2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser still tough as nails
I’ve always liked the FJ Cruiser, not only because it’s “so different” than other SUVs but also because it’s so practical and usable in real outdoors. Unlike most SUVs — which are really crossovers designed for casual off-roading — the FJ is a true work horse when it comes to driving through tough terrains.
Yet, surprisingly it’s not a bad road vehicle too, with comfortable ride and predictable handling that might surprise you.
The FJ Cruiser can seat five and has unusual rear-hinged side doors that allow access to its rear seats. Ease of entry has been improved on the passenger side, with a front passenger seatback that folds farther forward. The rear cargo door is hinged on the driver’s side of the vehicle, instead of the usual liftgate.
The outboard rear seats have also been upgraded with folding head restraints. This handy feature improves the driver’s rear vision when the seats are not in use. That said, outward vision is an issue in an FJ, mainly due to its extra wide roof support pillars.
The FJ’s gutsy 4.0-litre V6 engine produces 271 lb-ft of torque, which peaks at 4400 rpm. It’s a modern engine with dual variable valve timing, which means the valve opening/closing sequence on both the intake and exhaust camshafts changes with engine speed.
The base six-speed manual version comes with full-time four-wheel drive. Our test FJ Cruiser came with the optional five-speed automatic ($1,000) and part-time four-wheel drive. A separate shift lever allows the driver to select a higher-ratio gear range (for off-road use). This package also adds a rear differential lock and skid-plate protection for the engine, transfer case and gas tank.
An “Adventurer Package” ($5,995) was also fitted to our test FJ. It includes a long list of features including the very cool looking safari-style roof rack, which looked strong enough to hold a buffalo. An interesting inclusion in this package was the ten speaker JBL audio system with its massive subwoofer in the cargo area.
Another is the Multi Information Display. This is a trio of gauges that sit on top of the dashboard and provide outside temperature, a compass and an inclinometer, which tells you that the FJ is on an incline, in case you need to know.
Toyota has used the FJ and J designation on an older military-style utility vehicle that it made, which became the Land Cruiser in North America. While some styling cues are transferred, the FJ Cruiser is a unique design that attempts to recapture the spirit of its predecessors.
Toyota’s design studios in Southern California came up with the concept and the engineering and production work on the FJ Cruiser was done in Japan. Retro exterior FJ styling cues include that narrow slot in the hood that acts as a secondary engine air intake and the upright windshield with its trio of wipers.
While the FJ Cruiser shares much of its under-structure with the Toyota 4Runner and Tacoma pickup truck, it has a shorter wheelbase and very short front and rear body overhangs. This, of course, is to allow it manoeuvre better in tighter confines and be an even better off-road vehicle.
The purpose-built highly functional theme of FJ is continued on the inside. Forget leather upholstery as the FJ only comes with water-resistant cloth upholstery and easy-clean rubberized floor and cargo mats.
The dash has a utilitarian, industrial look with an odd lower section that sticks out into the cabin. I caught my knee on it a couple of times while hauling myself into the driver’s seat. When seated (and possibly coursing and hurting) the driver then faces an instrument panel with plain whitefaced gauges that are easy to read.
In addition to the regular glove box, there’s a handy although smaller covered storage box on top of the instrument panel in front of the driver. Cup holders are provided in the centre console and in all four doors. A feature that could come in very handy is a secondary fold-down sun visor above both front doors.
The rear-seat cushions tip forward to allow the rear seatbacks, which are split 60/40, to fold forward and expand is cargo bay. It’s not a completely flat expanded cargo floor feature, but its close enough to still be highly usable.
The side curtain airbags come with a roll sensing and activation system, which is good to have on a tall, higher centre of gravity vehicle. The front seats also come with active head restraints that help prevent whiplash type injuries. An auto-dimming rearview mirror is a new feature.
While it`s more capable than most utility vehicle buyers will ever put to test, the FJ Cruiser bestows its goanywhere driving freedom and a status level on its owner that many will enjoy. It’s also rated to tow as much as 2268 kg (5,000 lbs.), which is a goodsized trailer.
If most driving is done in the city, however, fuel consumption will probably be an issue. The FJ is a heavy vehicle with a fairly large engine and its transmission gearing is not designed to provide optimal fuel economy.
The manual transmission version of the FJ Cruiser has an off-road crawl ratio of 41.84:1 and a clutchless start feature that can come in handy, especially if you plan to do some rockcrawling manoeuvres.
The automatic transmission’s fourwheel-drive system offers shift-on-thefly selection. The choices are H2 (high range/2 wheel drive), H4 (high range/4 wheel drive) or L4 (low range/4wheel drive) settings on the transfer case.
The wide roof support pillars and short window glass do present some driver vision issues, particularly if you’re an avid shoulder-checker. The driver has a wide B pillar over the left shoulder and C pillar on the right do restricts vision of traffic in the socalled “blind spot”. The big side mirrors, if used correctly, can certainly minimize or eliminate this issue.
The roof extends further forward than in most vehicles and the wide front A pillars can also restrict crosstraffic driver sightlines in some intersections. Extra caution is answer here.
On city streets and on highways the FJ Cruiser offers a more comfortable ride than you might expect, even in the back seat. While there’s some wind noise from the big roof rack at highway speeds, its oh-so-cool factor would certainly out-weight this minor annoyance.
Summary: Not for everyone, in fact, the bold and blunt one-of-kind Toyota FJ Cruiser selects its masters — they simply have to own it!