Toyota has a great history of making SUV's and pickups. The thing that makes Toyota vehicles so impressive is the remarkable level of reliability and the efficiency and sturdiness of the engines. This makes vehicles like the FJ40 especially desirable for those who choose to take their vehicles off-road and into some difficult terrain, which would kill off the ordinary pickup or SUV.
The Land Cruiser has been around for decades now, just proving how great and popular the vehicle is, and the classic styling and build quality of the FJ40 make it one of the best in the whole Land Cruiser lineup. Below are some reasons we desperately want a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40.
10 The History
The J series Land Cruiser is a vehicle that started out in the 1960s, but it has roots that go even further back than this.
The Land Cruiser first began in the early 50s and is still going on today, making it one of the longest series of any car and Toyota's longest running. The J series was Toyota's attempt at the similar Jeep CJ, as most models are made with 2-doors.
9 Classic Styling
The styling of the Toyota is very much like the classic Jeeps of the time and looks great even by today's standards. The car has a timeless look, which is why they are still so sought after even now.
The Toyota badging on the front grille and the rounded headlights are a staple of the FJ40. The short frame too makes it a car that stands out and a great option as a classic SUV on looks alone.
8 Great Build Quality
The Land Cruiser series of vehicles are by far the most popular cars when it comes to build quality, as they are famously tough.
It's this toughness that separated the FJ40 from the pack and gave Toyota a foothold in the SUV market. The beauty of this is that it's easily possible to find incredibly old FJ40's in perfect working order.
7 The Engine Options
The FJ series of SUV's saw a number of different engines, all with the famously well-built and tough to break as expected. These engines are said to be able to withstand over 500,000 miles without any problems whatsoever.
The Type F engine was used until 1974 and was a 3.9-liter inline-6. The 2F engine was used from 1975 until 1988 and was an improved 4.2-liter and somehow managed to be even more efficient than the already efficient 3.9-liter it replaced.
6 Cargo Space
As far as practicality goes, almost nothing comes close to the Toyota. The car was built for function and this, of course, includes the storage areas.
As a cross between a pickup and an SUV, the Land Cruiser has plenty of space for almost anything in the back, especially if the rear seats are out of the way or removed completely.
5 Off-Road Capability
The Toyota's all terrain ability is the stuff of legend and is a huge part of why the car is so popular. The sturdiness of the vehicle help this massively as well as the design.
The huge off-road tires and high ride height help it scale obstacles with ease, and the powerful and reliable engine mean it can go for miles in difficult scenarios. The body parts are even made of thicker metal to provide more support when dealing with particularly harsh bumps and scrapes.
4 The Simplicity
We live in a time of technological and mechanical innovation, with electric and even solar-powered cars on the horizon. This is far from what the FJ40 is about but, this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it turns out.
The beauty of the Land Cruiser lies in its simplicity. It has few functions put performs them perfectly, there is little in the Land Cruiser to distract or get in the way and the purpose of the vehicle is to provide reliability and all terrain driving, which it does excellently. The FJ40 is the epitome of the right tool for the job, and few other vehicles come close to this.
3 Body Shapes
The FJ series of the Land Cruiser came in a few different styles, these all provided similar functionality but on a different scale.
The FJ40 was the first in the lineup and is the classic 2-door Land Cruiser we see here. There has also been huge station wagon versions of the car, as seen with the FJ45 version. The FJ47 was a more traditional pickup truck styled Land Cruiser for added storage capabilities.
2 Soft Top Or Hard Top
Another great feature of the FJ40 was the ability to purchase it in either a hard top or soft top configuration. The soft top version provides a more open and almost beach buggy like feel.
The hard top is much more classic and closer to the military like vehicles the car was originally based on. These options further add to the Land Cruisers versatility and its popularity.
1 The Legacy
The legacy of the Land Cruiser lives on massively and this even includes some companies like Icon who specialize in updating and rebuilding old Land Cruisers like the FJ40, giving people the classic style of the old school vehicles but with modern features and upgrades for the best of both worlds.
It isn't just aftermarket parts that are available for the Land Cruiser as, perhaps surprisingly, Toyota themselves still offer replacement parts for the FJ40 meaning it is incredibly well-supported despite its old age. As a tribute to the legendary car, Toyota even launched the FJ Cruiser in 2006. The car was first shown as a concept in 2003 and due to popularity with consumers, Toyota decided to go ahead and make the car for mass production.