Iconic style, extraordinary ability.

Introduction

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is designed to be the most capable of all Toyotas when the pavement gives way to gravel, sand, and rocks. That's saying something, given the capability of the 4Runner and Land Cruiser, not to mention the Tacoma pickup. 

The FJ Cruiser seats five. The front doors are standard, front-hinged units. Rear-hinged access doors ease egress to the back seat and cargo area. Rear access to the cargo area is through a door hinged on the driver's side of the vehicle instead of a typical roof-hinged hatch-style closure. 

An Off Road option package further enhances the FJ's capabilities, with BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires, trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers, a Cyclone air pre-cleaner, and a rear differential lock that works in conjunction with Toyota's A-TRAC off-road traction control system. With this setup, the FJ Cruiser can hang with the Jeep Wrangler crowd. 

We found the FJ Cruiser superb in rugged terrain yet comfortable on the road. Its V6 engine delivers more power and torque than the Wrangler's V6; and the same power but more torque than the Hummer H3's standard inline-5. 

Changes for 2009 focus on safety. 2008 models included front seat-mounted side-impact airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags as standard equipment. For 2009, both the seat-mounted and curtain airbags can be activated by a roll sensor, which first communicates with the standard Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) to try to stop the rollover before it starts. Also new for 2009 are active front headrests as standard equipment. Also new for 2009: a rear backup camera and auto-dimming rearview mirror. 

Lineup

The 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser comes in one model with a choice of three drivetrains: rear-wheel drive with five-speed automatic ($23,320), part-time four-wheel drive with the automatic ($24,910), or full-time four-wheel drive with six-speed manual ($24,500). 

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, tilt steering, power windows and door locks, eight-way manually adjustable driver's seat, six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio, an engine immobilizer, and P265/70R17 tires on 17-inch steel wheels (with a full-size spare mounted on the back door). Upholstery is water-resistant fabric and flooring is a rubber-like mat. 

A Convenience Package ($2,175) adds keyless entry, cruise control, power side-view mirrors with image lights, daytime running lights, privacy glass, rear window wiper; and rear parking sonar. For 2009, it also includes a backup camera and auto-dimming rearview mirror. Upgrade Package One ($2,250-$2,660) includes A-TRAC electronic traction control; a rear locking differential; a multi-information display (compass, inclinometer and temperature gauge); eight-speaker, 400-watt premium audio with in-dash six-CD changer; leather-covered steering wheel with audio and cruise controls; metal-colored shift lever; interior trim panels keyed to exterior color; and 17-inch alloy wheels. Upgrade Package Two ($2,310-$2,720) delivers all of the above, plus a subwoofer. 

An Off-Road package ($1,035-$1,375), available only on 4WD models with the Convenience Package, includes P265/75R16 BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires on unique 16-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels; trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers; a Cyclone air pre-cleaner; a locking rear differential that works in conjunction with A-TRAC; and the multi-information display. Only the 2WD base model can be ordered with the TRD Sport Package ($2,580), which combines off-road-type wheels, tires, and shocks with an all-white color scheme and TRD decals. 

Stand-alone options include 17-inch alloy wheels ($650), the rear differential lock ($340), running boards ($345), and daytime running lights ($40). Customers can also choose from a catalog of dealer-installed accessories, including: auxiliary driving lights, rock rails, roof rack, brush guard, taillight guards, sport exhaust system, receiver hitch and harness, wind deflector with off-road lights, a cargo mat. and all-weather or carpeted floor mats. 

Safety features include Toyota's STAR Safety System that combines Vehicle Skid Control to help the truck go where the driver steers, even on a slippery surface; traction control to reduce wheel slip and thus enhance traction; and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. Side-curtain and front-seat side-impact airbags are also standard, along with the required dual-stage airbags up front. So is a tire pressure monitor. 

Walkaround

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is the rebirth of an icon, the Toyota FJ 40, known in North America as the original Land Cruiser. It was a rugged, go-anywhere vehicle, a sport utility vehicle decades before the genre had a name. 

The FJ Cruiser was designed in Southern California. The design evokes the heritage of the FJ40 and other early Land Cruisers without being retro. This is no simple cloning of a nearly half-century old design. Instead, what Toyota wanted to do was to project how the original Jeep-like FJ would have evolved had it remained in production all these years. The engineering and manufacturing of the Toyota FJ Cruiser are done in Japan. 

Early FJs and Land Cruisers were patterned on the World War II Jeep because the U.S. Army asked Toyota to build a newer version of the versatile vehicle for use in the Korean conflict. That vehicle also was used by Japanese police departments. Then, much like the original Jeep, it became a civilian vehicle known as the FJ in Japan and as the Land Cruiser in foreign markets, including the United States. 

