OJAI, Calif. – Unlike many other automakers, Toyota hasn’t indulged in retro designs. Until now. Meet the 2007 FJ Cruiser, which gives a reverential, historical nod to the earliest Land Cruisers, introduced in 1954.
The FJ Cruiser, which goes on sale in late May, is the sixth sport utility in the Toyota family. Its styling comes from the earliest Land Cruisers, some of which were developed with the code “FJ.”
It also borrows the serious off-road ability of those early models, officials said at an introduction held here.
The goal in developing the FJ was to make a vehicle that was affordable enough for younger buyers but was also “a rugged off-roader that offered no excuses and no compromises,” said Akio Nishimura, the FJ’s chief engineer.
Price: Toyota officials have yet to announce pricing but a “nicely equipped” FJ Cruiser should be “in the mid-$20,000 range,” said Jim Farley, vice president for marketing for the Toyota division.
Overall: With a length of 183.9 inches, the body-on-frame FJ Cruiser is about 5 inches shorter than a Toyota 4Runner. It has a unique look, but the rearmost roof pillar blocks over-the-shoulder visibility.
Inside: The FJ is a two-door, more or less. Open the front doors and there are partial, rear-opening “access” doors for the back seat. Once in the back seat, the 31 inches of legroom provides just enough space for a six-foot adult – contingent on the people in front not being piggy about stretching out.
Overall, there is a slightly macho-functional look to the interior with seat fabrics that Toyota says are water resistant for easy cleaning. One problem was that the gauges were hard to read in bright sunlight.
Behind the second row (a 60/40 split) is almost 28 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Fold down the second-row seats, and that increases to almost 67 cubic feet.
Safety equipment: There is lots of standard safety equipment. That includes anti-lock brakes and, more importantly, Toyota’s Vehicle Stability Control.
The VSC is Toyota’s version of electronic stability control. This is not just traction control. Instead, it tries to stop a skid if either the front or rear of the vehicle begins sliding. Studies have shown such systems are lifesavers.
One excellent safety option is a side air bag package. Pricing hasn’t been released, but on some other Toyota models it is about $650 and worth every penny. It includes seat-mounted front bags designed to provide chest protection and air curtains that cover the side windows (both rows) to provide head protection.
Such head protection can reduce the chances of a driver being killed in a side-impact crash by 45 percent, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
On and off the road: The FJ Cruiser has an independent front suspension (double wishbones) and a solid rear axle (four-link and coil spring).
Overall it worked remarkably well on the roads that weave through the canyons near here. The rack-and-pinion steering had good weight and feel. Despite a moderate amount of body lean, the FJ was agile, within the context of a sport utility. But the ride was on the firm side.
An off-road course that included rocks, ruts and extremely deep holes wasn’t a problem for the FJ. While its occupants were tilted at extremely odd angles, the FJ showed it could handle steep ascents and descents and provide power to the tires that most needed it.
The six-speed manual (borrowed from the Tacoma) has a workmanlike, trucky feel with the gearshift lever traveling a fair distance between gears. The alternative is a slick five-speed automatic.
The only engine is a 4.0-liter, aluminum V-6 with variable-valve timing. Also used on the Tundra and 4Runner, it is rated at 239 horsepower at 5,200 revolutions per minute and 278 foot-pounds of torque at 3,700 rpm. The V-6 provides a strong response at low speeds and works well with the five-speed automatic, although it drones a bit just under 2,000 rpm. Acceleration is decent but the FJ isn’t quick, its pace explained by the curb weight of almost 4,300 pounds for the four-wheel-drive models.
Toyota recommends 91-octane fuel for maximum power but said the engine will work without being damaged on 87 octane.
The official Environmental Protection Agency estimates are not available but Toyota is predicting: The automatic transmission and two-wheel drive will get 18 mpg city and 22 mpg highway; automatic transmission, four-wheel drive, 17 mpg city and 21 highway; manual transmission, four-wheel drive, 16 mpg city and 19 mpg highway.
Conclusions: Toyota has taken an unusual approach with the FJ Cruiser by designing a serious, heavy-duty off-road SUV when the trend is toward car-based SUVs never intended to go off-suburb. But the FJ offers visual pizazz topped with the exclusivity of being able to do serious, off-road work.
A lot of people will care less about going off-road, and the look is likely to be polarizing. But Toyota officials said they plan to sell only about 46,000 a year and it is hard to imagine they won’t easily meet that goal.
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