I still remember the first time I stood next to a Toyota FJ Cruiser Car and realized it looked like a cross between a tank and a teddy bear. Built with a wide-eyed face and boxy wheel arches, this 4×4 wears its off-road ability on its sleeve while somehow keeping bags of personality in every panel.
Toyota gave the world this rugged machine back in 2006, and although it never officially reached the UK, its fusion of toughness and charm still draws crowds who want 10 fun facts worth knowing about a genuinely iconic ancestor brought back to life; this recognisable,
modern Toyotas entry pulled its overall shape and general lovable looks straight from the 60s and 70s era, and North America welcomed this launched model with the kind of excitement that fits neatly into the wider off-road world, all wrapped around the unmistakable FJ40.
Design Heritage
Every time I pop the bonnet on one of these, I’m reminded that the FJ Cruiser grew out of a genuine concept car, first shown off in California at the 2003 Detroit Motor Show, where Toyota’s own Calty Design Research studio in Newport Beach worked wonders.
That reaction to the concept was so strong that the car reached production just three years later, and the resulting SUV kept its characterful styling, right down to the thick side pillar tucked behind the truncated rear doors that swing open rearwards toward the back seats.
Underneath sits a short-wheelbase, ladder-frame chassis borrowed from the 120-Series Land Cruiser Prado, paired with a dependable, 4-litre V6 (that’s a 4.0-litre V6 with a cylinder count of six, good for 239bhp), a setup that keeps the whole package feeling as tough as the FJ40 Land Cruiser it pays tribute to.
Engine
Driving one of these on road never feels like hard work; the engine just gets on with the job, and I’ve always found the high driving position makes the whole experience feel mighty to drive. Toyota sold the FJ Cruiser to North American buyers starting in 2007, running through to 2014, while Japan kept the sales going until 2018, and the model stayed alive and kicking in other countries such as Chile and South Africa long after it left America and the UK behind.
The suspension stays soft and the steering stays light, so even on a twisty b-road taken at moderate speeds, you can still make smooth progress.
Off-Road Capability
Take an FJ Cruiser off the tarmac and you quickly discover why people call it a proper off-roader; Toyota tested it on demanding trails like the Rubicon, a place well known among US off-road enthusiasts.
Standard kit includes an active traction control system, a low-range transfer case, an electronic-locking rear differential, plus a Torsen limited slip centre differential and switch-activated lockable rear diff, and pairing that with a high crawl ratio on the manual transmission gets you through almost anything.
With 244mm of ground clearance, generous approach angles and departure angles, and the ability to wade through 700mm of water, this SUV shares parts with the Toyota Land Cruiser and takes customers far past the beaten track, even though not every version came with 4WD, since a RWD option suited buyers after off-road performance without the full trail-ready setup.
Interior
Climb inside and the rugged interior tells you exactly what this car was built for; the utilitarian design means you could practically get it jet washed without a second thought.
The ventilated seats use water-repellent seats covered in fabric backed by a breathable resin coating, which helps them shed liquids, while a sealant stops moisture creeping through the stitched seams, and the floor surfaces wear a grey rubber-like material for easy cleaning.
Whether you’re welcoming four passengers through the front doors or the unusual suicide rear doors, this SUV was designed with easy-to-clean surfaces and a go-anywhere brief in mind, ready to get properly dirty and still get wiped down without drama.
Windscreen Wipers
Here’s a genuine quirk I always point out to people: the FJ Cruiser doesn’t use the usual two wiper blades, it uses three windscreen wipers instead. Because the windscreen sits short and wide, Toyota needed three wiper arms and three wiper blades to properly clear rain, mud, sand or river washing off the near-vertical front screen and the bonnet ahead of you.
Many owners go further still, fitting an intake snorkel along with diff breathers and transmission breathers so they can push well beyond the standard wading depth right up near the front of the vehicle.
UK Availability
Even though it was never sold new here, plenty of FJ Cruiser examples have found their way onto UK roads through personal imports and specialist brokers, arriving as genuine right-hand drive cars from Japan or as LHD cars pulled from the North American market.
Prices can climb toward £40,000, but the road presence, rarity and quirkiness these utilitarian vehicles carry make the desirability easy to understand, and dozens of prospective owners happily wait through a quick process that, in truth, is rarely quick at all.
I once heard from a dealership called Cabriolet Coupe Jeepster that it waited 10 weeks just for three Final Editions to clear customs, proof that this cult car’s charm and heads turn reputation make the importing and the easy fit onto British shores worth every bit of Right-hand-drive cars’ quick process.
