Toyota FJ Cruiser Trails Team Edition unveiled

All show no go

Good luck with poor structural integrity this thing will never be a good trail vehicle...read what this FJ owner had to say

"To me, an off-road capable vehicle is not only one capable of driving off-road, but also having a company that stands behind the vehicle when damaged while driving off-road due to a major suspension component flaw that was overlooked while picking which options to enhance the appearance of the TRD Special Edition package.

Based on this experience, the Toyota FJ Cruiser is NOT an off-road capable vehicle and should not be touted as such to draw in naïve buyers into thinking it is something different"

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/fj-cruiser/100590-suspension-problem-toyotas-response-help/

x2...vehicles are meant to be planted to the ground. skying over and damaging the vehicle has nothing to do with the manufacturer, it's the owners own fault.



here is a test from off-road.com, looks like it does stand up to it's presumed abilities.

"Daring to venture into dirt, mud or slippery rocks demands precise control and a vehicle that commands it. The Land Cruiser created a reputation for the ability to crawl over obstacles on challenging environments, and the FJ Cruiser lives up to the history by being a capable all-weather, all-condition instrument. The FJ Cruiser delivers true durability at an affordable price for Land Cruiser and outdoor enthusiasts alike"

http://tlc.off-road.com/tlc/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=362040

Rosko, the new FJ is about as unluxurious as it gets compared to new vehicles. Have you seen the interior or the standard equipment?

Dirty Harry would say "an inexperienced FJ driver should know his limitations".

Here's the key sentence to me:

"I misjudged my speed at the peak of the dune. This resulted in the front end leaving the ground."

How would it look if you sent that to Ferrari?

"I misjudged my speed at the top of the hill. This resulted in the front end leaving the ground. I was appalled at the sheer level of damage caused by this. This is OBVIOUSLY not a real go-fast vehicle and does not perform to stated capabilities."

LOL

"I screwed up, yea, but it's your fault it broke!"

I misjudged the speed ... and the front end left the groung... And what would Farrari say? First off haven't any of you seen all the ads that confirm that this is a bullet proof off roader! The question we should all be asking our selves is is this a 4x4 or a car! I have jumped all of my trucks and they should all take a little abuse, I have owned 3 toyota 4x4's and the IFS is weak! And can't take any abuse! I accidentally jumped my F-250 4x4 with a 4in. superlift and I accidentally hit a culvert at 50mph and I jumped around 30 ft long! I almost fripped the truck forward and the only dammage I got was a slightly cracked bracket that Superlift warranteed, now that is the abuse that a real truck should be able to take! And the FJ isn't a real truck! A great SUV just not a trail king.Reality check!

I am just stating the truth! You sheep don't want to know the truth! No vehicle is infallable but you all want to believe in fantacy. This FJ could not have withstood the culvert jump that I did im by 1993
F-250 (4in superlift 35in tires) at 50mph. The FJ would have to be towed away! Older toyota fj and P/U frames were bullet proof! I can attest to that, the new FJ's frames crach when used off road. Look at a web site called "ihatemud" it talks about this too! I am not making this up, I have owned many toyotas and liked them for some things but there IFS has never impressed me at all! For a matter a fact the IFS belongs on a camry not a truck! All this FJ needs is a solid front axle with a selectable locker and a beefier frame with optional larger tires with the off road package. Also has anyone looked at the front skid plate? Vulnerable and pathetic! I don't expect any of you sheep to believe me but when no one is looking peek at this vulnerable set up and then you will know what I am talking about! You don't have to tell anyone if you agree with me! LOL

here in UAE FJ is selling like crazy. It's very popular with arabs. Most are starting to shift from Hummers to FJs.

and not to mention FJ has proven to be a better offroader than the hummers if nothing else it's got great Weight advantage.

JUGNU

The Fj is not a better off roader than a hummer! I read the 4x4 shoot out from knowledgeable off roaders that live and breath off road and the Hummer H-3 has a more flexy suspension and the H-1 is obiously better, I shouldn't even have to educate you all on this one!

These Arabs have more money than brains! An FJ better off road than an H-1! Then again a dune buggie would drive circles around anything in the desert.

Hummer?? You haven't got a chance. Arabs?? They've got brains more than their money coz they can realize a good car from a useless pathetic once, you might think I'm talking rubbish but watch this.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMmFCfWZUCo)
Oooooh, by the way, you don't need to hang your selves hummer lovers, this is only the small version of the Legend.

