A new cruiser for the kids
By Karl Brauer
Date posted: 01-01-2006
If your first thought when gazing at the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser is something along the lines of, "Oh great, another retro vehicle," you're not alone. Between the Volkswagen "New" Beetle, Mini Cooper, Ford Mustang and recently unveiled Dodge Challenger, it could be argued that automakers have run out of new ideas and are simply living off their past glory.
But there's a flaw in that line of thinking. Simply put, Toyota is having plenty of success with its current SUV lineup. Even the company's oldest off-road design, the Land Cruiser, continues to win awards and accolades, including Edmunds' 2006 Most Wanted SUV over $45,000. So unlike the companies building those other retro vehicles, Toyota doesn't need the FJ Cruiser to revive interest in the brand. In fact, the original FJ concept vehicle was designed at Toyota's Calty Design Research center in Newport Beach, California, and shown at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show as a pure concept study, with no serious plans for production.
However, with consumers doing cartwheels around the FJ Cruiser's show stand, and the automotive press writing rave reviews, Toyota decided to put it into production six months after the concept debuted. The first prototype was built on a modified Prado (4Runner/GX 470) platform in the summer of 2004, and the final production models will be in dealerships by March 2006.
The "go" to match its retro
And while the FJ Cruiser's lineage is long ("FJ" has been the Land Cruiser's internal vehicle code name for over 50 years ago), Toyota's vice president of marketing, Jim Farley, has dubbed the 2007 version "…the most distinctive and capable 4x4 in the Toyota lineup." That's quite a statement from the company building the existing Land Cruiser and 4Runner. Farley adds that the FJ Cruiser not only moves the Land Cruiser tradition forward, but does so at a starting price below $25,000 (exact pricing has yet to be announced), making it available to a far wider range of buyers.
To avoid the poseur label that could have easily befallen a new SUV wearing the "FJ" badge, Toyota has outfitted the FJ with a choice of two 4x4 systems, two transmissions and two types of locking differentials. The base model offers two-wheel drive and a five-speed automatic, and in the "Pre-Runner" spirit even two-wheel-drive models can be had with an electric locking rear differential. They also come with a standard automatic limited-slip differential (Auto LSD) that reads the relative speed of the rear-drive wheels and attempts to match them (this feature can be disabled by a switch on the dash).
But Toyota expects over 90 percent of FJs sold in the first year (with a production run of around 46,000 units) to be 4x4 models. The same five-speed automatic is available on 4x4 FJ Cruisers, as is a six-speed manual that includes a clutch start cancel feature. This allows you to start the engine without depressing the clutch, which can be a lifesaver when you've stalled on a steep incline and would rather not dance between the brake and clutch pedal as the vehicle rolls uncontrollably down a hill.
Automatic models come with a transfer case that can be driven in 2-Hi, 4-Hi and 4-Lo mode. Manual models are always in four-wheel drive, with the transfer case offering 4-Hi, 4-Hi with locked differential and 4-Lo with locked differential. This model uses a Torsen limited-slip center differential with a static 40-60 torque split between the front and rear axles. However, up to 70 percent of power can be sent to the rear wheels, and up to 53 percent to the front wheels, depending on available traction at each end.
Regardless of tranny and driveline configuration you get the same Toyota aluminum block 4.0-liter, 60-degree V6 engine from the Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner. With dual-overhead cams, 24 valves and VVT-i technology, the engine manages 239 horsepower at 5,200 rpm, and 278 pound-feet of torque at 3,700 rpm. Note that both numbers are based on 91-octane fuel, which isn't required but is recommended.
Preliminary mileage numbers are 18/22 for the automatic 4x2, 16/19 for the 4x4 with manual transmission and 17/21 for the 4x4 automatic. All models offer a 5,000-pound towing capacity, and our automatic 4x4 test vehicle got to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. Not flying, but neither does it feel slow in normal, everyday driving.
