Toyota's mighty FJ Cruiser hasn't been around in our market since the 2014 model year, and we think the company should give it another shot. After all, it would not only chase after the Jeep Wrangler but also the new Ford Bronco and would do it with its off-roading prowess and quirky looks.
A possible revival of this nameplate has been speculated multiple times, and with the new Land Cruiser out, the Japanese automaker has a fresh and solid foundation on which to build it. And signing the new styling should be a walk in the park for Toyota's design team, as it would look very similar to the older iteration.
Speaking of which, it may have left North America after the 2014 MY, but it stayed around in other markets for a few more years. Japan had it until 2018, and it died in late 2022 in the Middle East. The Final Edition swansong was capped at 2,500 examples stateside and featured some extra goodies, including the exclusive paint finish called Heritage Blue.
In terms of power, it offered no surprises, as it retained the V6 with its 4.0-liter displacement. The output varied depending on the market, and customers had to settle for rear-wheel drive and a stick shift with six gears if they chose the most affordable ones. A four-wheel drive system was on deck, and so was an automatic gearbox, whereas the platform was shared with the old Land Cruiser Prado, as well as the era's GX model from Lexus.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | A1 Cars
As we already told you, Toyota has all the tools to bring it back from the dead, including multiple electrified powertrains that would make it futureproof and likely very popular on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean if priced accordingly. After all, it would be a proper body-on-frame truck with a rugged design and likely very reliable, perhaps to the point where it might end up stealing countless sales from the three-door versions of the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco.
But does that mean that the automaker based in the Land of the Rising Sun will give it another shot? There is no indication that Toyota is planning to launch a new FJ Cruiser, so those interested in it will have to rely on the used car market, where such models usually sell for under $10,000 to just over $50,000, depending on their mileage and overall condition.
The rendering world has gone bananas on trying to imagine a new Toyota FJ Cruiser ever since the latest Land Cruiser broke cover, and we recently found some fresh digital illustrations that we think are worthy of your attention. A1 Cars on YouTube signed them, and they portray a very realistic off-roader. It's too bad it will be stuck in Fantasy Land.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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