Every once in a while at work, we get an out of state deal (typically Rhode Island) that usually requires me to deliver the new car to the buyer at the DMV, register it for them in the dealer express line (and I’m using “express” loosely, as nothing at the DMV is ever speedy), and drive back in their trade-in.
It’s a nice change of pace to be out on the road for the day and the part I look forward to is getting to drive the trade-in back, which in every case so far has been a car I’ve never driven before. The drive back to South Shore MINI gives me a good hour of real world driving to give the car a proper road test, and form a concise assessment of its pros and cons.
For my most recent RI delivery, I met the buyer of a certified pre-owned 2013 Countryman All4 at the DMV’s main Cranston branch, and after an hour or so of small talk while waiting, registered it with no paperwork issues (thankfully), and drove off in his 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser.
Before getting on the super brief RI-37 to get me to I-95, I stopped off at the Whole Foods up the road to grab a quick lunch before heading back to the Bay State. With its wide turning radius and minimal power steering assist, maneuvering the tall and wide FJ Cruiser in the tight parking lot was certainly a different experience than say, in a MINI or even most compact and midsize CUVs. I performed a full 180-degree turn to pull into a space, and let’s just say I was way over the line.
Backing up out of the space in the busy parking lot was also somewhat difficult, as the combination of the FJ’s high ride height, wide C-pillars, and tiny rear windows, greatly limit visibility. Once back on the road, the FJ was much more manageable. It’s certainly a big vehicle, but its short length relative to most other large SUVs and pickups make turns and lane changes noticeably easier.
Expectedly, its 239 horsepower/278 pound-feet torque V6 and 5-speed auto doesn’t produce quick sprints off the line or for highway passing maneuvers for this 4,300-pound truck. Nonetheless, once the Cruiser made it up to 70+ mph, things still felt pretty smooth and confident from behind the wheel. I couldn’t say the same for its straight-line levelness, as the strong cross winds combined with its soft suspension and height required a firm grip on the steering wheel to avoid being blown out of my lane. The aftermarket-looking yet factory Pioneer sound system was excellent, though its omission of a knob for a quick scroll through the radio stations was an great annoyance.
My biggest dislike about the FJ Cruiser, however, was its seats. Lacking much support, the driver’s seat was very soft and I felt like I was sinking into it the whole time. Additionally, unlike most SUVs where you sit in a very chair-like, high off the floor position, I felt like I was sitting on the floor even with the seat manually adjusted as high as it would go. With the high beltlines, this further decreased already poor visibility and general comfort.
In any event, the FJ Cruiser was a fun and interesting ride for the day. I was only disappointed I didn’t get the chance to take it off road. There really is merit behind the idea that driving a big, towering SUV heightens one’s sense of feeling that he or she owns the road. For better or worse, this massive, encompassing yellow tank of a vehicle certainly gave me a more laissez-faire attitude towards other motorists. Though it would never be a car I’d want to buy, even if I was in the market for a large SUV, it was an entertaining drive, and a driving experience I shall never forget.
Tall n wide? its only a puddle jumper, bigger than a BMW Mini sure but not really very large I look down on these things all day long.
I’m sorry Brendan, but the only dimension that the FJ is larger in regards to your own TSX in real world conditions is width; 72.4 inches vs. 74.6. To call it massive is very misleading. Those 2.2 inches in width won’t mean shit realistically for anybody who has had to or chooses to drive truly large cars.
Well, considering these are my personal driving impressions, it felt like a very large vehicle to me. It might not to you when you get behind the wheel. If you feel I am being misleading, then you should take one for a spin and write your own review, sharing your driving perspectives with us all.
Have a next door neighbor with one of these, bright blue wondered how they drove. I do like the looks of these FJ’s. They are now selling the house next door they bought 6 months ago for 35k more.
Happy I bought in ’98 and rental in ’10, prices are rising fast in these parts.
