Read the Toyota FJ Cruiser's real-time logbook entries.
You've probably already seen at least one 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser by now. They're hard to miss with their white roofs, upright grilles and wraparound rear windows. It looks new, but it's actually kind of old, drawing its name and its styling from the original Toyota FJ40 that debuted in the early '60s. Underneath the skin it's similar to a 4Runner, but make no mistake, this is a completely different Toyota SUV.
From a design standpoint there's nothing like it on the road, but even Toyota isn't oblivious to the fact that retro is risky. What looks unique, different and eye-catching one day can become a first-class ticket to dorkdom the next, especially among the 18-to-34-year-old crowd it's designed to attract.
In order to head off any chance of being labeled a poser, Toyota made sure even the base two-wheel-drive models were capable of tackling tough terrain by giving them standard electronic traction control and a limited-slip rear differential. In a recent comparison test between four-wheel-drive versions of the FJ Cruiser and the Nissan Xterra, the Toyota proved its worthiness by excelling in the dirt and on the pavement. It was such a close contest, however, we were left wondering if the FJ's novelty factor might wear off after a few months, leaving it no more appealing than its Nissan rival.
In order to see if the FJ Cruiser was more than a one-week wonder, we went and bought one of our own to keep for a year. It wasn't easy, as most of the FJs on dealer lots were already spoken for prior to rolling off the delivery trucks. If their long-term attraction was in question, the FJ's short-term popularity obviously wasn't.
We finally tracked one down at Carson Toyota in Carson, California. It was fully loaded and blue in color. A 4.0-liter V6 with 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque is the only engine and we added four-wheel drive. You can get a six-speed manual, but we opted for the five-speed automatic given how much time it will spend on the pavement and in traffic. Four-wheel-drive models don't come standard with traction control and a rear locking differential so we added them along with an upgraded sound system with a six-disc CD changer and subwoofer.
There's also plenty of stuff that falls in the "want" category instead of the "need" category like the XM Satellite Radio, TRD performance exhaust and auxiliary AC outlet in the cargo area. Rear parking sensors usually fall into this category as well, but with its poor rearward visibility we considered this a must-have on the FJ.
Following our own buying advice, we contacted the dealership's Internet sales manager to see if we could make a deal. As we expected, there was not much of a deal to be had given the FJ's popularity so we ended up paying the full $32,102 sticker price. It's about as expensive as an FJ can get, so going for fewer options can get you one for well under $30K. The Internet sales manager who handled our purchase took care of all the paperwork and had everything ready within a day or two of making the deal.
Senior Features Editor Joanne Helperin drove the FJ home from the dealership and admitted to getting several thumbs-up along the way. But it wasn't until she got home that the full extent of the FJ's appeal became apparent. "I pulled into my driveway and you should have seen my kids' reactions. My 7-year-old son ran out of the house, jumped up and down, gave me the thumbs-up and told me it was, and I quote, 'Hot!'"
There aren't many SUVs with the ability to get that kind of reaction out of a 7-year-old, so we considered it a good sign. Although slightly older, Editorial Director Kevin Smith was impressed with the FJ as well. "A very nice marriage of the modern and the historical," he wrote in the logbook after putting on a few hundred miles. "It certainly gets lots of looks and it drives nicely, too. The steering, powertrain and suspension all feel very polished and sophisticated."
Other editors expressed similar feelings regarding the FJ's ride quality and handling. With its heavy emphasis on off-road performance, most editors figured it would be sloppy and soft on the pavement. After plenty of commuting, however, almost every driver noted how comfortable the FJ is around town. "No sharp impacts, no drifting from lane to lane, just a well-controlled, easily likable ride," wrote one editor after a few days behind the wheel.
And what about the stuff we don't like? Well, there are plenty of issues that have cropped up already. Dan Edmunds, our director of vehicle testing and a former Toyota engineer, called the TRD exhaust a waste of $550. He cited its lame sound and the fact that it lessens the vehicle's departure angle. Senior Editor Erin Riches called the requirement for premium fuel "criminal" given the FJ's image as an affordable, back-to-basics off-roader.
More than a few editors noted how high the FJ stands with the optional roof rack, something we figured out real quick after barely making it into our underground parking garage. That issue aside, the roof rack did prove its usefulness during the shooting of our recent Dodge Challenger concept video. A sturdy piece of 4-by-8 plywood, some U-bolts and a couple of 2-by-4s were all it took to turn our FJ's rack into a mobile platform that could withstand the weight of two cameramen standing on top. It wasn't pretty, but it didn't look out of place on the FJ either.
With barely 1,900 miles on the odometer, our FJ is just getting started, and so far the novelty hasn't worn thin. The real test, however, will come in the next few months as the admiring looks fade and the miles pile up. We'll keep you posted.
Current Odometer: 1,912
Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None.
