A hardy off-roader with a go-anywhere attitude, the Toyota FJ Cruiser is the subject of this week’s Five-Point Inspection. Priced at $26,115 to start, our test model retails for $32,694. Find out what we liked, what we didn’t like and what you need to know about the FJ, in five quick points below.

 

The FJ has a lot of presence and makes itself known in terms of its look and sound. The 4.0L V6 makes an unrefined noise that, while fun at first, gets tiresome. It might just be the noisiest engine on the market with less than eight cylinders.

But engine noise is only half the problem. The FJ’s boxy shape doesn’t cut through the air in a sleek manner. As a result, wind-noise at the front of the vehicle is unbearable and can only be countered by cranking the stereo.

The FJ’s interior is wonderfully simple. There is no mistake about where any controls are. Everything is located as expected, and operates as imagined. There’s no ultra-complex information cluster that overwhelms with unnecessary information.

Simple seats are another high-point in the FJ. They may not be the top choice in comfort, but they use a non-stick, non-stain material, that’s easy to clean and should be a huge hit with the FJ’s target market, whether the truck is being taken to the beach with the family or off-roading with some friends.

It might be silly to expect the FJ to be a smooth luxury cruiser, but there is an excessive jerkiness that occurs when the automatic transmission shifts gears. The 4.0L V6 itself is quite smooth and it pulls hard with a healthy amount of torque, making us wish our test model came equipped with the manual transmission. The five-speed auto also doesn’t help do much for the engine’s already substantial thirst for fuel either. A gasoline addict, the FJ needs its fix regularly.

In testing through forest trails and sandy beaches, the FJ proved more than capable. The truck’s 4WD system is more than prepared for any low traction situation, and the suspension glides over dips and bumps without complaint.

We didn’t tackle any snow or rock-climbing, but in every test we did perform the chassis, suspension and drive-train were unfazed. Of note, our tester did come equipped with the optional off-roading package, which included trail rated shock absorbers, a locking rear differential and advanced traction control.

A purpose-built truck understandably makes a few compromises, but every passenger that jumps in, and out of the FJ Cruiser, can’t help but comment on how high up it is. If a ladder isn’t handy, amateur rock climbers will find the roof rack (a $649 option) something to hold onto as they, quite literally, climb into the truck.

If you’re in search of an adventure vehicle and you’re not a giant, spend the $575 for the optional Rock Rails to use as a side step – though considering the height of the FJ they really should be standard.

Interested in browsing for a new Toyota FJ Cruiser?  Have a look at our updated new cars section where you can gloss over the available trim levels, compare prices against other cars and even customize your own.

You can click here to skip to the Toyota FJ Cruiser section or have a look through the brand’s entire lineup here.