Sounds like more trade in CC writer driving impression’s may be in the future.
Now I do feel like a grade A jerk. Sorry Brendan 🙁 I get hung up on lots of trivial stuff it seems, and I am likely a lesser person for that. I’m sorry I made you have to defend your own valid impressions.
No harm done. As I said, they’re just my personal opinions of the car. I’m not saying I’m right and that no one is free to disagree. Just keep it respectful.
I can absolutely appreciate your description of these. Mostly because of visibility and the bodystyle, SUVs tend to feel much bigger than a similarly sized car. My current 01 Grand Vitara, while not large, feels much bigger than the 91 Geo Storm I used to have, which was 1″ longer and 1″ narrower.
To me, vehicles with bolt-upright windshields like the FJ also make for particularly awkward sightlines when driving. My sister briefly had a Hummer H3 with a similar profile, and the visibility from the drivers seat was so poor due to A pillar placement that I could barely drive it.
Interesting impressions. I have never been inside of one of these and wondered what they were like. I was moderately interested in these at first but soon became tired of the Tonka-ness of the design. I have not seen one on the road in awhile around here.
Tonka toy was my first thought about the design and the colorj ust reaffirms it.
Brendan, I think it’s entirely to your credit that you are able to give an honest, non-partisan opinion on the various vehicles you write about – despite being employed by a specific automotive brand. As a bonus, you write so well on the subject.
Having said that, whenever I see one of these, all I can think of is clown shoes.
These have intrigued me for a while, so I’m glad you have reported on one.
From that picture of you sitting behind the wheel, if that seat was cranked all the way up at the time, it is indeed low. At least you knew your seat time was finite and you hadn’t bought it.
So color me envious….I have a drive report on a vehicle from work coming up in about ten days or so, and it is nothing near as interesting as this Toyota.
I sat in one at the Portland Auto Show when they first came out. They are awful, another late model Toyota letdown. The Toyota truck’s I would buy are not sold here in North America. Are you listening, Toyota? Some of us like bedside hooks, solid front axles, and manual locking hubs and manual shift transfer cases. They work in sub zero temps. Guess I will stick with my ’83 Ranger 5.0L
Is it possible to legally import used Mexican-market vehicles?
http://www.toyotahilux.com.mx
Once in a while you see these, mostly in bright yellow or blue. A supplier of Japanese car parts nearby happens to have one. IIRC these were never available with a diesel engine, and then you already know it will remain a specialty.
It was based on the underpinnings of the contemporary Land Cruiser 120-series / Prado, see below. Midsize Toyota SUVs, like the Prado, were and still are offered as a short-wheelbase 3-door and as a long-wheelbase 5-door.
That might be a problem in the Euro market but in the USA Market, lack of Diesel engine is not a issue. As much as the VW and Benz like to crow on about how popular Diesel is, it still is a niche market. For most vehicle buyers in the USA, the lack of a Diesel engine is only a liability in the Pickup truck, 18 wheeler/heavy duty truck and heavy machinery markets.
After this VW scandal, Diesel might be a dying technology in the passenger market in the USA.
Yes, I was referring to the Euro market. For relatively heavy vehicles, like SUVs, gasoline is too expensive given the average fuel consumption of said vehicles. Diesel SUVs get an average “real world” fuel consumption of 25 to 30 MPG; not possible with gasoline. And then we still ignore the fact that diesel is also cheaper than gasoline, so all in all it’s a win-win.
Different parts of the world, different needs.
In my part of the USA (East Coast) the price of diesel is always higher then the price of low grade gas due to all the additives that are required to be in it due to Fed and state laws.
The price of diesel is not higher due to the additives that are required by law. It is actually the opposite in that it is the requirements that the diesel have most of the sulfur removed that caused an increase in diesel prices. It is also more expensive because it contains more energy and you get much less of it through straight distillation. So to meet diesel demand they do it synthetically which adds to the cost and they need to sacrifice other output and use more raw material to create that extra gallon of diesel.