Rugged and reliable, Toyota FJs and Land Cruisers became the vehicle of choice for explorers, ranchers, missionaries, United Nations peacekeepers, merchants or anyone else who needed to drive through places such as Australia's Outback, Africa's plains, across Asia steppes, through South American jungles or anywhere else where roads were virtually nonexistent, consisting of trails as harsh and challenging as the natural environment. 

Exterior styling cues from the original FJ brought forward on the FJ Cruiser include a narrow slot of a second grille built into the front lip of the hood, the trio of windshield wipers at the base of an upright windshield, the round headlights and the metallic-colored enclosure that frames them and the main grille (with Toyota in simple gothic letters, instead of the interlocking oval emblem that adorns the face of other modern Toyotas), the white roof, the wraparound rear windows and the spare tire mounted on the back of the vehicle. 

The FJ Cruiser shares much of its under structure with the Toyota 4Runner four-door SUV and Tacoma pickup truck, but you'd never guess that to look at the FJ with its wide, turtle-shell body design. 

Short front and rear overhangs are used for serious off-road maneuvering. The 4x4 versions offer 9.6 inches of ground clearance, with optional underbody armor to provide extra protection against rocks and other obstacles met on unpaved trails. 

Viewed in profile, the most noticeable aspects of the FJ Cruiser are its upright windshield, tall and protective body sides, short windows and very wide C-pillar on either side of the cargo area. 

Though it may look like a two-door, the FJ Cruiser actually has four doors, opening almost French door style on either side to create a good-sized opening for access to the back seat and cargo area. The rear door also opens wide, and features a backlight glass that can be flipped up when the door itself is closed. 

The FJ Cruiser features an interesting color palate including a bright blue (Voodoo Blue) and yellow (Sun Fusion), as well as a silver (Titanium Metallic), the difficult-to-describe Black Diamond, and the very literal Brick. Three new colors have been added for 2009: plain Black, Silver Fresco Metallic, and Iceberg White. But new or old, the paint color only covers the hood, fenders, body sides, C-pillars and rear door. In homage to the old FJ40s, all FJ Cruisers have white roofs. 

Interior

Like the exterior, the interior of the Toyota FJ Cruiser reflects the character of the early FJs, especially when equipped with the optional body-colored door panel inserts. The standard dashboard looks like an extruded aluminum beam, with audio and climate controls set into a body-colored panel in the center. 

If you want leather seats, you don't want an FJ Cruiser, which comes only with water-resistant cloth upholstery and rubberized floor and cargo mats. The expectation is that people who drive FJ Cruisers will get them dirty, and want the easy cleanup provided by such materials. 

The FJ Cruiser's seats are a bit more sophisticated for 2009, however, as they now come with active headrests. In certain rear collisions, a cable-actuated mechanism in the headrest moves it upward and forward to help limit the movement of the occupant's head, potentially reducing whiplash injuries. 

Switches for various mechanical systems are set in a panel just ahead of the shift lever. Not only are they conveniently placed, but there are dummy switches to ease installation of aftermarket equipment such as auxiliary lighting or locking axles for extreme off-road use. 

The driver faces white-faced gauges (speedometer, tachometer, engine temperature, voltage and fuel level) that are easy to read. In addition to the regular glove box ahead of the front passenger seat, there's a smaller covered storage box on top of the instrument panel in front of the driver. This area can be fitted with an accessory Garmin Quest 2 navigation unit that can be removed from the vehicle for hiking or other activities. 

Both Upgrade Packages and the Off-Road Package add a trio of gauges (outside thermometer, compass and inclinometer) that sit on top of the center of the dash. 

There are cup holders in the center console and four doors. A 12-volt outlet is mounted on the switch panel ahead of the shifter; and a three-prong, grounded 115-volt power outlet in the cargo area with a switch for either 100 or 400 watts of output (the higher figure available when the vehicle is at idle). 

The rear seatback splits 60/40 to optimize cargo carrying options. The rear seat cushion tips forward and can be removed to provide a few more inches of cargo area behind the front seats. 

The standard audio system includes a CD player and iPod and MP3 capability as well as two ceiling-mounted speakers designed to enhance the sound experience within the FJ Cruiser. The Upgrade Packages include an FJammer audio system with pair of 2.6-inch speakers mounted on the rear pillars; Upgrade Two adds a subwoofer as well. 

Because the FJ Cruiser has wide C-pillars that may interfere with the driver's rearward vision, a rear sonar system and a rearview camera are included in the Convenience Package, to warn the driver of the proximity of objects when the transmission is in Reverse. We had no trouble parking the FJ in urban settings on our test drive, nor did we have to move into strange positions to see stoplights through the upright windshield. 

Driving Impression

Powering the FJ Cruiser is Toyota's 4.0-liter V6 engine, a proven motor also used in the 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra. The engine pumps out 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, the sort of grunt that comes in handy when traveling off-road or when towing. The 2009 Hummer H3's standard five-cylinder engine makes as much horsepower, but 37 fewer pound-feet of torque; while the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon comes up short in both horsepower and torque, with 37 and 41 less, respectively, compared to the Toyota. 

