Test Drive: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

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Can a vehicle be a way-cool cruiser and a bring-it-on off-roader to boot? It’s hard to imagine a staid company like Toyota going the retro route, but the automaker has done exactly that, and has turned out the very capable and very cool FJ Cruiser. It may look like the FJ 40 and Land Cruiser models of the 1960s, but it’s a thoroughly modern rendition of a tough-as-nails design.

It’s also reasonably priced, starting at $29,990, which puts it pretty much in a niche of its own. The Jeep TJ is just as capable, if not more so, but it doesn’t have the FJ’s fixed-roof body style; the Jeep Liberty does, but it doesn’t have the FJ’s capability. And the Hummer H3 has both, but its base price is a hefty $10,000 above Toyota’s version.

The FJ Cruiser starts with a full frame borrowed from the Tacoma pickup truck, shortened and with the wheels pushed out to the corners, and with a double wishbone front suspension and four-link rear end. A 4.0-litre V6 powers all FJ Cruisers, although it unfortunately comes with a 91-octane fuel recommendation that will raise operating costs considerably.

All trim models come with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The manual includes full-time 4WD; it splits the torque 40/60 front to rear under normal conditions, and has a locking rear differential to keep it in 50/50 distribution if desired.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

There’s also a switch that activates a clutch start cancel feature, should you be in an off-road jam and find yourself with only two feet to operate three pedals; hit the switch, and the engine starts without the need to depress the clutch. The automatic is part-time 4WD, and can be shifted on the fly using a console-mounted lever; a rear differential lock is optional. All models include a two-speed transfer case, four ventilated discs with anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control, traction control, and engine, fuel tank and transfer case protector plates.

The FJ Cruiser’s base form includes such amenities as air conditioning, CD/MP3/WMA player with auxiliary jack, power locks and windows, 17-inch alloy wheels and tilt wheel. Two trim packages are available, which add such goodies as cruise control,

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

clearance and backup sensor, roof racks, rear wiper/washer, six-CD changer, side and curtain airbags, 115-volt power outlet and power mirrors with nifty white lights on them.

All models get a white roof, regardless of body colour, in homage to the original FJ 40 of 1960. It’s a neat touch and really dresses the truck up, but who’s in charge at the paint shop? The white line doesn’t stop at the roofline, as it logically should, but descends a few millimetres down below the tops of the windows, and just looks like a bad repaint by somebody who wasn’t good with the masking tape.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

The FJ means business: it has a ground clearance of 245 mm (9.6 inches), and has an approach angle of 33.5 degrees and departure angle of 30 degrees. The vast majority of buyers will never need anything even remotely like it, of course, and Toyota knows that: the FJ’s on-road manners are surprisingly civilized, and while you never forget that it’s a truck, its ride is quite smooth, save for considerable lateral movement that results in swaying on bumpy roads. It’s quite agile and feels almost sporty; low-speed movements are very easy thanks to the FJ’s relatively light steering, so it’s no chore to take it through the mall parking lot, especially with its tight turning radius.

The V6 is fairly quiet and provides enough power to get the FJ up to highway speeds with little strain; it has 278 lb-ft of torque on tap, the bulk of it at 3800 rpm, so it moves quite well from a standing stop, despite its 1,948 kg curb weight (when equipped with the automatic, as mine was). It’s no sports car, but it feels considerably more powerful than the Hummer H3’s listless five-cylinder powerplant.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

Inside, the FJ is as serious about off-roading as its undercarriage is: leather and carpeting have no place here. Regardless of the trim level, all FJ Cruisers come with an easy-clean rubber floor, all-weather floor mats, and water-repellent fabric seats in a show-no-dirt shade of dark charcoal. There’s nothing that can’t be wiped down or mopped out, which is really how all trucks should be. Clearing the long, narrow windshield is accomplished by three wiper blades, and it’s fun to watch them at work, although a wiper mist function – the one- or two-swipe action so handy in a drizzle – is conspicuous by its absence.

The tall dash is brightened by a body-colour centre console, and all controls and handles are chunky and easy to grasp. But in an effort to maximize both ground clearance and headroom, the floor is shallow and the sill height is tall, so sliding in and out can be difficult, especially for we vertically-challenged drivers who have the seat a little higher; I kept banging my knee on the steering column. The seats are comfortable, but that shallow floor gives the impression of sitting stretched-out, even for taller drivers.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

The short windows make the FJ feel close-coupled, and rear visibility is compromised by the gate-mounted spare tire and the wide C-pillars. The backup sensor is definitely a helpful tool here.

The FJ’s back doors are rear-hinged, and so the front doors must be opened first. Once you do, you’ll find a cramped rear seat that’s pretty much comfortable only for children. If you’re travelling solo, the rear 60/40 seats fold, expanding the 80-cm-long cargo area to a 155 cm length, and they can be removed entirely to maximize cargo space. Since the FJ is built and marketed primarily to North America, the gate is hinged on the left side for easy curbside loading. The rear glass also lifts separately, so extra-long items can hang out the back, but it’s tough to reach anything around the spare tire.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Click image to enlarge

The best way to describe driving the FJ Cruiser is that it’s flat-out, ear-to-ear-grinning fun. I’m not sure if it’s the funky retro design, the big-and-chunky interior (imagine if Tonka made a real truck, and that’s a compliment), or the feeling that I could run the Paris-to-Dakar rally, if I could just find Dakar on a map. Maybe it’s a combination of all of them, but fact is, I can’t ever recall having so much fun piloting a utility vehicle. It has some minor faults, but overall, Toyota has done a superb job of putting together a rugged little truck with a price tag that isn’t over the top. The Land Cruiser may not have had the popularity in North America that it enjoyed in other countries, but I think the FJ Cruiser is going to find more than a few new fans over here.