Despite all of that in my area recently diesel has dropped to or sometimes below regular unleaded. This is apparently due in part to profit taking on the part of the oil companies and/or retailers. It had traditionally averaged a ~12% higher price than regular gas according to my friend who had a couple of TDIs and now a diesel X5 along with gas powered vehicles. He is an engineer type so he carefully tracks the fuel used and the cost of the fuel over a long period of time.
Diesel and gasoline are global commodities, and that’s what affects the prices, especially with diesel, above and beyond different taxes and such). During times of strong economic growth, heavy equipment and such used for construction and infrastructure increases demand for diesel, much more than for gasoline. The high diesel prices we saw for an extended period until recently directly mirrored the period of China’s greatest economic expansion, with massive construction and infrastructure projects. That’s what drove up the price of diesel.
Almost all refineries are designed to produce gasoline and diesel according to a certain ratio, one that can’t be readily changed. That’s why some years back Europeans were selling gasoline to the US, because their refineries were making more gas than they could use.
Diesel and gas prices have both come down, but not in lock-step, because of the varying demand globally. Since it’s easier/cheaper to distill diesel than gas, historically diesel was cheaper in the US, but globalization of commodities has changed that. If the Chinese (or someone else) needs more diesel fuel, it will affect our prices here in the US.
Here in AZ I see considerable variation in the retail price spread between diesel & gasoline, with no obvious pattern; sometimes it’s cheaper, other times at parity, or higher.
My wife has a Prius; its worst-case, hwy MPG is a little less than the maximum (highway) figure for the TDI Jetta, whereas the Prius easily exceeds 50 in urban/suburban driving. Of course the VW is more rewarding to drive. I would consider a diesel car if makers I trusted offered them.
These sell okay in Oz, but if there was a diesel version they would race out the gate. I don’t mind them, they are retro, and I like that.
KJ in Oz
“Though it would never be a car I’d want to buy, even if I was in the market for a large SUV”
This is probably what most folks thought about this truck and nobody bought them. Hence why it was killed off.
It must have driven Toyota nuts that this truck sold piss poor and yet its obvious competitor the Jeep Wrangler was selling 3 to 4 times more each year the FJ was offered. (in 2013 alone, Jeep sold over 155,000 Wranglers to just over 13,000 FJ’s
I have to agree. While I am not a late model Jeep fan, I would gladly take a Wrangler over this Toyota Turd. And many did.
I remember when these came out. They did look massive for a 2 door SUV because of their width and height. I also remember thinking that these were copies of GM’s unfortunate Hummer brand that came out a few years prior. It probably the reason why Toyota wanted to go with the “massive” look. To me it looked more like a Hummer, than a modern FJ Cruiser. It was much too chunky looking to be a FJ Cruiser. The original FJ looked more like a Jeep than a Hummer. Fortunately the massive look was a short lived fad. In retrospect Toyota should have copied the Jeep. The Jeep Wrangler is still around, where as the Hummer is gone.
Speaking of Hummer, ever heard of the Toyota Mega Cruiser ?
I thought that was just a show car – they actually built it? Must’ve been asleep!
More info, some of it must be correct 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Mega_Cruiser
A friend had one and when riding in it the things that stuck out in my mind were LOUD inside and the buckboard ride. Sure the highways we were traveling were not glass smooth but dang there was as much pitching as a ride on a lake.
That high floor is one of the gripes I had with my last 4Runner, it was like sitting in a car only higher up. But it serves a purpose and is acceptable in an off-road vehicle IMO. It was also poor in crosswinds like the FJ.
You also found out the reason I usually back my pickup into parking spaces when I can. With practice backing in gets easier, but backing out with poor visibility is never easy.
Reading most the comments, this should be a contender for Toyota Deadly Sin #1.
