Toyota FJ Cruiser Test Drive since 2006 SUV

Heir

Retrostil in our times is in demand not only by fashion designers. It is willing to exploit furniture designers, and artists on the dishes, and automakers. We decided to try on this field and designers toyota, to bring the replica of your famous SUV FJ40. Heir to unarked FJ Cruiser

Despite the fact that this car is sold since 2006, in our latitudes FJ Cruiser a rare guest. It is clear: officially this machine is not supplied to us. It seems that the Japanese do not see in our market for her rainbow perspectives, in connection with what to see this car in the official Salon Toyota will not work, even in photos. And yet, thanks to the gray dealers, such cars come to us. Infrequently, in small quantities, but fall. And you agree, sin was not to take advantage of the offer to get acquainted with the car, which became the heir to the cult FJ40.
The fact that FJ Cruiser stylted under the legendary FJ40 is not impossible to notice. Yes, it is more, solid, but in almost every element it is traced exactly that FJ, according to which the fans still dry. This is a narrow grill of radiator, and shifted to the center of the headlight, and a separate bumper, and painted in another, rather than the whole body, roof color, and wide windshield, and even the absence of emblems. In the distant sixties, Toyota has not yet hung emblems on their cars. The Japanese tried to preserve and three-door layout, thereby giving tribute to tradition.

However, the latter has only a stylistic attack, because in reality the car is five-door. Amenities for the sake of the body does not have an average rack, and doors that provide full-fledged access to the rear seats are sprinkled against the movement of the movement. The idea is not new, in particular, it has already been used for quite a long time on American pickups, and however, it is thanks to such a swing structure that access to any part of the cabin outside the car is quite convenient, though with one reservation. Open the back door without opening anterior will not work, which means that planting or planting the passenger on the rear row, inevitably you have to open the front door.
The salon also did not cost without styling under the sixties. At first glance, it seems very simple, but simply does not mean
primitive. First, everything is verified from the point of view of ergonomics. Buttons on the center console are of such a size that they do not miss them even in hard offroad mode. Secondly, it is generously converted by the attributes of civilization, which in the distant sixties and could not think. And thirdly, it is very spacious. Complaining the lack of space in this car do not have to. Capacious with FJ Cruiser and trunk. Moreover, its form will make it easier to accommodate overall cargo in the car. And so that he does not ride from the wall to the wall, on the floor and on the side there are hinges for fastening. It is impossible not to note that access to this very trunk can be carried out both through the door and through the desisted glass, just to do it is not very convenient than the spare place.
She prevenches and visibility, and if there were no huge outer mirrors, it would be problematic to fall back to FJ Cruiser. The mirrors, by the way, are elongated in height, which allows you to control the car from almost the roof to the ground. Very convenient, especially when parking in cramped conditions.
At first, it seemed to us that through the ambrusura, called the frontal glass, would be little visible, but, riding the day by car, came to the conclusion that everything is in order. By the way, we could not remember a single SUV, on the windshield of which there would be as many as three janitor.
 
Mondering that the FJ40 was an SUV to the last bolt, the developers of the new model have tried not to hit the mud facing. As befits the present passing, FJ Cruiser is based on its carrier frame. It, like almost all the nodes and aggregates of the chassis, the car inherited from an equally famous and adapted under modern realities toyota 4runner. It provided a car not only a proper margin of harmlessness, but also a fairly smooth move on the highway. Of course, be here not only anterior, but also the rear independent suspension, the comfort would be more, but even with such a design, we did not have any particular complaints about the smoothness. Tramways, sleeping policemen and just potholes during the dough inconvenience did not deliver. Even the pace of movement did not fall. Somewhere something fell under the wheels and no more.
Since we started talking about the pace of movement, it is impossible not to mention how the car feels in the urban stream. Despite its brutal forms and the off-road content of FJ Cruiser turned out to be extremely chip guy. However, if we recall that under the hood there is a V-shaped six with a capacity of 242 hp, then all concerns about the fact that the dynamics will be insufficient, meaningless. The car is quite dynamic. And you can drink speed on straight lines, and when maneuvering. But, as they say, within the limits of reasonable. After all, as far as this is a good this car on the roads of general use, still its main purpose is to take pleasure from the movement in directions. And to strike the mileage on off-road, there is everything, from the plug-in front bridge before blocking the rear intercole differential. The latter is activated by pressing the key on the center console, but only when the downstream is turned on. We, to be honest, before it did not react. Of course, we forced somewhere in the darkness of Carakania, maybe I would have to take advantage of its services, however, this time, adventures with torn cables and crumpled crankcase defensions were not included in our plans (the car was already sold), and therefore it cost light off . But even by how famously FJ Cruiser rushed across the village, climbed to steep hills and rushed with sand in the ditch, it was clear that the potential of this car is quite large.
Driving
FJ Cruiser was surprisingly a universal car. It is equally comfortable to move both along the highway and off-road.
Salon
Thoughtful ergonomics. All controls in plain sight.
Comfort
Despite apparent asceticism, the car provides a high level of comfort.
Safety
Four airbags, electronic stability control system, anti-lock brake system.
Price
Obviously overestimated due to exclusivity.
Advantages and disadvantages
+ Predicted handling, efficient brakes, comfortable salon.
- Some thoughtfulness on acceleration, high price, high fuel consumption on the highway.

Specifications
Brand and Model - Toyota FJ Cruiser
Dimensions - 4671/1895/1819 mm
Engine - gasoline, 3956 cm3, 242 hp / 5200 min-1
Transmission - automatic, 5-speed
Dynamics - 232 km / h; 7.2 s to 100 km / h
Competitors - Hummer H2
Our opinion
Despite all its exclusivity, in our states, FJ Cruiser is not considered an exceptional model, but it is positioned as a publicly available budget car. The cheapest rear-wheel drive version with mechanical KP and stamped steel wheels and comparable at all costs with utilitarian pickups. And yet
 
 

A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [February 2008]