There was a time when SUVs were made for one and only purpose, conquering mountains and rivers. The off-road prowess made the SUVs the obvious choice during the wartime and post war situations. The rugged construction and go anywhere capability made sure they reached every corner of the world. While the defense forces and the Untied Nations still rely on the off-road SUVs, the manufacturers have turned on to soft-roaders and crossover SUVs for the civilian market. These cars, while offering all the practicality of the SUV, the space and the safety, does not offer the ruggedness or off-road capabilities of the old true blue off-road SUVs. They are at their best on the roads, but have all wheel drive systems and high ground clearance to tackle mildly uneven terrains.
The retro front end and the uprights A pillar stands out in the design. The car has suicide doors like Mazda RX-8 and Rolls Royce Phantom. The back doors open outwards only when the front doors are open. The car has a very thick B pillar with the rear glass wrapping around it. The massive wheels and blackened wheel arches give it a purposeful stance. The car looks very refreshingly good.
The 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser is a retro styled off-road SUV. The styling reminds of the Land Cruiser FJ40 of the 1980s. The FJ40s were widely acclaimed for its off road boulder climbing abilities. It was the FJ40 that contributed most to the reliable go anywhere image of the Land Cruisers. The Land Cruiser now makes up a large part of the United Nations fleet of cars. The FJ cruiser looks are inspired from the FJ40. The FJ Cruiser stands out from the competition because of its off road capabilities.
The car has a well appointed interior with the only real issue being the huge blind spot created by the massive B pillars which can get really annoying. The car comes with a lot of safety features including curtain air bags actuated by roll sensors to ensure early employment. The car is equipped with all the quintessential luxury features and off road tools like the locking differentials and inclinometer.The FJ cruiser comes with a 4.0-liter V6 the produce 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. The engines can be mated to either a five speed automatic or a six speed automatic transmission. The manual transmission is available only with full time four wheel drive configuration. The FJ hits 60 mph at about 7.8 seconds and delivers fuel economy of 16 mpg on city, 20 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg on the combined cycle in 4WD models with automatic transmissions. The figures are slightly better for the rear wheel drive option.
The road manners of the FJ are nowhere near the crossover SUVs. It has quite a bit of body roll. However, the precise steering and the smooth ride make it a good on the highway as long you do not wish to corner hard and flat. The car is extremely capable off the road. The V6 provides brisk acceleration and the peak torque available at a low 3700 rpm is more than handy both on and off the road. The FJ Cruiser promises to give Land Cruiser-ish off road ability and reliability at less than half of its price.
Source: www.nitrobahn.com