I wouldn’t call this a Deadly Sin. In fact, I give Toyota a lot of credit for having the balls to make something with such personality. Sure, its style trumps functionality and even comfort, but it still has a lot to offer for those seeking a rugged, “personal” SUV.
+1 as much as I personally think these are clown shoes, I also genuinely consider them to be a marketing masterstroke. No deadly sin here, instead its a very visible (though relatively rare) celebration of a unique aspect of Toyota’s heritage and I’d say most who bought one did so because of that association.
I think they were a clever marketing exercise back in the 2000s, but they did not age well style wise and seem to have all but disappeared from the roads. The H2 was considered “cool” at one time as well, now they just seem kind of dumb. I’m guessing their impracticability and the high fuel prices of the early 2010s took them off the road.
I would put the FJ Cruiser in the same category as the Plymouth Prowler and Chevy SSR. Cool on paper, not so much in real life.
I agree Don, as well as with the Prowler and SSR. I don’t personally like any of them, but rather than consider them a proper vehicle per se, I think each of these models serves as a great road-going billboard or PR opp for their respective manufacturers. Of course, if you’re in the mind to actually purchase one, then it’s caveat emptor and accelerated depreciation curves ahead.
Edit: Paul just made the point below that these FJs actually have a high resale value.
Toyota really blew the retro vibe with this. If they had stuck much closer to the upright, flat-window styling of the original FJ40, they might actually have gotten some Wrangler shoppers who liked the Wrangler, but were scared off by the abysmal reliability (which, AFAIK, has ranked as the worst of any new vehicle sold in the US for some time).
But the FJ Cruiser just comes off as pretentious. The worst faux-pas was not having a soft top version. Even with the odd, claustrophobic styling (i.e., massive C-pillar) and inefficient packaging, a model that had a removable soft top like the Wrangler might have worked.
The low seating is a weird compromise in such a tall vehicle. I’ve never been in an FJ, but the odd interior dynamics remind me of another horribly compromised vehicle interior – the Hummer H2. For a monster of a vehicle the seating was awful and the view out was terrible.
Sometimes I sort of like the FJ, other times I find it too cartoonish. No doubt, Jeep knows how to style a vehicle for this category – if only they could figure out Toyota quality and build that in.
Toyota reliability is mostly a product of the sales department. As someone who moonlighted as a mechanic at a used car lot, I can tell you they are no more or less reliable than any other automakers products, with the possible exception of Yugo.
“The aftermarket-looking yet factory Pioneer sound system was excellent, though its omission of a knob for a quick scroll through the radio stations was an great annoyance.”
My wife and I tend to buy new or late-model vehicles and keep them for a long time, so we’ll go years between being in the market for a new car. Prior to buying a 2014 Ford Escape in the fall of 2013, the most recent vehicle we had owned was a 2006. The Escape replaced a ’99 base trim level XJ Cherokee that we had owned since it was new.
Of all the changes I experienced in going from the XJ Cherokee to the Escape – and there were many – one that struck me the most was the Escape’s lack of a radio tuning knob. I had never seen a car radio before without one. As I was accustomed to flipping randomly across the dial while in the car, this drove me nuts. It still does. Even now I sometimes absent-mindedly reach for the volume knob when I want to change the station. The only way to tune a station is to press “+” and “-” buttons that allow you to move up or down the dial from your starting point, one frequency at a time.
I have been operating under the assumption that this is just how radios in newer cars come, presumably because they figure most people are listening to music from devices like a smartphone or iPod, and for those that aren’t, there ought to be enough presets to make tuning unnecessary (ten*, whereas the Cherokee had five). Is that not the case?
*technically, there are three different sets of FM presets and two different sets of AM presets, so you could say that there are 30 FM presets and 20 AM presets. But I find it to be a pain to switch between the sets of presets while driving; if there’s a simple one-step way to do it, I haven’t found it yet. I only use one set of FM presets. My 13-year-old daughter has taken over another.
