Overview

Toyota FJ Cruiser - 2007 Review:

“He said ‘You don’t need no strength – you need to grow up, son.’
I said ‘Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
and dying to me don’t sound like all that much fun.’”

So says John Mellencamp in his classic “Authority Song.” Just take a look around – plastic surgery, exercise, age-defying creams and pills – it’s all meant to fend off the Grim Reaper by keeping us young and pounding soil from an upright position as long as possible. Maintaining a youthful vitality throughout a healthy lifespan is all well and good, but is there a downside? Some would argue yes, when that hottie at the bar turns out to be your grandma’s nipped-and-tucked bridge partner, when late-night C movies on TV are completely replaced by infomercials for Bosley hair transplants and reruns of Dr. 90210, when parents battle their kids for the newest pair of designer jeans or mega hair gel, or when Toyota sells a truck that looks like it has literally been lifted directly from a child’s cartoon.

Back in the early days of the original FJ, there was nothing cartoonish about it. The FJ was simple and straightforward, a serious machine for serious traveling, a Japanese version of the venerable Jeep CJ. Engines were of the four- and six-cylinder varieties, eventually providing lots of off-road-friendly torque. Today’s FJ Cruiser is a far more refined vehicle, a styling exercise enhanced with real off-roading capability and a thoroughly revamped powertrain cranking out 278 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,700 rpm to protects the SUV’s boulder-chewing reputation. The new FJ’s 4.0-liter, dual overhead cam, 24-valve V6 is fueled by premium petrol and mated to a six-speed manual with a 3.91 axle ratio or a five-speed automatic transmission sporting 3.73 gearing. Horsepower measures 239 at 5,200 rpm. Base rear-wheel-drive models get an electronic limited-slip differential and the automatic tranny; FJs destined for off-road use are fitted with automatic locking hubs, a two-speed transfer case, and either a part-time four-wheel-drive system with the five-speed automatic or a full-time system with the six-speed manual. A Torsen limited-slip center differential comes with the six-speed transmission. All examples feature standard 17-inch steel wheels shod in 265/70 off-road tires; antilock vented disc brakes backed up by electronic brake-force distribution and electronic brake assistance; traction and stability control systems; and skid plates protecting the gas tank, engine, and transfer case. A double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear setup keep the FJ and its 4,050 – 4,295-pound mass afloat, with a rack-and-pinion steering system utilized to navigate over gnarly boulders.