The only hummer worthy of any praise is the H-1, and I am not saying it deserves much praise, it is just the fact that it is engeneered for off road use, And I saw the FJ Vs H-3 tug-war, and I am not surprised at all that the Toyota pulled the underpowered H-3 aroung! The Toyota has a way better engine and this H-3 has an underpowered engine, now I would like to see the H-3 with the V-8 vs the FJ, still that wouldn't prove much about off road worthiness. I don't hate Toyota! I just don't like the direction they are going with there Trucks, I am sugesting that they are being watered down.Then again All the manufacturers are watering down the off road ability! I just want to buy a truck that I wouldn't have to modify to take off road.Again this FJ is just marketing a dream, the reality is that it is not off road worthy! Try comparing the new FJ to the old solid axle L/C, no comparison.

Respect is the word, I respect your opinion and respect your experience. I own a 1997 LC and I know what this machine can do.

Toyota just cannot do anything right, huh? Not even their legendary off-roading vehicles are up-to-par? Boy, Toyota is just in the dirt right now, and they will never be successful at anything...

Rather have a Jeep Rubicon.

I would too if Jeep would only reduce the height of the Rubicon. I live in Alberta but I also have a condo in the East which has a door height limitation of 70 3/4 inches.

You can buy an air bag adjustable suspension and you could lower it when you want to park it. It's been around awhile.

Looking at this vehicle in all of its (generic) Black/White splendor begs the question:

So Where's The Giant Bar Code On The Hood, and The Nameplate That Reads (simply) S.U.V.?

NO! NO! NO! it's P R E T T Y but my wife thinks it's ugly so I can't get one.

LC and 4runner FTW.

The old toyota LCs you could respect this thing is just a marketing tool.

I hope Toyota has fixed the frame! kpaxx you are on the money! For the rest of you that can't see this, there marketing has done there job! The evidence is in your face that this is a weak POS and you all still defend this as an off road champ! ??? Why? Accept the facts! This is a 4-runner in different skin! WEAK! And I have driven many miles on/off road with my 3 toyotas.The old L/C was tough and worthy of praise!

my personal favorite was the 80 series LC. awesome car.

LOL! this is a replay of an incident described in Automobile magazine.

inspired by tv commercials of flying Jeeps, some kid took his mom's new jeep and did a little offroading too. the result could ALSO be described EXACTLY...

"I misjudged my speed at the top of the hill. This resulted in the front end leaving the ground. I was appalled at the sheer level of damage caused by this. This is OBVIOUSLY not a real go-fast vehicle and does not perform to stated capabilities."

mom docked the kid's allowance for 50 years or something like that. but of course, Jeeps were SUPPOSED to take leaps like that. (IF you can believe commercials.)

and toyotas generally ARE far more robust than jeeps.
(short of the simple, basic, rugged CJs)

think of the energies involved in crashes. "throwing" and/or "dropping" a vehicle WILL impose a HUGE load on the suspension and frame when it "lands." some landings are soft; some hard. just as collisions can range from bumper kisses, to whole front ends wiped out.

few STOCK suspensions are made to absorb the energies some idiots will impose on them, trying to emulate tv commercials.

I drove my toyota out of a parking lot and accidentally turned too sharp to a fast drop at aprox 5 mph aprox. a 2 foot drop and the wheel never left the ground and I was appauled to see that I seriously bent my bump stop! My Bronco would do this in stride! This is not an isolated case, just look under any toyota and inspect the bumpstops, if the contact point is all clean that means that it bottoms out frequently! Toyota rear axles are bullet proof! but the front ends lack wheel travel and bottom out too easily! I used to own a 1976 ford bronco and that truck could take a beating off road! When I first bought a Toyota I had to adjust my driving style dramatically because the front end would bottom out on everything! Kind of like a car!

Kind of like a car! Just like this FJ! A nice car though just not a truck! The word truck is being used loosly these days. Trucks are suposed to take abose and keep on going! Its all you morons that accept this crap as a 4x4 masterpiese that keep vehicles like this remain in weak car like desighn. If the public would demand a better product all vehicles would improve! Especially trucks! Car people have it made, just look at all the selection of great cars, now lets look at trucks and there isn't anything there! All half truck half car! Watered down princesses!

Isn't anyone going to deboost my blog above? I spoke from experience not from a biased emotion! I still like Toyota even though they are slipping in quality and there 4x4's are getting watered down big time! I came to the conclusion that I will have to make my own off road vehicle if I want quality! I will probable have some toyota parts in there, but I definatly won't have there front suspension in it! And no it won't be a red neck high chair on wheels either.

i won't argue against the premise that many older models were built tougher than current new cars. and trucks.

even toyota. as i understand it, under the pressure of the koreans (before their auto industry unions grew balls) and all competitors generally, toyota has actually had engineering teams find ways to shave costs. supposedly "without sacrificing toyota quality" but who REALLY knows?