Not your soccer mom's SUV
With those mileage figures, along with its premium fuel recommendation, the FJ Cruiser may not be as popular with suburban moms as SUVs were in the days of sub-$2-a-gallon gasoline. Throw in a nearly inaccessible rear seat, even when utilizing the small reverse-opening rear doors, and you have a rather inhospitable vehicle for soccer practice drop-offs or local mall runs.
Yet Toyota isn't worried, as the automaker is sincere when it says the vehicle is designed for young (and kudos to Toyota for not saying "the young at heart") single males who can appreciate the FJ's extreme off-road capabilities. Beyond the two-speed transfer case, available locking differential and 17-inch wheels wearing 32-inch tires, all 4x4 models offer 9.6 inches of ground clearance, 34-degree approach and 30-degree departure angles and a 27.4-degree break-over angle. Skid plates for the engine, transfer case and fuel tank, along with 8 and 9 inches of front and rear suspension travel, respectively, would certainly go to waste on Rodeo Drive (though we're sure at least a few will end up there, nonetheless).
We personally tested all of these items in some of the most aggressive off-road driving we've yet experienced. The articulation of the double A-arm front suspension and four-link rear suspension was truly amazing to behold (whether riding in the cabin or watching from outside). Our test car also had Toyota's optional A-TRAC system, which can be activated with a switch on the dash and offers much of the same effect as a locking differential — without any binding during tight turns at low speeds. In the months leading up to the FJ Cruiser's launch in March you'll hear much ado about the vehicle's off-road prowess. It may come off as hype, but trust us when we tell you — it isn't.
Prowess has a price
With the FJ Cruiser hopping rough terrain like a frightened gazelle, you might expect on-road driving dynamics akin to a wounded ostrich. But if you've experienced any of the current-generation Land Cruisers, you know Toyota expects more from even its most capable boulder bashers. The FJ, like the Land Cruiser, is a highly affable mode of transport, even if you never go off-road. Seat comfort is superb, with supportive bolsters and a soft yet durable cloth. And despite its breadbox design there is little wind noise at speeds above 50 mph.
Steering response and braking confidence (it stopped from 60 mph in 126 feet) are also on par with even the most carlike SUVs currently available. Slalom speed was a mediocre 56 mph, but that's more a reflection of Toyota's overly aggressive stability control system than the FJ's lack of handling prowess, as it's really quite good — for a 4,300-pound SUV.
But as already mentioned, don't look to the FJ as your minivan replacement. While second-row seating is spacious enough, getting into those seats requires both a high step-up and a contortionist dance, even with the rear doors open. And rear visibility is tanklike because of the wide C-pillar and tiny corner window that proves as effective as a solar-powered flashlight. We should further point out that front visibility also takes a hit due to the high hood line, making both parking maneuvers and off-road obstacle-spotting a tricky prospect.
We do approve of the interior design, which stays true to the original FJ philosophy by being straightforward and functional rather than overly stylized and littered with gimmicks (OK, the inclinomoter in the optional dash-top gauge cluster may be a little cheesy). We do wish Toyota (along with Acura and Jaguar) would lose the bulky gated shifter design, and the color-matched center stack may not work for everyone. But kudos to them for supplying an MP3 auxiliary input on even the base audio system, and for offering an optional power outlet package with a 115-volt, three-prong A/C outlet in the cargo area.
More to come
There's already talk of a "Moab" special-edition model that will feature the talents of Toyota's in-house tuner division, TRD. Beyond that there will be a full line of accessories covering everything from roof racks to rock rails to locking storage boxes and a removable Garmin "Quest 2" navigation unit. And that's just from Toyota. More than 60 aftermarket companies have already been given full access to preproduction FJ Cruisers, and you can bet they are all hard at work on their own lines of baubles and bolt-ons.
One thing's for sure, if Toyota only produces 46,000 in the first year and the price starts at less than $25,000, there will be more demand than supply, which will inevitably mean dealer markups and eBay auctions.
So, from that perspective, the FJ will be just like every other retro vehicle of the last decade.
Link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...rticleId=108557
