Obviously, we can't get enough of SUVs these days. Compact, mid-size, or large, these vehicles make it to the top of the buying lists of most car seekers — and with the increased demand come increased offers, so finding a perfect SUV is not at all difficult today. But, the question is, what do you do when you don't have the budget for the latest production years?
Yes, you look for used rides with a few (or more) years under their belt, which is actually something that most of us non-rich mortals do when buying a vehicle, regardless of the type. Fortunately, there are always long-produced nameplates we can rely on to provide years of good service and pleasant driving experiences on a budget.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is one such example. This mid-size SUV left production in 2014, yet it still makes a solid choice for off-roading today. Admittedly, the FJ Cruiser does hold its value very well on the used car market, but it also justifies that with various good features and characteristics.
With the last iteration of the Toyota FJ Cruiser, you get a 4.0-liter V6 engine producing 260 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque and either a rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. This configuration makes the FJ Cruiser still very much appealing today as it ensures smooth and exciting performance, especially off-road.
However, let's take a peek into the Toyota FJ Cruiser's interior to determine whether this SUV is equally appealing from the inside.
First Generation Buildups: Take A Closer Look At The Outdated But Highly-Functional Toyota FJ Cruiser's Interior
The Toyota FJ Cruiser first appeared on the market in 2007, and although it received a couple of updates until 2011, the design pretty much remained the same. Essentially, Toyota played on the off-road card with the interior of the FJ Cruiser, which many people like even today. With water-resistant seat fabric, rubber flooring, removable rear seat coverings, and massive manual buttons, this SUV is simply perfect for operating in demanding conditions.
But the off-road-suited Toyota FJ Cruiser's interior doesn't provide exceptional functionality at the expense of comfort. The SUV is still very comfy with highly-supportive seats. The cargo area is also impressive, and drivers even get to fully fold the second row to get even more room for transporting all kinds of goods.
So, the Toyota FJ Cruiser's interior is just as rugged as the exterior, with the difference of it providing more comfort features. Alongside the standard ones like air conditioning, power windows and locks, a six-speaker audio system, and similar, the SUV offers some upgrades for those who desire even more comfort. The advanced niceties include keyless entry, cruise control, rear sonar parking assist, rear backup camera, an eight-speaker audio system, and more.
Indeed, the first generation of the Toyota FJ Cruiser may look too simple and a little outdated design-wise, but considering its off-road focus and plenty of comfort features, we can hardly take that as a drawback.
The Last FJ Cruiser: Explore Updates Of The Rolled-Out Toyota FJ Cruiser's Interior
The interior of the Toyota FJ Cruiser produced between 2011 and 2014 remained the same in terms of rugged, bare-stripped styling. Aimed for off-road driving and adventures, the cabin of this SUV retained water-repellent materials over seats, floor mats, and other components, and the massive buttons and knobs allow easy operation for drivers wearing gloves. In fact, only the center radio screen got a little bigger — the rest of the layout is pretty much unchanged.
So, regardless of the production year, the Toyota FJ Cruiser will provide more or less the same interior. The 2014 version features air conditioning, an advanced audio system, parking sensors, a rearview camera, and many other features found in its older sibling. Fortunately, the interior comfort and convenient cargo space also remain admirable.
Now, we already mentioned that the Toyota FJ Cruiser holds its value really well, which means you won't be able to shop the 2014 version on a budget. The last iteration of this SUV typically goes up to $30,000, which is quite a lot for an 8-year-old ride.
Indeed, the differences between different production years do exist in terms of performance and exterior styling. However, if you look at the Toyota FJ Cruiser's interior, you'll find it largely unchanged across several versions. All of this means you can very well go for the 2010 (or older) Toyota FJ Cruiser and save yourself about $10,000.
Actually, shopping for the Toyota FJ Cruiser built between 2007 and 2011 is the only one we can call budget-friendly. But if you have the extra money and really like the rugged, plain, and traditional interior and exterior styling of this SUV, by all means, go for the younger versions.
Source: Toyota