Toyota's FJ Cruiser looks tough. It's got tough tires, a tough ride height, a tough roof rack and even tough looking interior trim. It's that last part that's got us puzzled. Fold the rear seats flat and there's plenty of room to throw stuff behind the FJ's front seats. The rear seatbacks (where cargo sits when the seats are folded) are covered with plastic that's got a tough looking pattern molded into it. But as this photo proves...
It's not tough.
What's more, the giant subwoofer that sits in the FJ's cargo area seems particularly susceptible to scuffs and abrasions.
These areas could have been made a little more cargo friendly by using materials that don't scuff so easily. After all, our FJ is only about a year old.
Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor at 24,426 miles
billt9 says:
07:24 PM, 04/16/07
Can't tell from that top pic.
Much of it looks like dirt and mud.
Is this picture taken after it's been cleaned with a damp cloth?
If yes, then ok, it's scratched. But that's the life a plastic bed is intended to live...
Look on any tough Ford F-150 or Silverado, and you see it's all scratched up. Cargo bays are meant to be scratched.
An unscratchable cargo bay surface would be:
1. soft carpeted, hard to clean.
2. soft, padded, destructable by cargo.
3. hard, rough, cargo destroying.
3. hard, smooth, cargo flying around.
boxermike says:
10:29 AM, 04/17/07
...we've also seen throughout the Long-term test logbook that Edmunds employees aren't the most careful of folk.
Tip: If you're carrying cargo that's going to possibly damage the interior, put down a drop-cloth/blanket.
1488 says:
09:46 AM, 04/18/07
Yes, it scratches easy..my FJ's scarred from a recent move..it's lousy hard plastic anyway, I think the scratches make it look better..
mopar424 says:
05:39 PM, 04/18/07
toyota high quality plastics what?
bimmerjay says:
10:46 PM, 04/18/07
That pseudo-diamond plate-ish plastic reminds me of the Hummer H2's fake "bolts" on the dash.
thebigal says:
01:15 AM, 04/20/07
hmmmm --- scratches in a cargo bay? I would think that the hard plastic would make it more usable like a pick-up bed and therefore I wouldn't care about scratches... just means it's getting used like it is supposed to.
At least it won't have stains or attract odors like a carpet would.
john11v35 says:
07:46 AM, 04/20/07
I own a FJ and the "scratches" on the back of the seats seem to be a scratch on a clear coat. Rub a light duty cleaner (such as Armour All cleaning wipes) over them and the scratches come right out. I did purchase the all-weather cargo mat from Toyota which is useful in the fact that the cargo no longer slides around on the slippery plastic cargo floor. I think you are out of luck with the scratches on the subwoofer though.
desmolicious says:
11:39 AM, 04/20/07
It's the cargo bay in a truck fercryinoutloud! Scratches make it tuff!
jnava121 says:
05:43 AM, 05/ 1/07
Discovery of the Century ,
Plastic scratches easily. I dont know what i thought that was when I bought it. Some alien form substance, that was not plastic , i thought it was impenetrable to scratches. If I put some large wooden chair that has splinters in it in the back of my FJ. I can put a blanket underneath it? Damn you common sense!
Yes armorall works wonders when applied to plastic and rubber, scuff marks that you think are scratches can be removed.
Would you do that too a seat that had leather on it?
I've put huge wheel/tires , wood and lots of other stuff in the back of my FJ , guess what no scratches? Because I pay a lot for my FJ, and I carefully put stuff in the back!
luke4wf says:
11:22 PM, 05/16/07
No one has mentioned that Toyota could've covered the cargo bay in no-slip hard rubber. Or heck you could just buy some and plop it down!