2007 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year Award: Testing
Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Place.
By Ron Kiino
Had the FJ Cruiser squeezed into last year's contest, it just might've walked away with top honors. After all, it beat our 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year, the Nissan Xterra, in a comparison test, bettering it off-road while offering a superior on-road ride and nearly identical test numbers. But, as the saying goes, timing is everything. In this year's field, the FJ certainly stood out--how can you overlook that flashy, retro styling?--its reasonable price and proficient combination of on- and off-road competence consistently placing it in the top three on most voters' ballots.
But surrounded by this year's more compelling contestants, it failed to convince a single editor that it deserved the number-one position, a spot that all but two voters reserved for our winner. Yet its strong showing proves there's much to like about the FJ, namely a torquey 4.0-liter V-6, an intuitive five-speed automatic, and distinctive design inside and out. More impressive are the FJ's abilities to mesh true rock-crawling capabilities--thanks to a solid rear axle, a locking rear differential, 9.6 inches of ground clearance, 32-inch tires, and an effective A-TRAC traction-control system--with on-road aptitude, highlighted by acceleration and braking figures that place it near the top of this year's 22-SUV field. Unfortunately, the FJ had some shortcomings that hurt its chances: subpar rear-seat room and poor visibility courtesy of a near-vertical slatlike windshield and thick C-pillars that should be renamed "can't-see pillars."
But while the FJ failed to rise to the top of this field, it is undoubtedly tops in its segment. Compared with the all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, also a retro-infused off-road aficionado, the FJ handily beats it in every performance test, easily outclasses it in subjective on-road criteria, and delivers at least 90 percent of its off-road prowess, all for similar money. The FJ is a winner, no doubt--just not the winner.
| 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser |
| Base Price Range | $22,515- $24,105 |
| As-tested price | $29,883 (4WD) |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, RWD/4WD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV |
| Engine | 4.0L/239-hp/278-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Curb weight, f/r dist | 4345 lb (54/46%) 4WD AT |
| Wheelbase | 105.9 in |
| Length x width x height | 183.9 x 74.6 x 71.6 in |
| Max cargo capacity | 66.8 cu ft |
| Max towing capacity | 5000 lb |
| 0-60 mph | 7.3 sec |
| Quarter mile | 15.7 sec @ 87.1 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 128 ft |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.70 g (avg) |
| 600-foot slalom | 55.7 mph (avg) |
| MT figure eight | 29.4 sec @ 0.55 g (avg) |
| EPA city/hwy fuel economy | 16-19/19-22 |
| Bet you didn't know | A-TRAC allows enough wheelspin to claw down through loose surfaces in search of traction. |
| Sum up | With faults a-few, the FJ Cruiser conquers everything from boulders to boulevards. |
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