The FJ Cruiser is rated to tow as much as 5000 pounds, 500 pounds more than the five-cylinder H3 and 1500 more than the Jeep. 

The Toyota V6 not only is strong, but clean and fuel-efficient as well. It earns the FJ Cruiser a LEV-II (low-emission vehicle) rating from the federal government and, depending on drivetrain configuration. 

Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 16/20 mpg City/Highway for a 4WD automatic, 14/19 mpg for a 4WD with six-speed manual gearbox, and 17/21 mpg for a 2WD automatic. All call for Premium gasoline. 

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is quite capable off road, even more so than the highly capable 4Runner on which it is based. The FJ offers better approach and departure angles, a shorter wheelbase, and a higher ground clearance. 

Of the three drivetrains available, those primarily interested in the unique design statement made by the FJ Cruiser will likely opt for the two-wheel-drive setup. This is not the setup we would choose. 

Those planning to do serious off-road driving will want the full-time 4x4 with the manual transmission, which features a clutchless starting feature that can come in handy for rock-crawling maneuvers. With the manual transmission, the drivetrain is a full-time four-wheel-drive setup with H4, H4L (locked Torsen center differential) and L4L (low and locked) settings. The H4 mode usually sends 60 percent of power to the rear wheels, but can send as much as 53 percent of power to the front wheels or 70 percent to the rear wheels as needed. An electronically locking rear differential is available with either automatic or manual transmission, or even in the two-wheel-drive version. With the manual transmission, the FJ Cruiser has an off-road crawl ratio of 41.84:1 and has proven itself capable of traversing California's rugged and world-famous Rubicon Trail. 

Those looking for an automatic likely will select the part-time 4x4 with its automatic transmission. It's a good choice regardless of road and weather conditions. It's also a good choice for rugged terrain and is available with Toyota's A-TRAC off-road technology. It's our choice, unless we were planning to do organized off-road adventures. With the automatic transmission, the four-wheel-drive system offers shift-on-the-fly selection with H2 (2WD High range), H4 (4WD High range) or L4 (4WD Low range) settings for the torque-splitting transfer case. 

The Upgrade Packages include a computer-controlled traction system that Toyota calls A-TRAC, for Active-TRACtion. This system, which also makes steering easier in rugged terrain, can be turned on or off via a switch on the dashboard control panel. In severe off-road situations, drivers may need to engage the locking rear differential, but we found the A-TRAC system ideal for negotiating a series of serious and deep moguls in steep terrain when we did our off-road test drive. 

The Vehicle Stability Control system works with the new roll sensor to try to stop lateral skids before they can lead to a rollover. Failing that, the sensor deploys both the side-impact and side-curtain airbags. VSC comes standard on all models. 

Toyota anticipates that many FJ Cruiser owners will want to explore away from pavement, but most miles will be racked up on city streets and suburban highways, where we found the FJ Cruiser to be comfortable, even when we sat in the back seat. One thing we did notice, however, was that the big roof rack that's available as an accessory can create a lot of wind noise at Interstate speeds. This is true with all safari style roof racks, something many Land Rover owners know. We still think lots of people will want one, however, if for no other reason than it looks so cool. We'd order one for ours. 

Summary

The FJ Cruiser is Toyota's most capable sport utility vehicle when it comes to getting where you want to go when there's no pavement beneath your tires. Like Hummers and Jeep Wranglers, the FJ Cruiser isn't for everyone. Not everyone will appreciate its heritage, whether in the iconic design cues brought forward in a thoroughly modern vehicle or in the way this vehicle lives up to the Land Cruiser's much deserved reputation for getting across deserts, up mountains and through swamps and jungles on continents around the globe. But for those whose lifestyles include exploring, whether it be sandy beaches, mountain trails, secluded lakes, busy ski hills or even the urban jungle, the FJ Cruiser provides Toyota quality at a competitive price and wrapped in a unique design, inside and out. 

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Larry Edsall filed this report after driving the FJ Cruiser in the hills west of Los Angeles and in the desert around Palm Springs, California. 

Model Lineup

Toyota FJ Cruiser 2WD automatic ($23,320); 4WD automatic ($24,910) 4WD manual ($24,500). 

Assembled In

Hamura, Tokyo, Japan. 

Options As Tested

Upgrade Package One ($2,660) includes 17-inch alloy wheels, A-TRAC four-wheel traction control, locking rear differential, premium audio system, body-colored interior door inserts, multi-information display, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, metal-trimmed transmission and transfer case shift levers; Convenience package ($2,175) includes keyless entry, cruise control, power mirrors with illumination lights, auto-dimming inside mirror, privacy glass, rear door privacy glass and wiper, back-up sonar system, back-up camera, daytime running lights.