A Legend Reborn

More than 50 years ago, in July 1951, the first Toyota Land Cruiser negotiated the trail up Japan’s 12,388-foot Mt. Fuji all the way to Checkpoint 6 (there are 10 checkpoints on the trail to the summit), venturing further up the mountain than any motor vehicle had ever been.

The Land Cruiser, known as the BJ, was Toyota’s first 4x4 utility vehicle. Like the Jeep, it was originally intended for use only by military, government, forestry and utility agencies and Japan’s National Police. Some 1,300 BJs were built for these purposes.

It first reached American shores in 1958. By that time, it had been christened the “Land Cruiser” and had evolved into the FJ20. Land Cruiser became the vehicle of choice for exploration and expeditions around the globe. Australia’s Outback, African deserts, Amazon jungles and Asian steppes were suddenly more accessible, and the world became a smaller place.

As the FJ Land Cruiser’s reputation grew, so did sales. Through 1965, it was the best-selling Toyota vehicle in the U.S., and drew attention to other Toyota models like the Corona, Celica and Crown. The rest, as they say, is history.

While the Land Cruiser eventually morphed into the huge luxury SUV it is today, production of the FJ ceased in 1983.

Fast forward to 2003 and the rebirth of the FJ. Now known as the FJ Cruiser, it was first seen as a concept vehicle at the North American International Automobile Show in Detroit. So favorable was the reception that, in the scant space of two years, the FJ Cruiser was developed into a production vehicle and introduced for the 2007 model year. Thus, a legend was reborn.

While the design was developed in southern California, the FJ Cruiser is engineered and manufactured in Japan. Toyota is quick to say that the FJ Cruiser is not a “retro-design” like the Thunderbird, Mustang, Chevrolet HHR and SSR or even the PT Cruiser. Instead, the goal of the design is to express how the original FJ would have evolved had it remained in production since 1983.

According to Toyota, the target FJ buyer is male, age 30 or younger, likes off-roading, drinks beer (hopefully not while driving) and shops at Sears and Wal-Mart.

Unfortunately, according to my informal first-hand research, the targeted thirty-something crowd is unfamiliar with the vehicle. I found no one in that age group who had even the faintest idea what an FJ was. Most asked, “What does it look like?” Even when I described it as “Jeep-like,” I was met with blank stares.

However, after one look at the bright Voodoo Blue test vehicle, I was convinced that the  FJ’s seeming lack of recognition in its target market  would be but a small  obstacle for Toyota to overcome. For me, it was love at first sight. Toyota just seems to “get it” with regard to consumers.

For those who do remember the original 1967-83 FJs, the exterior styling cues on the new Cruiser are unmistakable. Throwback features include the classic round headlights, the framed, flat grille with Toyota logo badging, an upright windshield with three wiper blades, wraparound rear side windows, an outboard-mounted spare tire on the back and, of course, the white roof.

Deviations in exterior design include a swing-up rear access window, an exceptionally wide C pillar, funky taillamps and optional illumination lamps on the outside rearview mirrors that glow when the parking lights are on.

The heritage theme continues into the interior, with its rugged industrial-looking dashboard and very cool, must-have, optional body-colored door-panel and center-stack inserts.

Interior space is especially generous and includes easy-to clean rubberized flooring and water-resistant cloth-covered seats. The broad dash features white-faced gauges. In addition to a standard glove box on the passenger side, there’s a pop-up bin just beyond the steering wheel that can house an optional Garmin Quest 2 navigation unit, which is removable for hiking.

My tester included the optional upgrade package 2 with a trio of gauges — temperature, compass and inclinometer — that sit on top of the center dash.

The 2007 FJ Cruiser comes in just one model with a choice of three drivetrains: a 4x2 with an automatic transmission ($21,710), a 4x4 with a six-speed manual ($22,890) and a 4x4 with a five-speed automatic transmission ($23,300). Toyota estimates that nearly 93 percent of sales will be 4x4 vehicles; 32 percent will be the base model, while the other 68 percent will include at least one upgrade package.

The five-passenger FJ appears to be a two-door, but actually has four doors; the handle-less rear access doors hinge at the back and open opposite the front doors, clamshell style.

Safety features include Toyota’s STAR Safety System with stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, and brake assist. Side-impact and side curtain airbags are optional; dual-stage front airbags are standard. The FJ Cruiser earned the government’s highest five-star rating in front- and side-impact crash tests, and the highest “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in frontal crash tests.

A 4.0-liter V-6 engine with 239 horsepower powers all FJ Cruisers. It’s the same proven engine used in the 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra but I wished for a bit more horsepower.

I drove the FJ Cruiser extensively in the desert around Palm Springs and easily traversed rocks, erosion ruts and rugged back-road trails. I racked up most of my miles on paved surfaces, and found the FJ Cruiser to be very comfortable. The FJ has a climb angle of 30 degrees and a side slope angle of 41 degrees, capacities which easily exceed angles that would scare most drivers. This vehicle could easily be used as a daily driver and for weekends exploring Arizona desert and mountain terrain with aplomb.

A few other things I found interesting about the FJ Cruiser: Most of the good stuff is standard (i.e. air-conditioning, tilt wheel, power windows and door locks, a six-speaker stereo with CD, 60/40 split rear seat). A clutch-start cancel switch on the dash allows the vehicle to be started in gear without rolling backwards if the FJ stalls on a hill. Even with all the options, it’s impossible to reach a $30,000 window sticker. The FJ Cruiser is the bargain vehicle of the decade.

The FJ comes in a choice of five colors: Voodoo Blue, Sun Fusion (yellow), Titanium Metallic, Black Diamond and Black Cherry. All feature white roofs. Toyota plans to bring some 46,000 FJ Cruisers to the U.S. and I expect the demand to outstrip the supply.

There are more than 50 Land Cruiser chapters with 5,000 members in North America and all seem excited for the return of the FJ Cruiser in 2007. Ranking it right at the top of the vehicles I’ve tested this year, I couldn’t agree more.