Transcript: Car Comment - Toyota FJ Cruiser
|
Hear
"Car Comment" by
Next Car's Stephen Walker during the
"Road Ramblings" radio programme in
Mount Isa, Gympie, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Wingham, Tamworth, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Braidwood. Current
broadcast times are shown here.
|
|
|
Home >
News >
Car Comment
Broadcast date: 16th April, 2011
***** START *****
It must be the ugliest car on the road today.
Taking styling cues from the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 from the 1960s, the new Toyota FJ Cruiser is
now available in Australia and it brings the retro-look to the four-wheel drive market. The FJ
Cruiser is so ugly it will be beautiful in some eyes. It's the attraction of the very different
styling that will attract attention. We collected the test car the day before this new Toyota appeared
at dealerships and we can assure you that it certainly is noticed on the road. We managed to turn more
heads in this new model than any other car we've ever exposed to an unsuspecting public.
The FJ Cruiser is a conventional four-wheel drive, powered by a 4-litre V6 petrol-fuelled engine,
which will be familiar to Prado and Hi-Lux owners. Engine power is rated at 200 kiloWatts, whilst the
torque is 310 Nm. The FJ gets along quite well, but without a diesel option, serious four-wheel
drivers will probably by-pass this new model. Fuel consumption is 9.3 litres per 100 kilometres on the
combined cycle, whilst the urban cycle is rated at 14.9 litres per 100 kilometres.
Toyota is aiming the FJ Cruiser at younger buyers. Given that the FJ Cruiser is
impractical in
some ways, young single people may well be the best target market. You see the rear seat access is
somewhat inconvenient and you cannot open a back door without the its front counterpart being open.
Even getting in and out of the driver's seat requires more effort than some four-wheel drives. The
rear door is a 'barn door' type of opening which is hinged on the left and it's this door where the
spare wheel is mounted externally.
Forward vision is excellent, but side vision is below average. However, vision for reversing out
of angled parking spaces is excellent due to the unique rear side window. Reversing is also
assisted by the standard-fit rear-view camera, which shows an image on the interior rear-view mirror.
This is an excellent aid for reversing manoeuvres and we would like to see all larger vehicles adopt
this valued feature.
The FJ Cruiser features good luggage space so it will appeal to campers with lots of equipment.
A close inspection of Toyota's new four-wheel drive will indicate this vehicle has numerous
qualities but, similarly, it features aspects that won't appeal to many potential buyers. That being
the case, the FJ Cruiser is one of several vehicles that will galvanise opinion for it or against it.
And that won't disturb Toyota in any way at all. With other four-wheel drives on the market, the FJ
is intended to expand Toyota's presence in this popular market segment.
Driving the Toyota FJ Cruiser is pleasant enough. The ride is compliant and we feel it will suit
city-slickers as the ride isn't too firm. It's closer to the ride qualities of the Jeep Grand
Cherokee than the much firmer ride qualities of the Mitsubishi Challenger. The steering of the FJ is
somewhat slow, similar to the Mitsubishi Challenger which is below the standard set by the new Jeep
Grand Cherokee.
Here in Australia, we consider the FJ Cruiser as a new model. But be aware, this new Cruiser is
old as it was originally introduced to the American market as a 2007 model. That being the case, you
will notice that modern day features such as automatic headlights and keyless entry are not included.
The steering wheel adjusts for tilt, but it has no telescopic function. However, it does have two
interior sun visors for the front seat occupants. The CD player is a six-stacker. There's a jack for
MP3 and a USB for your iPod.
The manufacturer's list price for the FJ is from $44,990 excluding the on-road costs.
So will you buy a Toyota FJ Cruiser? .... It will depend on how you look at the FJ retro look!
***** END *****
| 
