Long-Term Road Tests

Can you believe it's been a year already? A year and over 28,000 miles.

I was lucky enough to get the final weekend in the FJ. I had friends come to visit and I needed something that could cart around five adults...

Continue reading Say Good-Bye to the Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Step on the FJ's brake pedal and there's a quarter inch of nothing (which is about normal) and then there's nonlinear, overly abrupt response. Try and back out a hair and the braking goes away just as abruptly. Then you get back on the pedal, and... you get the point...

Continue reading FJ Cruiser: jumpy brakes.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

When I was driving out of town this weekend, the "Maintenance Required" light flicked on on the dash and suddenly I panicked. "That sounds serious!" Miles from home and in unfamiliar territory I wondered if and when the FJ would break down. Fortunately it didn't and I got to my destination safely. After I wiped the sweat from my brow and sighed with relief I cracked open the owner's manual to see what that warning light meant...

Continue reading 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser: Checking Under the Hood.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Any motorist who regularly travels between NorCal and SoCal knows the city of Coalinga.  A small town in Fresno County with a slightly disproportional cows-to-humans ratio, its name derives from an ancient Greek word whose etymological meaning roughly translates to "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, CLOSE YOUR VENTS!"

Having learned my lesson years ago, my mind has long been programmed to hit the Recirculate button in advance.  Unfortunately, this FJ Cruiser wasn't programmed to fully follow orders.  After a few moments of easy breathing, I soon caught a whiff of the outside world.  After 30 seconds, it was a distinct stench, and after a minute my lunch was ready to go back the way it came.

I realize these things happen; the Recirculate mode started fading away at 95K miles on my former 89 Mazda.  But at 27K on a year-old Toyota?

Brian Sy, Automotive Editor, 27,300 miles

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

I have probably logged more miles in our long-term Toyota FJ Cruiser, including a four-day ski trip a few months back, than in any other car in the fleet. While I've found it hard to assess a car in a few scant miles (one night), I've spent enough nights in the FJ that I've come to terms with it. First, I know I would never own it. It's impractical for my city life...

Continue reading FJ Cruiser's Growing on Me.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

When I get the keys to the FJ, I try to think of places to go for a little outdoor adventure. On short notice I was able to gather a few friends and headed up to Joshua Tree National Park for a weekend of camping under the stars and hiking into the backcountry. The parks stark beauty was marred by the screaming kids on one side of our campsite and the group of middle-aged fathers celebrating their weekend furlough with Jagermeister and Van Halen on the other.

The FJ, however, was a welcome respite between activities and bouts of ill-tempered tykes...

Continue reading 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser: Have Keys Will Travel.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

As some of you may know, I took a long ski trip a few months back in our long-term FJ Cruiser. My assessment at the time was that it was absolutely perfect for that very specific task. Big, strong, torquey engine, huge front window, enormous tires, great ground clearance, surefootedness over anything Ma Nature had for it.

So when I took the keys once again last night, I wanted to revisit my feelings...

Continue reading Toyota FJ Cruiser -- If Only Looks Were Enough.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

I've had the FJ when I went to a Dodgers game, participated in a fun run around the Santa Anita Racetrack and parked in a crowded mall parking lot and each time I was able to find my way back to it just by spotting its white top and Voodoo Blue coloring. I love that! Usually crowded lots stress me out as I've always had a difficult time finding my own black Corolla if I'm unfamiliar with the lot and don't have any real landmarks around my car.

But with the FJ, I take comfort in the fact that as long as I'm in the general vicinity of it all I have to do is hit the key fob and listen for that high-pitch call and look for that helpful flash of the lights...

Continue reading 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser: Never Lost, Always Found.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

I've always regarded the FJ as an oversized Mini, in terms of its cuteness. Love the Voodoo Blue! But yesterday when Erin asked me if I'd ever buy one for myself, I paused. "Would you get one if gas wasn't an issue...if money wasn't an issue...if you got married...." she asked...

Continue reading Pick the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser in an Alternate Universe?.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

At a towering five-foot-five, I'm one of the shorter staffers, so I appreciate it when a car maker has grab handles for the driver in their taller trucks and SUVs.  As you can see in the first photo, it's a rather big step up into the FJ.  A large, simple handle on the A pillar makes hopping into the cabin a swift and easy maneuver for me.  Why some other manufacturers put grab handles everywhere but next to the driver's seat baffles me.  I guess they figure the driver can grab the steering wheel to hoist him/herself up and in, but that's awkward compared to this simple and effective solution.

Also, I should tell you FJ fans that the sand in the long-term hourglass has just about run out for our beloved Cruiser, so we will be writing its wrap-up, sometime in the near future.

John DiPietro,  Automotive Editor @ 25,375 miles.

 

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Over the weekend, I took a trip to our local flatbox furniture factory and found that four, fairly fat packs fit just fine in the back of the FJ.

Continue reading Toyota FJ is Flatbox Furniture Friendly.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Last night wasn't about steering feel or cargo capacity. It was about me going to see my favorite band, Tool, on the 10,000 Days tour, at San Diego State, and our FJ Cruiser was my transportation. I'd usually prefer to take a small, fuel-efficient car to a concert due to tight parking situations and the inevitable idling and waiting after the show (shown above...

Continue reading 10,000 Days in the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

A few weeks ago, I noted how awful our FJ Cruiser's XM Satellite Radio quality was. It sounded extremely tinny, like a really old cassette tape. Having been thrown the keys to the FJ last night, I figured this would be a good test for my new Samsung Helix portable XM Radio and MP3 player (I simply can't live without baseball games and such glorious channels as Lucy and Ethel). I planned on checking to see if the FJ's XM had gotten better by comparing it simultaneously with my nifty new player. It was a short-lived experiment.

Continue reading 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser: Lost Without XM.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

We reported back in October that the FJ cruiser had a small ding in the front windshield. At the time, the dealer quoted us a staggering $1,400 for replacement. Because the blemish was so small, we opted instead to have the hole plugged. It has lasted us several months...

Continue reading 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser - A Crack in the Armor.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

The last time I took the FJ Cruiser out, it sailed along highways and through Death Valley. Until this weekend, I had never had any urban-only seat time in it. Saturday included general errand running, and a Dodgers game in the evening (where the "Cookie Monster"  blue was much appreciated by passing fans). On Sunday, I was dodging drizzle and LAX Arrival Terminal traffic. 





Later in the evening, we ran across a table on the sidewalk...

Continue reading 2007 FJ Cruiser: Curbside Recycling.

Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser