TOYOTA FJ CRUISER
Toyota FJ Cruiser
here the Defender
relies on old-world
skill as well as sound
design and architectural
fundamentals, the FJ
Cruiser depends heavily on electronics
to push the envelope of performance.
Based on a variety of components
from the Land Cruiser, Hilux, Fortuner
and Tacoma models, it is actually in
the autumn of its life (the Defender,
meanwhile, has pretty much lived a few
lifetimes in car years).
The nameplate was built in the
mid- 2000 s to help attract youthful
American car buyers who have grown
disenchanted with Toyota’s line of
boring MPVs, SUVs and sedans. It’s a
retro nod to the original Land Cruiser
FJ 40 that traces its roots to Japanese
Imperial Army utility vehicles.
The FJ Cruiser comes with a five-
speed automatic transmission locally.
The engine serves up an impressive
268 hp and 380 Nm over a wide power-
band. Gearing is well-spaced, with
top gear being a true overdrive—at
1,850rpm in fifth, you’ll be right under
110 kph on the highway.
Technically, the FJ Cruiser comes
with four doors, but the rear suicide
W
IN DETAIL
vERSATILE
All-terrain tires give
good compliance on
paved surfaces.IDIOSYNCRATIC
The modern FJ takes
its cues from the classic
Land Cruiser FJ40.wILLINg AND AbLE
The 4.0-liter V6 has Dual
VVT-i, aka ‘variable valve
timing lift with intelligence.’doors are small in relation to the body’s
overall proportions. What’s surprising
is they don’t require a wide arc to open
and allow someone of my size to get in
easily; in a normal carpark, the vehicle
squeezes into a spot and lets you in and
out without difficulty.
The interior comes with manually
adjustable seats up front, with the driver
seat also having height adjustment. The
steering column adjusts for tilt, but
there’s no telescopic function, which
would’ve greatly improved driving
position. The seats feature water-
resistant fabric, and the entire lower
section of the body is sealed in rubber
and plastic, with no carpet flooring.
Theoretically, you can also hose down
the interior so long as it’s below the
seats and the dashboard, but I’ve yet to
confirm this with anyone.
Fording depth is listed at 770 mm,
or 220 mm higher than the Defender’s.
There’s also an impressive four-wheel-
drive system and traction/stability
control. While it doesn’t come as
standard, a P4,000 switch installs
easily to the pre-wired A-TRAC system,
further enhancing the off-roading ability
in low-range gear.
When it comes to driving dynamics,
the FJ Cruiser couldn’t be more dif-
ferent from the Defender. Despite
possessing a short wheelbase, it doesn’t
buck and hop like the Defender does.
There’s a mild see-saw motion on rough
surfaces, but it’s not enough to keep you
from taking a call, switching stations on
the head unit with aux-in and Bluetooth
connectivity, or even fumbling with your
mobile device. Not that you should do
this, of course.
Mindful of the fact that the vast ma-
jority of FJ Cruisers will never venture
beyond a gravel parking lot, Toyota’s
engineers have blessed the vehicle with
a tight 6.2m turning radius, making it
amazingly easy to maneuver into tight
spots. Look past the upright steering
column, the low-hanging dashboard,
and the slightly difficult tall entry, and
you might as well be driving any Toyota:
light, easy, effortless and, to the cynic,
the path of least resistance.
WWW.topgear.com.ph TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES 57