You must have a wide range of tastes and/or a lot of stations in your area to really need more than 10 presets.
In my wife’s car, that also doubles as the main family car there are 10 and we have something for everyone in those 10. Now when the main family car only had 5 presets per group we did have one group that favored the music that my son and I liked and one that covered the stations that my wife and daughter like.
Now that my daughter has moved off to college she has one set up with the stations at home and one with the stations she likes at school. Works great for her. Though in both of those cases it was quite easy to flip between the different groups with one button, though you have to go through the AM to get back to FM1 if you are on FM2. With the steering wheel controls in some of our Fords you do have to cycle through all possible inputs if you choose that button, so you go through CD and Cassette or DVD.
Well, I’m that guy. Long torso and short legs make my 4Runner ideal for me and would work in this truck too. My wife doesn’t like it for the same seating reasons that are noted in the story. Mine is one year too old to be on a land cruiser chasis (tacoma instead) and that is the only thing I wish was different. I don’t particularly care for the looks of this truck while I do the jeep. Yet I would buy the Toyota first, all day long.
There is a lot to be said for something that is the automotive equivalent to the energizer bunny. I would, I think, prefer this to my 4Runner but doubt the 4Runner is going to make it convenient by dying. The Jeep comments brought back memories of my last new American car. When I bought the 2002 Saturn Vue in 2002, I was consistently amazed in the manner that it met all my needs. Still think their plastic was a great idea. Then it started breaking and you couldn’t do much but pay repair bills and wax it. Sure didn’t want to drive it far. That is when we went back to the Japanese. Two Nissans that have had excellent reliability and a used Toyota that gives stone axes a run for the durability record. Nothing is perfect and Toyota is not immune to styling mistakes, sludge or floormats blocking brakes. Yet there is undoubtably a reason they became so mammoth. I think I might have a clue why that is. At least I know why I like mine.
I’ve always liked the looks of the FJ in a unique and goofy sort of way, but I can see that it lost its appeal fast. Interestingly, I see them around here in SoCal, and I can only think of two reasons why. One, people want a somewhat macho SUV without the big space and low gas mileage that comes with it, or two, people want a Jeep like vehicle, without having to buy American or want something more civilized than a Wrangler as a daily driver.
Your experience about the lack of grunt in the V6 mirrors my own experience driving my sister’s 2001 Subaru Forrester. Going from a V8 Cadillac, I always felt there was not enough grunt in the I4 to push that thing, half the time, I didn’t even think it would move when I pressed the pedal down. With some classes and vehicles, sometimes you need a V8.
My neighbor had one of these for a short time. He got rid of it after 3 near-accidents due to the poor visibility.
Brendan, what does a Mini dealer do with a trade in truck like the FJ. If I was reading the dash right, the miles were quite high. Is it just off to auction?
This one did go to auction, as its age and high mileage. But we do have a large inventory of off-make pre-owned cars we share with the connected BMW store, and we’re really working on trying to grow our pre-owned sales right now. I’ve learned that having all the off-make pre-owned is actually a huge driver of foot traffic, and the shoppers are generally more serious.
The reality, as mentioned in the article about the Olds pricing letter, is that pre-owned are more profitable than new, at least if you buy your pre-owned at the right price. So no surprise that they are trying to increase their pre-owned and that they want to reach a larger part of the market with a wider range of vehicles including competitor brands and segments that MINI and BMW don’t cover.
Of course the real money is in the parts and service dept and that is the only thing keeping many dealerships in the new car business. Otherwise we would see way more used car super stores.
I was curious to know what the mileage was so I looked at the picture of the dash and noticed the maint required light was on. Did you know what the problem was?
Brendan, Let’s say it’s 2007 and you had a choice between and really low mile 2004 Highlander or a brand new Fj which one would you chose? I recall your Highlander write up and happen to like that truck as well. I never got the FJ. Frankly, given the choice I’d take a RAV4 or Tacoma over one of those any day.
