with the FJ Cruiser’s short length and high-stepping stance, thanks to standard Vehicle Stability Control. On pavement, the ride isn’t as punishing as it could be; this truck is certainly somewhat more comfortable than its archenemy the Jeep Wrangler.
The low gearing is good for off-roading, but not so great for freeway travel. The FJ Cruiser will keep up with traffic, but it’ll take its time getting up to speed and it’ll use a lot of gas doing it. The 4.0 liter V6 under the stubby hood produces 260 horsepower, and features variable valve timing and double overhead cam construction. A broad torque curve keeps the FJ Cruiser in its powerband off-road, making rock crawling easy, and low-speed on-pavement driving is also confident—it’s just the freeway that’s not this vehicle’s element. A choice of six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions is offered. The FJ Cruiser will tow up to 5000 pounds.
It isn’t the least bit practical, but with more and more SUVs becoming carlike vehicles, the FJ Cruiser’s beginning to be retro in spirit as well as design. This is a truck that can take significant punishment and tackle the worst terrain you can reasonably throw at it. Being able to tool around town without a neck brace is just icing on the cake. FJ Cruiser pricing starts at $25,090 for the two-wheel drive version, which is kind of toothless considering the off-roading gear that this truck carries. Fortunately, four-wheel drive is just $26,880. At $32,147 fully equipped, my tester remained a worthwhile ride. All specs are for the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser.
Length: 183.9 in.
Width: 75.0 in.
Height: 72.0 in.
Wheelbase: 105.9 in.
Curb weight: 4295 lb.
Cargo space: 66.8 cu.ft. (seats folded); 27.9 cu.ft. (seats up)
Base price: $26,880
Price as tested: $32,147
Engine: 4.0 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 260 @ 5600
Torque: 271 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 19.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/21
