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Toyota Road Test |
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August 20, 2009 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser Review by Charles Renny , Auto123.com |
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The FJ Cruiser is built as a modern-day tribute to the world-renowned Toyota FJ Land Cruiser series of off road vehicles. Ironically, the original was never very popular in Canada, except with hardcore off-roaders. It seems the original was much better at traversing jungles and getting through deserts than surviving Saskatchewan winters.
Land Cruisers are still sold in many parts of the world, just not in Canada. The new FJ Cruiser is intended to fill the image gap created while being a thoroughly modern and comfortable vehicle. It’s like the Toyota engineers traded away the part of the world-class off-road ability for world-class practical usability. Original Land Cruisers were two-door vehicles. New ones are just a bit more practical, with large front doors that make entry and exit quite easy. In addition, there is a half door or “clamshell door” that opens to make getting in and out of the very comfortable rear seat as easy as getting in the front. At the back, a traditional door rather than a rear hatch still opens about 90 degrees to provide unobstructed access to the rear cargo area. Hinges for the rear door are stout to the point of gargantuan, since the rear door also serves as the spare tire mount. The tire is mounted low enough on the door that when driving, it is virtually invisible in the rear view mirror. My concern about a small window area when looking at them from the outside doesn’t hold up on the inside. The windows may look narrow, but they are at the right height to provide occupants with a panoramic view of what is going on around the outside of the vehicle. Looking out the front is the most impressive, with a massive hood and squared-off corners so that you know exactly where everything starts and stops. Driving the FJ in city traffic is pretty easy, if you get the large mirrors set properly to keep blind spots to a minimum. When you do find a gap in traffic, the power from the 4.0-litre V6 gets you from place to place quite quickly, as long as you have the six-speed manual in the right gear. If you are coasting in a higher gear, downshifts are quick and easy. The clutch is light and the shifter moves like a knife through butter.
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