First Drive Review
The FJ concept displayed at the Detroit show in 2003 differed dramatically from other Toyota show cars, according to Toyota chief engineer Akio Nishimura. Normally, he says, Toyota show vehicles are developed with the idea that they could one day become production cars. But the FJ was a design study from Toyota's Calty Design Research facility in California intended purely as a follow-up to Rod Millen's one-off Retro Cruiser (Upfront, November 1999).
The response was so positive the FJ was given a green light for production as a 2007. It says something about Toyota's extraordinary stockpile of vehicle systems that such a unique-looking product can get to market a mere three years and change later as Toyota's "most capable off-road vehicle."
Thank the modified Land Cruiser Prado underpinnings (also shared by the Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470) for that accomplishment, along with thoughtful design touches that facilitate off-roading-among them short approach and departure overhangs, generous ground clearance, and the chamfered edges at the car's four corners.
Toyota's extensive experience with off-road products provides the FJ Cruiser with proven mechanicals-a solid axle in the rear with suspension pickup points tucked well out of the way and an unequal-length control-arm front end with similarly protected coil-over springs and shocks. A quick look under the car reveals a clean view between the wheels, with bash plates placed under the most vulnerable components.
The tractive effort for this cubic canyon crawler is provided by Toyota's 4.0-liter V-6, which produces 239 horsepower and-more important-a broad spread of torque (peaking at 278 pound-feet) courtesy of a variable-valve-timing system. That's with 91-octane fuel. You'll get less power on lower-octane fuel if that's all you can find in the boonies.
To put that useful torque to work, Toyota offers three alternatives. There's two-wheel drive for that arduous trip to Starbucks, a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a five-speed automatic transmission, and a full-time four-wheel-drive mechanism with a six-speed manual transmission. Naturally, the four-wheel-drive models have transfer cases for mode and range selection.
On manual-transmission models, which are also equipped with Torsen limited-slip center differentials, there's a lever-selected choice of high-range four-wheel drive, low-range four-wheel drive, and low-range four-wheel drive with diff lock. The automatic-transmission car offers shift- on-the fly selection of two-wheel drive or high-range four-wheel drive, but you'll need to stop to select low-range four-wheel drive.
The front differentials are open-type units, as are the rears unless the buyer opts for the available switch-activated lockable rear diff. In that case, actuation disables a handy system that Toyota calls active traction control, or A-TRAC, that is supplied on all four-wheel-drive models. Similar to systems we've seen from other SUV makers, A-TRAC monitors and controls wheelspin using the ABS-like all traction-control systems-but this one will allow some wheelspin to get you out of slippery situations. The two-wheel-drive models get a limited-slip rear differential instead.
Using the A-TRAC system to attack a challenging off-road course Toyota set up on a ranch near Ojai, California, we were able to negotiate some seriously cratered sections along with boulder-strewn uphill climbs with the FJ Cruiser's OE tires set at their roadgoing pressures. Considering the stock Bridgestone Duelers wear street-biased all-terrain tread patterns, we were sufficiently impressed.
As we were with the FJ Cruiser's refined street manners, obvious build quality, and amazing versatility. Those suicide doors provide easy access to the rear seats, which provide good head and shoulder space and fold forward in a 60/40 split to increase the cargo volume from 28 cubic feet to 67 cubic feet. Rear legroom isn't exactly gargantuan, nor is the FJ's price. Toyota says you can get a well-equipped FJ Cruiser for $25,000, and that's a concept we can live with.