I may be biased, given my experiences, but I would definitely go for the Highlander over the FJ Cruiser, giving its greater comfort, user friendliness, similar power, yet better handling. However, if the 4Runner was a choice, I’d definitely consider that in the running. Kind of the middle ground in regards to having a bit more brawniness, but most of the Highlander’s user friendliness and comfort.
Still wish I could’ve kept my Highlander as a winter car. If I hadn’t needed it for the trade-in value towards my TSX, it would still be sitting in my driveway now.
Interesting that someone traded in one of these on a MINI. Other than distinctive old-school styling, what else do the two vehicles have in common?
You’d be surprised the cars that people trade in for MINIs. Just off the top of my head, some of the more interesting ones have been a VW Routan, Chevy Traverse, several Jeep Wranglers including 4-doors, Chevy Equinox, Honda Odyssey, BMW 3-Series, Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes E-class, Chrysler Sebring.
A lot of people are downsizing or ready for something different. I’d say we get a lot of people right at that point in their lives when their kids are all driving now, or a little bit later. They don’t need a big family car anymore and want something fun and distinctive.
The guy who traded in this FJ Cruiser was a single father of one child I believe, so space wasn’t an issue. The big thing for him was that he had like a 100-mile per day commute, and the FJ Cruiser was a huge gas guzzler. During the days of higher gas prices, he said he was paying like $450 a month for premium. Even as gas prices are lower now, he still said it was a few hundred a month that he’d rather have in his pocket.
Believe it or not, we have a customer at our auto parts store who just sold his 1966 Lincoln Continental coupe and bought a Mini. He loves it. . . what a contrast!
Cant say I disagree with your criticisms, Brendan. But I like these things. Sure, theyre a piss poor update to the original FJ-40 Land Cruiser and apparently only a minor threat to the Wrangler. I fit the mold of most people who didn’t buy one in that I like them, I think theyre cool but at the end of the day Id rather have a Jeep. That said, this is close to what I wish the Liberty had been. The clamshell door setup is BRILLIANT. Its not family friendly, but then real 4×4 BOF sports utilities were never really meant for family types anyway…at least theyre not meant for the day to day drudgery that a minivan or sedan is so much better suited to. These put their eggs in the ‘real truck’ basket and while sales weren’t what Toyota would have hoped, they carved a niche among Toyota fans who are real enthusiasts. They truly stand out in a sea of lame lookalike CUVs which are mediocre as family vehicles and horrible for any kind of hardcore use.
I think that considering what Toyota has been devolving into (maker of appliance like and enviro friendly non enthusiast vehicles) the downfall of this is that its very much UN-Toyota.
I agree. This car’s main appeal was to current Toyota consumers. A lot of my similarly-aged friends who don’t know a lot about cars are enamored with Jeeps. They’d rather a high-mileage, poor condition Jeep, “because it’s a Jeep”, than something newer, more reliable, and more appliance like. They’d never consider the FJ Cruiser because it’s a Toyota. Similarly, as you state, this car just wasn’t “Toyota-enough” for much of the Toyota faithful.
I now have the impression that Jeep™ has as much brand pull as Harley-Davidson™ & will outlive whoever owns it. It’s a cult; Toyota is heresy just as a Honda is Jap Crap to Hog enthusiasts.
This was driven home to me when I saw a bumper sticker, “Real Jeeps have round headlights.” Now there’s a Defender of the Faith.☺
Oh, yeah, there’s no doubt that Jeep (particularly Wrangler) and Harley-Davidson owners are much more into the lifestyle their vehicle projects, sort of the polar opposite of people who view their vehicles as transportation appliances (i.e., Corolla owners).
I really wish Toyota has built this on the RAV4 chassis. I would have been closer to the original insize
Good point.
I suggest that this to the RAV4 what the Mini (sorry MINI) or a Beetle is to the Golf or Jetta, and that size (and the impression of it) are therefore quite important.
