√Toyota FJ Cruiser axed globally after 16-year production run

The iconic Toyota FJ Cruiser has quietly and unceremoniously been axed by the Japanese car giant – more than five years after it left Australian and US showrooms.

Global production of the Toyota FJ Cruiser – the Prado-based homage to classic LandCruisers – has come to an end after 16 years, with the off-roader going off sale in all markets almost six years after it departed Australian showrooms.

According to South African publication Cars.co.za, a Toyota South Africa spokesperson confirmed the FJ Cruiser is no longer on sale there after production quietly ended in Japan in December 2022.

The FJ Cruiser had been produced by Hino Motors – Toyota’s commercial vehicle subsidiary – at its Hamura factory in Japan since it debuted in 2006.

The FJ Cruiser’s old-school appearance paid tribute to Toyota’s early FJ-series LandCruiser from the 1970s, while its chassis and mechanical components were shared with the then-new Toyota LandCruiser Prado 120-Series.

Left-hand-drive production of the FJ Cruiser has been active since 2006, though Toyota waited until 2011 to start right-hand-drive production – while exports from Japan to Australia started later in the year.

Despite its retro styling and familiar underpinnings, the FJ Cruiser’s $46,990 plus on-road costs price tag resulted in Toyota selling 12,170 examples in Australia between 2011 and 2017 – significantly less than the approximately 100,000 Prados sold across the same period.

Reports at the time of the FJ Cruiser’s exit from Australia claimed its departure coincided with the end of right-hand-drive production, though Hino’s Hamura factory continued to produce the vehicle in right-hand-drive for South Africa – alongside left-hand drive exports to the Middle East and the Philippines.

In October 2022, a special edition Toyota FJ Cruiser ‘Final Edition’ was revealed for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which included a number of cosmetic changes identical to the Japanese Final Edition from 2017.

Toyota sold 56,225 FJ Cruisers in its first year in the US, though sales took a steep dive when the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2008, plummeting to 28,688 examples two years after its launch.

After 2008, the Toyota FJ Cruiser did not exceed 15,000 annual sales in the US.

All examples of the Toyota FJ Cruiser were powered by a 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine, delivering up to 200kW and 380Nm to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

While the FJ Cruiser was unceremoniously dropped from Toyota’s Australian line-up in 2017, it has since attracted a cult following amongst off-road enthusiasts, who praise its quirky looks and reliable Prado-based mechanical components.

On the used-car market, Toyota FJ Cruisers are listed for sale between approximately $25,000 and $85,000 – though condition and modifications vary.

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