2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Before Toyota moved the Land Cruiser up-market to compete with the Range Rover, it was the beefiest model in the company‘s lineup—considered one of the best off-pavement vehicles in the world. While the Land Cruiser continues to have good off-road capabilities, its price can be a barrier to a lot of enthusiasts.

Flash forward three decades to now and the Cruiser name is on a model priced within reach of more buyers with a desire to get deep in the wilderness: the FJ Cruiser.

The FJ Cruiser’s styling is reminiscent of the classic FJ40, a 4x4 utility vehicle Toyota sold for 23 years in the U.S. With the 4x4 FJ Cruiser, styling is merely frosting on the cake. The new FJ is built for to contend with serious off-road conditions. The FJ uses a boxed steel, ladder-braced frame, independent front suspension with nearly eight inches of wheel travel and a solid rear axle with four-link, coil-spring suspension in back providing nine-inches of wheel travel. Approach and departure angles for the 4x4 FJ are 34 degrees and 31 degrees. With the automatic transmission the crawl ratio is 33.76:1, and with the manual gearbox it’s 41.84:1. An electronic locking rear differential with an eight-inch ring gear is available, and the 4x4 also comes with an eight-inch front ring gear.

An off-road package includes Bilstein shock absorbers, rear differential lock, active traction control, front and rear skid plates, rock rails, beadlock wheels and a pre-air cleaner to keep sand and dirt out of the engine. Water-repellent fabric seats, all-weather floor and cargo mats make it easier to clean things up, while 12-volt, 100 watt and 115-volt, 400 watt outlets cover powering any civilized amenities you carry along. Get more information by clicking Toyota Dealers Massachusetts and Boston Toyota.

Back on the highway, the FJ Cruiser protects you with a full complement of safety features: front, side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes with force distribution and brake assist, traction and stability control.

While you might want to rough it while on the trail, you can still enjoy come creature comforts in the FJ. Three audio systems are available. A six-speaker, AM/FM/CD is standard. The ceiling is converted to a speaker diaphragm by using a pair of surface transducers, creating omni-directional sound dispersion.

The premium audio system includes eight speakers, six-disc, in-dash CD changer is part of an option package, and an amplified subwoofer can be added. An auxiliary jack provides input for devices such as an iPod and MP3 player. Front seats are eight-way adjustable for the driver, four-way adjustable passenger. The 60/40 split rear seat with folding bottom and back cushions converts to a nearly flat floor.

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