Toyota Adds Emotional Appeal to its Cruiser Range
The ‘swag’ in the name has more to do with the adverb swagger (‘to walk or carry oneself as if among inferiors,” according to my Oxford dictionary) than with the slang term for a thief’s booty or ill-gotten gains, and it certainly has a superior manner about it. ‘Swag’ is, for those of you without teenage children, the word of the moment and can be applied to most things, and it is almost serendipitous that it is in vogue at the same time as Toyota’s newcomer.
Much hyped, the launch of the FJ was delayed for a number of months as a result of supply problems in Japan and the build-up has been a long one. To sum up though, it is an offshoot of the Land Cruiser Prado, sharing many mechanical and structural components but wrapped in a retro-skin which pays homage to the likes of the FJ40 Cruiser generation of the 1960s.
A number of styling cues – the close-set headlights, squared-off wheel arches, and white roof – act as reminders of that legendary off-roader, and as far as bundu-bashing ability goes the 21st century version lives up to its forebear. With a full house of 4x4 hardware the FJ is designed for the rough stuff and backs this up with the best ground clearance of any Cruiser. Throw in amazing approach and departure angles thanks to the short overhangs and you realise that this isn’t just about parking on pavements.
One of the most interesting aspects of the FJ is the body layout. At a glance it looks like a two-door but a pair of rear ‘suicide’ doors (who open back to front) allow access to the rear compartment. There’s space for five and their luggage.
The cabin has a number of retro cues but there are all manner of mod-cons, and comfort and convenience levels are very high. It is practical too and depending on the version you can even hose out the interior thanks to a complete rubberised floor. 
Toyota offers four versions, starting with the base FJ Cruiser at around R435 000 with offshoots Sport, Trail and Desert Cruiser priced between R450 000 and R460 000. Depending on the version, a roof rack, towbar and other details set them apart (the Sport Cruiser also has leather upholstery). All four are equipped with Toyota’s well-proven 4.0-litre V6 in dual VVTi guise so you’ll have 200 kW and 380 Nm available, and with a five-speed automatic as the drivetrain partner it is pretty effortless, leaving the driver free to focus on steering the considerable width of the FJ Cruiser down the middle of the lane. Six airbags, stability control and anti-lock brakes with a number of related driver assistance ‘parachutes’ make for high safety levels.
There is little doubt that retro sells – just ask MINI – and while the FJ’s pricing is on the high side when you start comparing with the USA (where the FJ has been on sale for a number of years), there is little doubt that demand will outstrip supply. Which is why you shouldn’t be surprised when you see owners driving with a bit of a swagger.
