Archive for Product Reviews
FJ Cruiser Launch
FJ Cruiser Launch
Every now and then a fork in the road
appears before us presenting us with a choice or an opportunity. There I was enjoying the mundaneness of my
day job when with a blinding flash of light, an chance to test the new Toyota
FJ cruiser materialised out of nowhere.
I think the scorch marks I left in the carpet as I departed the office
speaks volumes!
So there I found myself in the back stalls of a small twin engine turbo prop
circling Hawker at midday on a Tuesday vainly searching for a gap in the sea of
grey cloud that shrouded everything. It was looking grim and we were more than
half way back towards Port Augusta when our pilot, young Biggles, spotted a
hole in the grey carpet the size of a beer carton. Not being one to let the
opportunity pass he powered on and dove down through the clouds like a Spitfire
pilot of old dropping out of the sun onto some unwary enemy. The only thing
missing was the flying scarf and a cry of “Tally ho chaps”. We did the entire
trip back to Hawker at 500 metres or less (and a heart rate of 180) making for
a great flight.
Thankfully, the rain that had been pelting down at Adelaide
had not extended as far north as the Flinders
Ranges. Landing at Hawker International
Airport we were greeted
by the full pastel assortment of nearly a dozen spanking new FJ cruisers. This
was going to be a lot of fun. In the 1950’s, Toyota took a bold gamble and imported two of
its 4 wheel drive Land Cruiser vehicles to the Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme. The
dye was cast and over the next 50 years, the Landcruiser built a reputation
across the wide brown land as an unbreakable workhorse, none more so than the
FJ 40 model of the 1970’s.
Then FJ cruiser aims to capture the spirit and essence of the iconic 1970’s
workhorse in a modern design. Believe me when I say it’s a very modern
interpretation alright with it’s Bluetooth and ipod connectivity but don’t let
that fool you. Get past all the metrosexual gadgetry and the FJ has some
serious off road capability that left me impressed.
With its boxy styling and bright colours the FJ is certainly a head turner that
Toyota have
unashamedly marketed for the Gen-Y demographic. Dave Buttner, head of Toyota Australia
(and a really nice bloke), described the FJ as a car that “responds to the
needs of the modern buyer while retaining a strong link to its heritage”.
Cleverly Toyota
have backed that by underpinning the Cruiser on the proven Prado platform.
Drivability
Basically the FJ is a Prado in lighter livery. To my mind, building on a tried
and tested platform such as the Prado is common sense. Toyota said testing for Australian conditions
resulted in unique calibration for the suspension and power steering and the
fitting of 17-inch wheels. Noise-suppressing material was also added to block
out road noise created by Australia’s
coarse-chip bitumen surfaces. Having been released in the US in 2006, the
Us market has largely driven the development of the FJ Cruiser. As a result the
4.0 litre V6 petrol motor is well tested but a downside is the fuel
consumption: an average of 11.4 l/100k (95 octane minimum). There is no diesel
prospect in the foreseeable future and this may affect sales of the right-hand
drive model.
The vehicle is a pleasure to drive on the blacktop and eats up gravel roads
comfortably. Seating and driving comfort is good; the fabric is ‘water
repellent’ and ventilated and the front seats are well shaped and supportive of
even a larger framed bloke like me. Rear seats are higher giving a better view
of the road ahead for kids in the back. The rear seats tuck in behind the thick
C-pillar. Leg and headroom is good, but it’s a fairly cloistered environment in
the back. The rear windows are very small and do not open, and there are no
rear air-conditioning vents either.
A great idea are the grab handles (or Jesus handles as I commonly call them) on
the backs of the front seats. The rear hinged rear doors open out at right
angles to provide good access to the rear, even for adults. There is a degree
of difficulty in gaining access as I’m sure my 90 year old Uncle Lex would
attest if he were to try getting into the rear.
Standard equipment includes fog-lamps, privacy glass, rear parking sensors,
cruise control, air-conditioning, steering-mounted audio controls, a
multi-information display, central locking, eight-speaker audio with CD
stacker, USB, iPod, Bluetooth and aux connectivity. The 60/40 splitfold rear
seats fold flat, providing a cavernous storage space. Plenty of space for a
mountain bike or a stack of camping equipment. Towing capacity is 2200 kg (braked).
The Off Road Stuff
The Flinders Rangers in SA provided the perfect backdrop to test the FJ
Cruiser’s off-road capability. Over a range of terrain including deep dry creek
crossings and steep, loose and deeply-rutted grades to patches of almost Mallee
like sand and dust, the FJ made light, comfortable work of it all.
Underneath is a very well-sorted all-coil suspension, with high-mounted
double-wishbones up front and a five-link system at the rear. At 4670 mm long
and sitting on a 2690 mm wheelbase, the 1950 (tare) kg, the FJ Cruiser is a
mid-sized wagon. Ground clearance of 224 mm could be a little higher but short
overhangs at both front and rear provide for excellent approach angles (36
degrees) and departure angles (31 degrees). Combining the reasonably high
stance, short overhangs, good wheel articulation and an excellent turning
circle, the FJ can cope with some serious off-road situations. The FJ’s low
range transfer case, rear diff-lock and switchable off-road traction control,
A-trac (which diverts drive to wheels with traction), give it real credibility
in the rough. We had a chance to test this on some serious off track work along
a steep sided creek on Arkaba Station. Engine power from the V6 is strong and
well managed by the dual range 5 speed box. The gate shift also provides
certainty in shift changing but a sequential shift could be a real advantage
here and something worthy of consideration by Toyota. The only down side during our test
was a bit of feedback through the steering wheel in rockier patches (which may
have been negated by a reduction from road tyre pressures) and occasional “rack
rattle” on corrugations.
The FJ Cruiser will only be available in one model with a price tag of $44,990
(plus on-road costs). The FJ proved to be a highly capable 4 wheel drive
vehicle in the situations we encountered. Toyota have aimed the vehicle at a
specific market which, while I might sit outside of but, would I have one in
the driveway…….Yes I would. If you like a bit of out of the way action on the
weekends, then this vehicle is for you. Do I see a recently retired couple
towing a 17’ off road van down the Tanami with it, no I don’t but then who
knows what accessories and upgrades the aftermarket producers have in store.
Mick Olsen is an experienced outback
traveller who’s passion is exploring the very remote, areas often tracking the
paths of past explorers such as Giles, Carnegie and of course Len Beadell. Mick is a compulsive blogger who has written
widely of his extensive travels throughout Australia
and Asia.
For more of his work, please check out his writings at;
http://www.exploroz.com/Members/92954.75/MyBlog.aspx
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