Read the Toyota FJ Cruiser's real-time logbook entries.
You've probably already seen at least one 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser by now. They're hard to miss with their white roofs, upright grilles and wraparound rear windows. It looks new, but it's actually kind of old, drawing its name and its styling from the original Toyota FJ40 that debuted in the early '60s. Underneath the skin it's similar to a 4Runner, but make no mistake, this is a completely different Toyota SUV.
From a design standpoint there's nothing like it on the road, but even Toyota isn't oblivious to the fact that retro is risky. What looks unique, different and eye-catching one day can become a first-class ticket to dorkdom the next, especially among the 18-to-34-year-old crowd it's designed to attract.
In order to head off any chance of being labeled a poser, Toyota made sure even the base two-wheel-drive models were capable of tackling tough terrain by giving them standard electronic traction control and a limited-slip rear differential. In a recent comparison test between four-wheel-drive versions of the FJ Cruiser and the Nissan Xterra, the Toyota proved its worthiness by excelling in the dirt and on the pavement. It was such a close contest, however, we were left wondering if the FJ's novelty factor might wear off after a few months, leaving it no more appealing than its Nissan rival.
In order to see if the FJ Cruiser was more than a one-week wonder, we went and bought one of our own to keep for a year. It wasn't easy, as most of the FJs on dealer lots were already spoken for prior to rolling off the delivery trucks. If their long-term attraction was in question, the FJ's short-term popularity obviously wasn't.
We finally tracked one down at Carson Toyota in Carson, California. It was fully loaded and blue in color. A 4.0-liter V6 with 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque is the only engine and we added four-wheel drive. You can get a six-speed manual, but we opted for the five-speed automatic given how much time it will spend on the pavement and in traffic. Four-wheel-drive models don't come standard with traction control and a rear locking differential so we added them along with an upgraded sound system with a six-disc CD changer and subwoofer.
There's also plenty of stuff that falls in the "want" category instead of the "need" category like the XM Satellite Radio, TRD performance exhaust and auxiliary AC outlet in the cargo area. Rear parking sensors usually fall into this category as well, but with its poor rearward visibility we considered this a must-have on the FJ.
Following our own buying advice, we contacted the dealership's Internet sales manager to see if we could make a deal. As we expected, there was not much of a deal to be had given the FJ's popularity so we ended up paying the full $32,102 sticker price. It's about as expensive as an FJ can get, so going for fewer options can get you one for well under $30K. The Internet sales manager who handled our purchase took care of all the paperwork and had everything ready within a day or two of making the deal.
Senior Features Editor Joanne Helperin drove the FJ home from the dealership and admitted to getting several thumbs-up along the way. But it wasn't until she got home that the full extent of the FJ's appeal became apparent. "I pulled into my driveway and you should have seen my kids' reactions. My 7-year-old son ran out of the house, jumped up and down, gave me the thumbs-up and told me it was, and I quote, 'Hot!'"
There aren't many SUVs with the ability to get that kind of reaction out of a 7-year-old, so we considered it a good sign. Although slightly older, Editorial Director Kevin Smith was impressed with the FJ as well. "A very nice marriage of the modern and the historical," he wrote in the logbook after putting on a few hundred miles. "It certainly gets lots of looks and it drives nicely, too. The steering, powertrain and suspension all feel very polished and sophisticated."
Other editors expressed similar feelings regarding the FJ's ride quality and handling. With its heavy emphasis on off-road performance, most editors figured it would be sloppy and soft on the pavement. After plenty of commuting, however, almost every driver noted how comfortable the FJ is around town. "No sharp impacts, no drifting from lane to lane, just a well-controlled, easily likable ride," wrote one editor after a few days behind the wheel.
And what about the stuff we don't like? Well, there are plenty of issues that have cropped up already. Dan Edmunds, our director of vehicle testing and a former Toyota engineer, called the TRD exhaust a waste of $550. He cited its lame sound and the fact that it lessens the vehicle's departure angle. Senior Editor Erin Riches called the requirement for premium fuel "criminal" given the FJ's image as an affordable, back-to-basics off-roader.
More than a few editors noted how high the FJ stands with the optional roof rack, something we figured out real quick after barely making it into our underground parking garage. That issue aside, the roof rack did prove its usefulness during the shooting of our recent Dodge Challenger concept video. A sturdy piece of 4-by-8 plywood, some U-bolts and a couple of 2-by-4s were all it took to turn our FJ's rack into a mobile platform that could withstand the weight of two cameramen standing on top. It wasn't pretty, but it didn't look out of place on the FJ either.
With barely 1,900 miles on the odometer, our FJ is just getting started, and so far the novelty hasn't worn thin. The real test, however, will come in the next few months as the admiring looks fade and the miles pile up. We'll keep you posted.
Current Odometer: 1,912
Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None.
Read the Toyota FJ Cruiser's real-time logbook entries.
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