Not something that floats my boat in any way, other than as a novelty
It was interesting to read about his – I have always been curious what it was like to drive one of these. From what you describe, it seems like the blind spots and effects of wind turbulence would make it somewhat like driving a conversion van. But, the low sink-into-’em seats and high window sills harken the charms of a mid 70’s Marquis. The FJ Cruiser has certainly grown to larger proportions than its FJ40 ancestor- a retro problem in itself. To complete the 70’s feel, maybe the next owner can remove the aftermarket Pioneer touch screen and install a good old fashioned Audiovox AM/FM 8-track stereo. Now we’re talkin . . .
I’m a bit surprised no one’s mentioned the exceptionally high resale value of these. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I read recently that they’re among the highest for any vehicle, percentage-wise. It may not have sold in large numbers, but it appears to have a very loyal following.
Ha! I just made a comment above about depreciation going the other way on these. Had no idea.
2012 Cruisers are worth at least 90% or original price. Some used ones have been seen with sticker prices of up to $50k!! Now that gas is cheap, folks want them and there’s no new ones.
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/16/toyota-fj-cruiser-resale-report/
Damn. I just put all my money into a little Panamanian firm called Mossack Fonseca. I wonder if it’s too late to pull out.
I remember that article, Paul. My daughter-in-law’s father is a longtime Toyota salesman and he told me a while back that he can sell FJ’s all day long. The resale values really make him smile when a used one rolls onto their lot. He’s even a bit grumpy they stopped making them.
The high resale value of FJ Cruisers is interesting and somewhat understandable, since they’re undoubtedly quite durable off the beaten path, sort of a hardcore, two-door version of the upscale Land Cruiser.
Too bad gas wasn’t cheap back when you could get a new FJ Cruiser off the showroom floor.
I’m so used to Toyota building utterly conservative cars and trucks that ultimately hold little appeal to me, which is mostly what they have been doing during my lifetime, that I have to praise them when they genuinely make something interesting. The FJ is not my cup of tea at all. The retro styling is kitsch (and frankly, ugly), the blindspots massive, the actual resemblance to an old FJ exceedingly slim. But kudos to Toyota for making something quirky.
These were not popular here in Australia. No diesel in a mid-size SUV? No sale. Meanwhile, Landcruiser Prados are as common as pigeons.
Of all the retro-styled vehicles on the road, this the one I like least. It is over-wrought, oversized, more a caricature than homage.
Interesting to hear your comment on limited visibility. I’m always very very wary when I’ve got one of these anywhere near me on the highway, as I was almost cleaned up by one at 80km/h when the driver tried to merge into my lane and somehow didn’t see me alongside.
In my opinion a fine automobile by default because it’s a Toyota. Also, any vehicle that sports three windshield wipers is something special, just because. The Mercedes L-Class comes to mind. I know the FJ is based on a previous design by Toyota, but they still kind of look like the Benz commercial truck from past decades. I wonder which design came first, though. Probably the Benz with its age old heritage.
Hey Brendan, you were in my neck of the woods last week, eh? I live right down the street from that Whole Foods – I frequent that store all the time!
I have to concur about Toyota seats. I think Toyota makes great vehicles but horrible seats. I have yet to sit in a Toyota seat that doesn’t feel like a sponge. Maybe I have gotten overly used to Honda/Acura products that have seats that provide a lot of lateral support. I think the FJ is a cool vehicle but I wouldn’t want to own one. Fun type of vehicle for a ride here or there, but not something I could live with every day.
I think the worst thing about the FJ is the visibility. You sit low and then the windows feel like they are very far away from you. Plus the blind spot from the back is horrific. Simply not the best design, IMO.
Nice write up Brendan,
I notice your dealership has a Fiat 500 Abarth, how does it compare with the Cooper S? I love the Fiat 500 and find it hold up to highway driving very well