Toyota FJ Cruiser: Features explained

MANILA: The Philippines is one of the few fortunate countries where Toyota hasn’t discontinued its FJ Cruiser. Launched in 2005, the Toyota FJ Cruiser has got a classic design and is a great off-roader. Even today, this SUV has got enough punch to give some good off-road vehicles of today’s time a run for their money. Toyota didn’t implement any major changes in the FJ Cruiser for the current modern world, and we’re glad for that because it’s the old school design of this vehicle that makes it that much more appealing. What else attractive features does it have? Read on to find out.

Classic front fascia

One of the key design elements of the Toyota FJ Cruiser that help it to be identified from a distance is the classic front look. There is a pair of round headlamps that are of just the perfect size to suit the vehicle’s proportions. These lamps are accompanied by long side turn indicators. The bumper is very rugged and sturdy but there aren’t any fancy design ornaments added to it. Another thing that you don’t find in Toyota vehicles nowadays is that the front grille of the FJ Cruiser has got ‘Toyota’ written on it rather the brand’s logo.

Clever 5-door look

From the first look, it seems that the FJ Cruiser is a 3-door vehicle. But when you get to know it better you’d find that Toyota has cleverly designed a 5-door vehicle. The front two doors open up just like any other car, but the rear ones can be opened only from the inside, which might get a bit bothersome over a period of time. These doors are meant to provide an easy access to the rear seats and give the FJ Cruiser a signature look from the outside.

 

 

Openable rear window

The FJ Cruiser has got a tailgate that opens up horizontally and hence needs a lot of space to be fully opened. So, if you want to access the boot area opening and closing of the tailgate might not be possible at all times. To provide an alternative to that, Toyota has provided an openable rear window. Yes, that’s right. The rear windscreen or glass of the tailgate can be opened which provides you access to the boot space. This is a convenient feature to have.

Practical interior

The interior of the FJ Cruiser doesn’t carry high-end and advanced features that many of today’s cars have, but what it does excel is practicality. There is a good amount of space for the front occupants. There are even separate armrests for the front two seats. The space at the rear isn’t humongous but it is sufficient enough to fit in full-size adults. However, because of the design of the car, the people in the rear might get a bit claustrophobic on longer journeys. Toyota has also provided many cubby spaces.

 

Manual controls

The vertical dashboard on this machine isn’t something that you see very often. It is a simple layout with a touch of body colored paint in the centre console which carries the controls for air conditioning etc. These knobs and buttons feel very old school and classy, and you have to use them manually to get things going.

Off-road capabilities

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a very capable off-roader. It has got great approach and departure angles to help it handle steep inclinations with ease. It also has a rear differential lock to get you out of any bad situation. The 4x4 system on this SUV is phenomenal and works brilliantly to get you through the toughest of bad terrains.

Engine and transmission

Open up the FJ Cruiser spec sheet and you’d find that it comes with a powerful 4.0-litre 6-cylinder engine that produces 268 PS of power at 5,600 revs and 380 Nm of torque at 4,400 revs. The transmission option available is a 5-speed automatic only. It works quite well, especially on the tarmac.

So, there you have it. These were some of the interesting features of the Toyota FJ Cruiser. There’s only a single variant of this SUV available in the country. However, FJ Cruiser color options include - Black, Yellow, Red, White, Beige, Cement Grey and Smoky Blue. The Toyota FJ Cruiser price has been set at Php 2 million.