Resale Value
Money parked in an FJ Cruiser tends to stay money safe, and that’s not just an opinion, it’s backed by numbers.
Across eight years on sale in the US, Toyota moved around 200,000 units Stateside, though more than half of those left showrooms in the first two years, before the 2008 global financial crisis slowed things down.
That relatively modest new sales figure helped the car earn genuine resale value awards, and its reputation has only grown since, keeping used prices firm and the model properly sought after.
Common Faults
Buying one of these means knowing where problems tend to show up, starting with the engine; high oil consumption is common once the oil rings stop sealing properly, letting oil level drop and sending black smoke out the exhaust.
Watch for blow-by too, by pulling the oil dipstick and feeling for air at the dipstick pipe, since a naturally aspirated V6 should only leak a small amount past the piston rings, compression rings and cylinder walls; also keep an eye on the water pump, front crankshaft seals, rear crankshaft
seals, oil pressure sensor glitches, false alerts, a timing belt tensioner pulley prone to belt wobble, petrol pumps working overtime at around 20mpg, plus a gearbox that’s largely bulletproof aside from occasional transmission shudder and vibrations.
On the interior side, Toyota US recalled 310,000 cars from 2007 through 2013 over seatbelt retractors mounted on rear doors, where insufficient strength in the rear-door panel let cracks form near the retractor anchor, risking a driver or front passenger seatbelts that could loosen and detach if the model years in question weren’t checked after inspecting for serious issues, smoke, or a component starting to fail.
Also Worth Knowing
Don’t expect Toyota GB to stock spare parts, though plenty of online suppliers can help, and contacting Jeepster for assistance or modifications tends to solve most headaches. Because the FJ Cruiser stands taller and wider than a current RAV4 or Toyota bZ4X, tight parking bays can genuinely catch you out.
How Much to Spend
Budgets around £14,000 to £19,999 typically land you left-hand-drive cars from the early 2010s with mileages north of 80,000. Step up to £20,000 through £29,999 and you’ll find a mix of left-hand drive and right-hand drive cars rarely passing 70,000, while £30,000 to £39,999 buys high-spec examples from later model years, and £40,000 through £50,000 secures showroom condition cars with minimal mileage.
A 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser with 49,200 miles at £27,999 sits neatly in the middle of that price range, and its eye-catching yellow example proves that average mileage and age don’t have to mean boring.
Toyota Fj Cruiser Car Colours
Voodoo Blue remains the signature bright blue colour, usually paired with a contrasting white roof, while Sun Fusion gave buyers a cheerful yellow option.
Special runs added Cement Grey, Army Green, and the beige-toned Sandstorm across the car’s eight-year stay in the North American market, and enthusiastic owners have since given their vehicles a makeover with wraps ranging from camouflage and paint splatters to mountain ranges and even Jurassic Park themes.
Tuning and Modification
Toyota’s own Toyota Racing Development team built the Trail Teams Ultimate Edition for the 2014 run-out model in the US, fitting TRD springs that raised the ride height and sharpened the approach angle for off-roading. TRD Bilstein race dampers improved damping force, articulation
and high-speed stability, and remote reservoirs on the rears cut down damping fade, while a front skid plate and 16in beadlock wheels rounded out this TRD package’s reworked suspension and stance.
Still in Production
It might surprise you, but the Toyota FJ Cruiser Car never fully disappeared. Seven years after it disappeared from North America and four years after the Final Edition in Japan, it remains in production in South Africa, proving that the appeal inspired by the original FJ40 still runs strong.
FAQs
Is the Toyota FJ Cruiser a good off-roader?
Yes, its active traction control system, low-range transfer case, and electronic-locking rear differential make it a genuine proper off-roader.
Why does the FJ Cruiser have three windscreen wipers?
Because the windscreen is short and wide, so three wiper blades are needed to clear rain, mud, and river washing properly.
Can I buy a Toyota FJ Cruiser in the UK?
Yes, though never sold new here, dozens arrive through personal imports and specialist brokers as right-hand drive or LHD cars.
What are common Toyota FJ Cruiser faults to watch for?
Watch for high oil consumption, blow-by, oil pressure sensor glitches, and a timing belt tensioner pulley prone to belt wobble.
Is the Toyota FJ Cruiser still in production?
Yes, this cult car remains in production in South Africa, keeping its FJ40-inspired appeal alive years after leaving other markets.
