An Extremely Capable Ugly DucklingIt's undoubtedly an accomplished 4X4 but regardless of what others say, I say it's Toyota's ugly duckling. When it comes to the automobile, looks are
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
only tin deep. It's what lies beneath the sheet metal that really matters, so I'll not comment any further on the
FJ Cruiser's appearance other than to say it's based on the historic FJ40 Land Cruiser, a tremendously rugged 4X4 built by Toyota from 1960-1984. I must however mention that when handed the keys today's FJ, I was surprised not to see a key fob attached to the ring. After manually unlocking the door and starting the rig, I spent a considerable period of time looking for the power mirror controls, eventually determining that the side mirrors were manually adjusted from outside the vehicle. Fortunately once queued-up their large size provides excellent visibility. A huge blind spot between the front and rear side windows can make reversing into a parking space or changing lanes very mirror-dependent.
The absence of keyless entry and power-adjustable mirrors confirmed that Toyota supplied me with a base model FJ Cruiser. This is the unit you'd
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
drive off the lot for the advertised starting price of $29,990CA, which is very reasonable for such a competent off-roader with true Land Cruiser lineage. If needed, power mirrors and keyless entry along with many other amenities can be found in either of the two upgraded trim-levels; however choosing to stick with the base FJ doesn't subject one to "stripper" status. Standard fare includes power windows, power locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio, filtered air conditioning, rear seat heater ducts, 60/40 split folding rear seats and lots of cup holders, tie downs and storage compartments, all contained within a voluminous cabin offering up to 1,890 litres (66.8 cu ft) of cargo volume. Toyota has targeted the FJ at a youthful market. Recognizing the importance music plays in this segment, Toyota has equipped the FJ with two Exciter speakers situated behind the headliner to create a "sound shower." The surround-sound effect is subtle but detectable.
Climbing aboard, the FJ quickly communicates its practical, ready for serious "off-road" attitude. Rubber matting replaces carpeting, water-repellent cloth replaces leather and utility replaces beauty. It's just
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
simple and basic, with controls that are well marked and easy to operate. While sitting in supportive, multi-adjustable front seats one will find plenty of head and legroom. Curiously the driver qualifies for a fold-down armrest while the passenger does without- a case of passenger-comfort inequity which drew the ire of my navigator. Rear seat legroom can be challenging if those in the front seats are greedy. Plus rear seat ingress/egress, which is aided by quarter doors hinged to the rear, is awkward at best. After clambering into the rear, visibility is marginal due to the odd side-window arrangement leaving rear seat passengers looking out small non-opening portholes. Visibility for the driver isn't great either. Looking out the wide, narrow front windscreen reminded of driving the H3 Hummer. In both cases the upright angle of the glass combined with a low roofline nets restricted upward visibility, making it difficult to see overhead traffic lights. What the FJ has that the H3 doesn't have is a third wiper. The three wipers spanning the FJ's long windscreen do a marvelous job of keeping it clear, and that's most useful when splashing through waist-high mud.
