2009 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER: Confident Cruiser

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/08/2009 (5902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Folks who own sports cars and classics do it all the time, but when was the last time you hopped in your SUV and went for a cruise simply for the sake of driving?

Last week, with a 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser in my possession, I found myself doing exactly that: driving for the sheer pleasure of driving. The best part was I didn’t even have to leave my own yard.

Playing with trucks in the muck is one of my favourite pastimes, and the FJ Cruiser easily took me to the far corners of our 10-acre property. While it’s certainly not the jungles of Brazil, the field we call our backyard features shoulder high weeds and more than a few knee deep ruts left behind from past off-road adventures. Thanks to the wet summer we’ve had those ruts are filled with muddy water, but the FJ Cruiser rumbled through it all like a team of Clydesdale horses.

The 4.0 litre six cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual transmission, pumps out a respectable 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. Despite its 1,945 kilogram curb weight, the FJ has more than enough grunt to tackle tough terrain. It features true four-wheel drive with a high-low range shifter and a differential lock. My tester was also equipped with Toyota’ s off-road package that included 16-inch aluminium alloy wheels wrapped in beefy BFGoodrich Rugged Trail P265/75R16 tires and trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers that softened out some serious bumps. The FJ Cruiser uses a high-mounted, double wishbone front suspension and stabilizer bar, and a 4-link rear suspension with a lateral rod with coil springs and a stabilizer bar. This set-up allows this rig to truly bring home the best of both worlds, it is agile and confident off-road, and surprisingly plush on the highway.

It’s all business in the FJ interior; the knobs and switches are in plain view and easy to reach, and they are also big enough that when winter returns all the controls will be easy to operate with heavy gloves on. Speaking of gloves, there is also a nifty glove box with a pop-up lid located in front of the driver on the dashboard that kept stuff like my wallet and shades close at hand. My inner Boy Scout also loved the multi-information pod in the centre of the dash that features a compass, displays outside temperature and houses a floating ball inclinometer that registers both vertical and horizontal angles. My tester was equipped with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a vehicle that rings the register at nearly $35,000, including air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, a tilt steering wheel and keyless entry. Another cool feature is the triple windshield wipers that cover every inch of the relatively flat windshield. I found the seats to be firm but comfortable, and thanks to the rear suicide doors, access to the back seat is easier than the truck’s exterior might suggest. Upon initial inspection it looked a bit cramped in the back seat, but I climbed in and found it to be surprisingly roomy. There was also no carpet in my tester, but rather heavy duty rubber flooring and mats that can be hosed down and wiped dry.

Those who know me won’t be shocked that I loved the FJ Cruiser. Back in the day I rolled in a 1986 Toyota SR5 Xtra cab truck that I absolutely adored. I also owned a battered and bruised 1985 Toyota 4Runner that I bought from Ace Burpee’s dad Al. I did a mild custom job on that one that included a jacked up suspension and big tires. That truck had an amazing 480,000 kilometres on the clock when we parted ways. The last time I checked, the dude I sold it to is still driving it.

Old Toyota trucks were ultra-reliable, but the bodies required constant rust repair to keep them on the road. The FJ Cruiser appears to have that issue covered. The sheet metal looks to be very solid, the paint is rock hard, and the copious use of rugged plastic around the body and on the fender flares appears to be well poised to protect the body for many years to come.

The reality is that most folks will spend the vast majority of their time driving this rig in the city or on the highway, and the FJ pulls its own weight effortlessly. The big V6 engine also promises a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms so you can haul your toys along for some fun in the sun or snow. On that note, the roof rack also looks like it’s up to the challenge and the cargo compartment is cavernous. Although I’ve never been on the white water, I found myself wishing that I had my camping and fishing gear loaded up and a kayak strapped to the roof. Instead of SUV, maybe RUV (Recreation Utility Vehicle) would be a better way to describe it.

When the retro-inspired FJ Cruiser hit showrooms in 2007 its rugged good looks caught my attention right off the bat and I found myself wondering if it was as tough as it looks.

With just one week behind the wheel of the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser this machine proved to me that it could walk the talk at a confident and comfortable pace. The boy inside this man also couldn’t help but feel like a big kid behind the wheel of a life-sized Tonka truck, and the world was my sandbox.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

 

Price as tested: $34,825

Offroad package ($4,475): includes front & rear Bilstein shocks, self-dimming rearview mirror with integrated backup camera, 265/75R16 mud and snow tires, alloy wheels, keyless entry.

EnerGuide fuel economy ratings: 14.7 L/100 km city; 10.8 L/100 km hwy