Toyota Decides to Release Baby Cruiser After Eight Years of Promises
There's another celebration on the street for Toyotaphiles: after many years of talk and promises, the leading Japanese car manufacturer has introduced a new frame all-terrain vehicle, the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ. It's smaller than the big Cruiser 300 and Prado 250. That's what makes it interesting.
As a lyrical introduction, it can be noted that shortened versions of large SUVs have always caused some surprise and affection. Isn't the three-door Mitsubishi Pajero in the third and fourth generations a cutie? The perky image of a rogue compensated for both the lack of space in the trunk and the goatish character of the car with a shortened wheelbase.
However, the first-generation Land Cruiser named FJ was even more interesting. At first glance, the car seemed to have three doors, but in fact there were five! Narrow rear doors with hidden handles opened against the direction of travel. However, it was difficult to call the FJ a "baby". It was only 17 centimeters shorter than the Prado and a third of a meter shorter than the big "two hundred".
It's a pity that there were never any official deliveries of these cars to Russia. But privately imported examples are still alive and well, not inferior to the usual Kruzaks and Prados in either reliability or price. For example, a 2007 car with a mileage of 320 thousand kilometers is sold for three million.
Land Cruiser FJ is not inferior in price to its older brothers on the used car market. Photo: Auto.ru
The FJ Cruiser was produced specifically for the US from 2006 to 2018. Then came a long creative pause, during which the Japanese wondered what kind of car they would release under the popular index.
Rumors about a new baby Cruiser have been circulating since 2017, when Toyota showed the very strange FT-4X concept at the New York Auto Show.
Despite the fact that the index stands for Future Toyota Four-Wheel Drive Crossover, i.e. all-wheel drive crossover, it was made on the TNGA-C passenger platform - the same one that Pruis and C-HR are equipped with. They have a monocoque body and a transverse arrangement of the power unit. With such equipment, you will not be able to drive through the mountains and swamps!
Well, the second reason why FJ Cruiser fans were stunned is the new model's too small dimensions - only 4249 mm in length. The baby turned out to be even shorter than the shorty Toyota C-HR!
"This is a car for young city dwellers who love sudden adventures and unplanned trips out of town" - this is how Toyota top managers described the purpose of the car. And they even suggested a special term for this genre - casual-core, that is, "random hardcore". Allegedly, the FT-4X is ready for anything.
The FT-4X was shown at the New York Auto Show, but never went into production. Photo: Toyota.ru
But, apparently, Toyota marketers themselves did not believe in the success of the new product and took a break to think. And now, finally, the future SUV has appeared in its "conveyor" guise. Judging by the brochure that appeared on the Internet, Toyota Land Cruiser FJ is not a crossover for teenagers, but a full-fledged frame all-terrain vehicle for any roads and off-road. This is why it is equipped with a torque distribution system, which automatically redistributes power between the axles to achieve maximum cross-country ability, regardless of road conditions. Improved suspension with increased shock absorber travel allows the car to easily overcome the most difficult sections.
According to the brochure, it is based on the same GA-F frame platform that underpins the modern Land Cruiser 250/Prado and Land Cruiser 300 models. The solid rear axle has also been retained.
There is no information about the engines yet, as well as the exact dimensions of the car. It is only clear that the Land Cruiser FJ will be noticeably shorter than the Prado, which in the new generation has grown to 4.93 m in length. Probably, its length will be the same as that of the Skoda Kodiak and Geely Monjaro.
The Cruiser FJ model has a short rear overhang and blind trunk walls. The interior is original, having little in common with the Prado. The main market for the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ SUV should be Asia, where they like smaller cars. And if so, then the chances of getting a new product for parallel import to Russia are quite high. The premiere is expected in 2025.
The new Cruiser FJ will be close in concept to its distant ancestor, the FJ40 series. Photo: Autoreview.ru
newizv.ru
